Brooksvale Park

Brooksvale Park was a tiny area that operated in Hamden, CT. It was just one slope/trail which is still used for sledding. The area was run by the town of Hamden and had a vertical of maybe 50 feet! There is a website on this park, which is located at http://www.brooksvale.org/ (link sent from Sandy Barker).

Woodcore visited the area in May, 2005 and reports the following: I recently visited the remains of the Brooksvale Park Tow in Hamden, CT. Brooksvale Park (NELSAP) After wandering around some of the beautiful trails in the park for a while, looking in all the wrong places for any sign of this rope tow operation, I luckily stumbled upon the site of the lost tow. After my visit, in all honesty I can say that Brooksvale Park’s Tow is perhaps one of the smallest lost areas listed on NELSAP! The hill has no more than 50 feet of vertical rise and the length of the only trail/slope is no more than 350 feet.

Right - a view of the slope from the bottom, look how small!

The tow appears to have served only one slope/trail, which is still clear of tree growth and used for sledding in the winter months. The hill although short does have a decent pitch, and a nice run out at the bottom. The only visible remains of the rope tow I was able to spot: · A guide wheel mounted on a large tree · A snow fence around the probable base of the tow · The base of the telephone pole that likely supported the summit return pulley.

Left - Looking down the slope.

Not much to see, but enough to prove it’s existence and give an impression of what the hill must have been like when it was operating.

Right - last remaining pulley.

John Debenedet remembers this area: George Grandy was the resident park ranger and it was run by the town of Hamden,CT. This slope was much steeper than West Rock and I first was there in the mid seventies. It was located past the duck pond to the north of the barn. I'm not sure when it started operation.