James L. Goodwin State Forest

Know Before you Go

• Boating and Paddling
• Electric motors are permitted, but gasoline motors are prohibited.

Pine Acres Pond is large (135 acres) and shallow, with stumps and logs protruding in many places. The lake is ideal for a challenging canoeing excursion. Bass, bluegill, and bullhead fishing are popular, and the boat launch is across from the Goodwin Conservation Center. 

• Pine Acres Lake Boat Launch

Youth Group Camping

• One site available, accommodates up to 40 campers
• Open to qualified youth groups only
• Advance reservations are required 
• Youth Group Camping

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Before heading out, be sure to check the latest water conditions and fishing regulations. 

• Licenses and permits, current regulations, and more
• Connecticut is Fishy Interactive fishing application
• Freshwater Fishing in Connecticut’s State Parks

There are 33 State Forests totaling about 175,000 acres in Connecticut. They are managed by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Division of Forestry. The Division of Forestry seeks to develop a vigorous, resilient, forest environment capable of sustaining the wide range of demands that the public places on these lands. These demands include a variety of recreational experiences, natural diversity (including threatened and endangered species), the preservation of unique sites (both geologic and archaeological), the provision of raw materials as forest products, and the maintenance of wildlife and fisheries habitats. The Division’s professional foresters work to ensure that these forests remain healthy and vigorous while serving the needs of the citizens of Connecticut.

Connecticut’s woodlands offer many benefits and ecosystem services such as:

1. Forest Ecosystem Health and Diversity – Healthy and diverse forest ecosystems provide highly functional, valuable, and a resilient mix of habitats for plants and animals.
2. Wildlife Habitat – Many of Connecticut’s wildlife species, both common and rare, use different kinds of forested habitats. It is important to create a variety of habitats for animals that have different needs.
3. Climate Change Mitigation through Sequestration and Storage – As climate change continues to be an important global issue, Connecticut’s State Forests can mitigate climate change by sequestering and storing carbon in vegetation above and below ground and as long-lived wood products used locally and beyond.
4. Environmental Protection – Connecticut’s State Forests provide environmental benefits such as cleaning the air, protecting and improving water quality, and contributing to soil health.
5. Forest Protection – Managing Connecticut’s State Forests helps reduce susceptibility to threats such as wildfire, weather events, and invasive plants and insects, keeping them healthy and productive while minimizing spread to neighboring private forestlands.
6. Economic Benefits – Sustainably harvesting forest products like timber, firewood, witch-hazel, and maple syrup from Connecticut’s State Forests provides jobs and raw material for a locally-sourced, forest-based, green economy. The State Forests provide a model for private forest landowners to consider when managing their properties.
7. Recreational/Health Benefits – Recreation opportunities abound across Connecticut’s State Forest system providing a local and economical way to stay healthy and active for Connecticut’s residents and guests.

View current forest management plans for all state forests.

The lake vicinity has become the central hiking area of the forest and a great place to observe wildlife. Those looking for still more can pick up a Goodwin State Forest trails map at the center or at the southern terminus of the blue-blazed Natchaug Trail across Potter Road near the pavilion. Over 10 miles of white, red, and yellow marked trails surround the 135-acre Pine Acres Lake, the smaller Brown Hill Pond, and follow other interesting forest landscapes. 

The Natchaug Trail follows the west bank of Pine Acres Lake, then passes Black Spruce Pond and a beautiful overlook on Orchard Hill before winding its way down to the Natchaug River and Route 198.

The Blue-Blazed Natchaug Trail begins at the Conservation Center and stretches north to connect with the blue-blazed Nipmuck Trail. At the beginning of the trail, near the Conservation Center, there is a shed for wildlife viewing that looks out onto Pine Acres Lake.

Finally, the Air Line State Park Trail, a former railroad bed, crosses Potter Road just a few hundred feet from the Center. The graveled, level bed makes it ideal for hiking, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding. Those feeling adventurous can hike the Air Line Trail eight miles north to the Northeast Connecticut Audubon Center in Pomfret, and from there on to Putnam.

• Letterboxing Clues
• Connecticut Forest and Park Association Trail Descriptions 
• Friends of Goodwin Forest Trail Descriptions
   

The Goodwin Woodland Management Tour is a self-guided, app-based tour that highlights areas within the James L. Goodwin State Forest that are actively managed by the CT DEEP Division of Forestry. Users will learn about woodland management techniques that private landowners can use to support forest health in the face of threats such as invasive species, forest pests, and a changing climate. Participants can tour the sites virtually or visit forest management sites in person by using the map provided on the app. 

James L. Goodwin Conservation Center

The James L. Goodwin State Forest and Conservation Center was a gift to the people of Connecticut from James L. Goodwin, to be used for education about "general, wildlife, and forest conservation."

The James L. Goodwin Conservation Center is an environmental education facility owned and operated by CT DEEP. The center offers programs for the public, schools, educators, and those who use Connecticut's forests, including landowners, foresters, loggers, and municipal land use commissioners. 

Educational Programs at James L. Goodwin Conservation Center

The James L. Goodwin Conservation Education Center is happy to offer free and public environmental education programing covering a wide range of topics. These public programs will be offered most Saturdays and are apporpirate for all age groups. Please register for an upcoming program by visting the linked form which can also be found at the top of our webpage as "Center Program Registration Form." The form will be updated as more events are added to the calendar! We hope to see you there. 

Program Registration Form: https://forms.office.com/g/gG8VjxZpCZ

James L. Goodwin Conservation Center’s Master Naturalist Program

For more information, please visit the Goodwin Master Naturalist webpage.

Subscribe to the Goodwin Listserv to receive periodic announcements of and invitations to interpretive hikes, conservation education programs and other events at the Goodwin Forest Conservation Education Center

To subscribe to the Listserv:

Leave the subject line blank, and in the body of the message type:  

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(Substitute your first and last name here.)

Note: If you have an email signature, header, and/or footer set up to be automatically included in emails, you will need to delete these before sending the subscribe request. You will receive an email confirmation request. Follow the directions to confirm your email address. You will then receive an email that you have successfully subscribed to the listserv.

To unsubscribe from the Listserv:

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Note: If you have an email signature, header, and/or footer set up to be automatically included in emails, you will need to delete these before sending the unsubscribe request. Requests to unsubscribe must be sent from the same email account used when subscribing to the email list. You will then receive an email that you have successfully unsubscribed from the listserv.

If you experience difficulty in subscribing to the Goodwin listserv, please email DEEP.Goodwin@ct.gov or call the center at 860-455-9534.