Farmington Land Trust Announces Scavenger Hunt Competition!

What can you spy with your little eye? Can you find 15 places out of the 24 listed below?

Greetings to all our Farmington Land Trust supporters. We have a wonderful opportunity for you to play a game, win a great prize and learn more about the properties we preserve as open space. 

Join our FLT Scavenger Hunt! it is open to all ages and there will be prizes for the winner/winners. We have found a variety of items/areas on or near nine of our properties. Now, we challenge you to find them as well. Follow the instructions! When you find one, you simply need to shoot a selfie showing both you and the item. When you've collected photos from 15 of the 24 items/areas, email them to us by September 5th, 2020. 

Anyone with 15 photos gathered from the 24 designated areas will be entered into a drawing to win both an adult and youth backpack, filled with all kinds of goodies any hiker or casual walker would love. 

Directions: The scavenger hunt is spread out over nine different locations. To find them, go to our website. The list and picture of many of the 24 scavenger items will be on the website also.

After taking your photos, which must include you or a member of your team, email them with subject note: Scavenger Hunt to ed.farmingtonlandtrust@gmail.com along with the participants name(s), address, email and phone number. Please submit your photos no later than September 5th, 2020. A receipt of registration will be emailed to you. 

Get outside and have fun hunting for these items while enjoying some of the beautiful properties the FLT is protecting for our town.

FLT Scavenger Hunt - Take a selfie showing any 15 of the following 24 items or areas

Mt. Spring Nature Trail

• Nature viewing blind
• Bog bridge
• Run-in barn
• Bug board
• Picture of Mormon Church tower from the trail’s end

Canal Aqueduct/Henry Mason Trail

• Wildflower kiosk guide
• Aqueduct arch ruin
• History of the Aqueduct Kiosk
• Wooden bridge
• Tree guide photo
• Rope swing into the Farmington River

Cowles Property   

• Brownstone bridge
• Dedication marker for Cowles Trail 

Wadsworth Memorial Easement

• Dedication plaque
• Cave opening of Will Warren’s Den
• View from ridge near Will Warren’s Den

Douglas/Mount/Zipp Parcel

• Handicapped fishing pier
• Sitting bench

Bull Lot

• Picture of marker for the Bull Lot
• Milkweed islands

Prattling Pond Parcel

• Beehive boxes

Bancroft Parcel 

• Wooden bench with dedication plaque
• Dedication stone

West District Nature Preserve

• ​Bushley home, photo from the street

Have Fun and Remember to Be Safe and Responsible

There are many ways to enjoy the beauty and passive recreational opportunities the Farmington open space properties offer. There are hiking trails that allow for beautiful river views, bird-watching spots, wildflower and tree identification, and the discovery of historical landmarks. There are also river access points, for boating/kayaking, fishing, tubing or swimming. In order to keep these beautiful open space areas safe and clean, it’s important for all who use them to do so responsibly. "Take only pictures, leave only footprints."

The Town of Farmington has ordinances (rules) in place, that must be followed, in order to protect town-owned land and open spaces. The rules include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Do not disturb, alter, enhance, destroy, remove or damage the land, wildlife, or vegetation.
• Do not leave, deposit, dump or throw any litter, trash, garbage or rubbish, other than in a designated receptacle.
• Do not possess or discharge any firearm, fireworks or other hunting implement.
• Do not start open fires.
• No alcoholic beverages are permitted.
• Pets must be kept on leashes, no more than 6 feet long.

For a complete description of rules, please refer to the Town Ordinance (Chapter 148, Town-Owned Property) document. There are penalties assessed when these rules are not followed, including fines and Community Service hours. Let’s all do our part to help keep these spaces clean and safe.

Important Safety Information and Resources 

It's also important to note that all activities in and around Farmington's open spaces, from fishing and kayaking, to hiking and swimming, are “at your own risk” activities. There are inherent risks associated with being out in nature, such as wild animal encounters, falling trees and branches, etc. The Farmington River is beautiful, but can be dangerous to tubers, boaters and especially swimmers. Cold temperatures, strong currents, unknown underwater hazards and other factors can prove harmful, or even fatal, to even the strongest of swimmers. The safest way to enjoy these activities is to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket, and to educate yourself on current river water conditions. The Farmington River Watershed Association and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) websites offer valuable information on River Safety and Water Conditions, Boating Safety and Swimming Safety. Although your safety cannot be guaranteed, the more prepared and educated you are, the better.