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Tarrywile Park

	Sandy Moy Executive Director
Address:	70 Southern Blvd. Danbury, CT
Telephone:	203-744-3130
Webpage:	Tarrywile Park & Mansion

About Us:

    Tarrywile Park offers 722 acres of fields, meadows and dense forests, steep hillsides punctuated by spectacular views of dramatic outcrops of granite, and glistening streams and ponds.   There are twenty-one miles of cleared hiking trails and several picnic areas.  The Park provides visitors with the opportunity to observe wildlife or an aggressive workout on rugged terrain.  

    There are also many structured activities such as, National Trails Day, Winterfest and the Boy Scout Klondike & Jamboree.  Several area high schools use the park as their home course for cross-country meets.  The Tarrywile Park Authority and staff, which manage the Park for the City of Danbury, are proud to offer most Park events free of charge.  Volunteers conduct guided hikes most every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year. Other programming opportunities are offered and are published in the Calendar of Events which is available on our website at www.tarrywile.com   

    Within the boundaries of Tarrywile Park stand both the Tarrywile Mansion and Hearthstone Castle. These structures are listed on the National Register for Historic Preservation.  The Mansion holds many meetings, weddings and social events. It is surrounded by formal gardens, an orchard and beautiful specimen trees. The Authority has set up use of the building allowing Danbury residents and non-profits access to the facility.  A children’s garden is located along the Mansion front lawn and is the site of many an exploration by young botanists.  An adaptive reuse study has been completed for Hearthstone Castle through a grant from the CT Trust for Historic Preservation and a Castle Task Force has been set up to look into the possibility of restoration of this magnificent structure.

    Many folks are surprised to hear that all the land and buildings are cared for by a small staff, which includes the Executive Director, our Administrative Secretary, an Event Coordinator, a Grounds and Buildings Foreman and a Grounds and Buildings Caretaker. The staff works very closely with volunteers who help to maintain the Park including Eagle Scouts, Girl and Boy Scouts, our nine member Volunteer Hike Leaders, as well as corporations and those looking to complete community service hours.  Without the help of these fine volunteers we would not be able to maintain the largest municipally owned park in the State of Connecticut.

Our Accomplishments:

    This past fall, we began the process of updating the trail markers in the park with the help of Eastern Mountain Sports.  Their staff remarked the orange trail and will be back this spring to update the yellow, blue and green trail markers.  

    We also want to send out a big round of applause to all of our volunteers for their efforts no matter how large or small. Our motto is “many hands make light work”.

    A comprehensive Master Plan for the park was developed by the Tarrywile Park Authority and adopted by the City of Danbury in 2004. The Authority continues to fulfill the plan today through its continuation of promoting the preservation of historic sites and structures; by providing passive recreational opportunities and appropriate community activities; and by protecting the environment and promoting a greater appreciation of natural resources.