Frequently Asked Questions
Where are the bathrooms at Topsmead?
At this time there is a single Porto-john at Topsmead located in the parking lot. It is handicap accessible. There are no bathrooms in or around the house available for use.
Can I bring my dog to Topsmead?
Dogs are welcome at Topsmead if kept on a leash and if you clean up after them. There are two stands with dog waste bags and receptacles for your use. Topsmead is home to many ground-nesting birds and other wildlife that live in the fields. When a dog runs loose, it may run through the fields, damaging the nests, or root up plants, frighten small animals, or been felt as a threat to other visitors. Keep in mind too, there are ticks at Topsmead just as elsewhere in Connecticut. If a dog runs through taller grasses, it will be more likely to pick up ticks! Please observe these two rules when visiting to help preserve Topsmead and the pleasure of visiting for everyone.
Can I picnic at Topsmead?
Yes, you can picnic at Topsmead. There are a few picnic tables and benches available, and you can sit out on the lawns. Topsmead is a ‘Carry In-Carry Out’ State Forest. This means there are no garbage cans and visitors are expected to carry out whatever picnic or play items they bring in as well as carry out any trash. This is important for the health of the Topsmead environment as well as the enjoyment of all visitors.
Are weddings or other events allowed at Topsmead?
Yes, small weddings or other events are permitted at Topsmead, on a first-come, first-served basis. Complete Topsmead wedding policy guidelines can be read here. Groups are limited to 30 people and the park cannot be reserved exclusively for the event attendee’s use. As such, the event must not be conducted in such a way as to unduly disturb or prevent other visitors’ enjoyment of the park. If you have additional questions or concerns contact Topsmead State Forest directly at (860) 567-5694 or email [email protected].
Is professional photography allowed at Topsmead?
Professional photographers are welcome at Topsmead. However, as this is a State of Connecticut property, no sales of services or goods can take place on park grounds. That means all financial transactions must be completed elsewhere.
We encourage you, if you are a professional photographer, to join the Friends of Topsmead State Forest. We would love to share some of your photos on our website and would encourage you to support our efforts to help keep Topsmead the exquisite photography setting that it is.
All photographers are strongly encouraged to use the park gently. This means, limiting props and equipment that might damage the grounds and leaving the park as you found it; i.e. not moving the furniture or leaving behind equipment tracks in soft ground.
When do the tours run of the Chase cottage?
Free guided tours of the residence are offered from June through October on the 2nd and 4th weekends of each month. Reservations are not required. On open weekends, tours are available from 12:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M., except for the last open weekend in October when hours are from 12:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. While there is no charge, donations to Friends of Topsmead are welcome! Each tour is limited in number; currently there is a limit of 10 people per tour due to COVID considerations and limited gathering space inside the cottage.
When and why do they mow the fields at Topsmead?
The fields at Topsmead are mowed about twice a year, yet not all fields are mowed each time. This schedule is intended to help preserve the ecological balance in the fields while avoiding harm, to the extent possible, to ground-nesting birds and other small mammals the live in them. In particular, every year numerous Bobolinks make their nests and raise their young in the fields at Topsmead.
The challenge for DEEP for managing the meadows at Topsmead is threefold. They are wildlife habitat for Bobolinks and other animals as well as part of the trail system for passive recreation. In addition, if the meadows are not properly maintained, growth of non-meadow plants including tree seedlings will encroach on the fields and they will revert to woodlands within a few seasons. The meadows could disappear. Finally, the hay must be cut at optimal times, to the extent possible, to retain its value as a food crop for the local farmers who mow the fields at no cost to DEEP.
The summer climate largely dictates when the hay ripens. Consequently, it is a difficult balancing act to time the mowing to allow the farmer to gain some value from the hay and at the same time, also protect the Bobolinks and their fledglings. At the same time, other wildlife, particularly small hawks like the Kestrel, take advantage of the mowed fields to hunt for varied prey such as rabbits and mice. So, the mowed fields create opportunities for other wildlife to thrive while sometimes creating challenges for birds such as the Bobolink. In order to address these needs the DEEP;
Please email Friends of Topsmead at [email protected] with other questions or submit a question through this website. We will do our best to get a response back to you as quickly as possible.
> Covid-19 Guidelines for State Forests
At this time there is a single Porto-john at Topsmead located in the parking lot. It is handicap accessible. There are no bathrooms in or around the house available for use.
Can I bring my dog to Topsmead?
Dogs are welcome at Topsmead if kept on a leash and if you clean up after them. There are two stands with dog waste bags and receptacles for your use. Topsmead is home to many ground-nesting birds and other wildlife that live in the fields. When a dog runs loose, it may run through the fields, damaging the nests, or root up plants, frighten small animals, or been felt as a threat to other visitors. Keep in mind too, there are ticks at Topsmead just as elsewhere in Connecticut. If a dog runs through taller grasses, it will be more likely to pick up ticks! Please observe these two rules when visiting to help preserve Topsmead and the pleasure of visiting for everyone.
Can I picnic at Topsmead?
Yes, you can picnic at Topsmead. There are a few picnic tables and benches available, and you can sit out on the lawns. Topsmead is a ‘Carry In-Carry Out’ State Forest. This means there are no garbage cans and visitors are expected to carry out whatever picnic or play items they bring in as well as carry out any trash. This is important for the health of the Topsmead environment as well as the enjoyment of all visitors.
Are weddings or other events allowed at Topsmead?
Yes, small weddings or other events are permitted at Topsmead, on a first-come, first-served basis. Complete Topsmead wedding policy guidelines can be read here. Groups are limited to 30 people and the park cannot be reserved exclusively for the event attendee’s use. As such, the event must not be conducted in such a way as to unduly disturb or prevent other visitors’ enjoyment of the park. If you have additional questions or concerns contact Topsmead State Forest directly at (860) 567-5694 or email [email protected].
Is professional photography allowed at Topsmead?
Professional photographers are welcome at Topsmead. However, as this is a State of Connecticut property, no sales of services or goods can take place on park grounds. That means all financial transactions must be completed elsewhere.
We encourage you, if you are a professional photographer, to join the Friends of Topsmead State Forest. We would love to share some of your photos on our website and would encourage you to support our efforts to help keep Topsmead the exquisite photography setting that it is.
All photographers are strongly encouraged to use the park gently. This means, limiting props and equipment that might damage the grounds and leaving the park as you found it; i.e. not moving the furniture or leaving behind equipment tracks in soft ground.
When do the tours run of the Chase cottage?
Free guided tours of the residence are offered from June through October on the 2nd and 4th weekends of each month. Reservations are not required. On open weekends, tours are available from 12:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M., except for the last open weekend in October when hours are from 12:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. While there is no charge, donations to Friends of Topsmead are welcome! Each tour is limited in number; currently there is a limit of 10 people per tour due to COVID considerations and limited gathering space inside the cottage.
When and why do they mow the fields at Topsmead?
The fields at Topsmead are mowed about twice a year, yet not all fields are mowed each time. This schedule is intended to help preserve the ecological balance in the fields while avoiding harm, to the extent possible, to ground-nesting birds and other small mammals the live in them. In particular, every year numerous Bobolinks make their nests and raise their young in the fields at Topsmead.
The challenge for DEEP for managing the meadows at Topsmead is threefold. They are wildlife habitat for Bobolinks and other animals as well as part of the trail system for passive recreation. In addition, if the meadows are not properly maintained, growth of non-meadow plants including tree seedlings will encroach on the fields and they will revert to woodlands within a few seasons. The meadows could disappear. Finally, the hay must be cut at optimal times, to the extent possible, to retain its value as a food crop for the local farmers who mow the fields at no cost to DEEP.
The summer climate largely dictates when the hay ripens. Consequently, it is a difficult balancing act to time the mowing to allow the farmer to gain some value from the hay and at the same time, also protect the Bobolinks and their fledglings. At the same time, other wildlife, particularly small hawks like the Kestrel, take advantage of the mowed fields to hunt for varied prey such as rabbits and mice. So, the mowed fields create opportunities for other wildlife to thrive while sometimes creating challenges for birds such as the Bobolink. In order to address these needs the DEEP;
- Mows a path through each field so visitors have a dedicated space to pass through and enjoy the meadow environment without disturbing the birds and other wildlife
- Maintains the mowed lawns around the house.
- Contracts with a local farmer, who has the right equipment readily available at the right time, to mow the meadows twice a year
- Has a 5-year recurring agreement with the farmer to delay mowing until after July first for two of the meadows near the parking lot and Chase house and after July 15th for the remaining larger meadows. The farmer is not paid, but rather takes the harvested hay for personal use as livestock feed – thus he/she must mow the fields before the hay is past its prime.
Please email Friends of Topsmead at [email protected] with other questions or submit a question through this website. We will do our best to get a response back to you as quickly as possible.
> Covid-19 Guidelines for State Forests