Hike at the Nathan Hale State Forest in Coventry, CT
David Ostafin
Join us on Saturday, May 16, 2026 for a two-hour flat hike on a four-mile loop at the Nathan Hale State Park, adjacent to the Nathan Hale Homestead, located at 2299 South Street, Coventry, CT. Meet at the homestead parking area at 10:30 p.m. for a prompt departure at 11:00 a.m. The rain date is the following day: Sunday, May 17, 2026. Our group has never hiked in this state forest, and therefore with this event we are expanding our hiking repertoire.
ABOUT THE HIKE: The Nathan Hale State Park Loop takes one around the forest on a nice trail through a peaceful wooded area, which offers numerous old stone walls and foundations dating back to the late 18th century and early 19th century. There is also a Dog Memorial site deep in the woods (the name of the dog has worn away; it is now a memorial for all deceased canines). The trail is not well-marked, and therefore we will be hiking with ALLTRAIL application to be certain to stay on the trail. The total loop is five miles, and is generally considered EASY due to its flatness, but we will be shortening it to about a four-mile hike by taking a connector between the two legs of the loop about a half mile before the loop inflection point.
ABOUT THE PARK: The park is located at the site of the homestead of Connecticut’s official state hero Nathan Hale, a martyred soldier of the American revolution. A school teacher by profession, he joined the Connecticut militia when the American Revolutionary War began in 1775, was made first lieutenant within five months, and was soon after commissioned a captain. He went undercover to report on British troop movements, but was captured. The British considered him a rebel and spy, rather than a patriot as we do. The British hanged him in New York on September 22, 1776 when he was a mere twenty-one years old. His famous last words before being hanged were: “I only regret that I have but one lose to give for my country.” His body was never recovered, but his cenotaph (memorial empty tomb) is located in a cemetery in South Coventry, now called the Nathan Hale Cemetery. His family home is an historic museum, deep in the Coventry woods, near the Andover line, and is within Nathan Hale State Forest, which was the 26th forest added to the statewide forest system in 1946. In 1914 George Dudley Seymour began purchasing land in Coventry which included the homestead, with the goal to restore the area to the state comparable to that which existed during Nathan Hale’s boyhood. Seymour deeded the land to the state, which now totals 1, 526 acres and several trails, as well as the family homestead, which has operated as a museum since 1918.
HALE HOMESTEAD: After the hike, consider a visit to the Nathan Hale homestead. The house is open for tours from May to October (on Saturday, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.). The cost is $18 ($15 for seniors). Timed tickets can be purchased online at the website or at the door. The house was built in the colonia era, and is a Georgian-style house furnished with antiques from the period around Nathan Hale’s life and with some family items as well. The house was added to the Registry of Historic Places in 1970.
NOTE: As always, dress appropriately for the season (including adequate footwear for possible muddy conditions) and read our Disclaimer (the group disclaims any liability; each participant is responsible for him/self). Dogs are welcome on the hike, but not in the house. Bathroom facilities are available at the homestead.
DIRECTIONS: Set your GPS for “2299 South Street, Coventry, CT 06238” and park in the ample museum parking area. Meet at the stone memorial pyramid, visible from the parking area. From points South, take I 84 East to 384 East, to Route 6; then take a left onto South Street. South Street is also accessible from Route 44 in Coventry.
