Gurski Farm
- Williams Park in
Brookfield, CT. are two separate
land preservation projects that
are joined by hiking trails that
sprawl out into the woodlands
where their boundaries meet. They
can be hiked separately or
together for longer hikes. In
total they make up about 200 acres
of open space that is frequented
by hikers, cross country skiers,
and joggers (most notably, the
Brookfield High School
cross-country team). Gurski is
mostly open space with beautiful
fields that lead up to a ridge,
revealing a real nice scene of the
southern valley. Williams Park
is used for family recreation
(tennis, picnics, playground) but
also has a nice easy trail system
leading into the woods.
Gurski Farm was an old
dairy farm run by Eva Gurski and
was purchased by concerned
residents and community groups
back in 1968 who were concerned
that such a unique place would be
developed once it was sold.
Gurski an easy hike with
large open fields as the main
attraction. Though located
right off a main road and
surrounded by private property,
it's amazingly quiet and tranquil
here. The field is bordered
by small forest growth, which
gives it a hideaway feeling.
Gurski's Farm is a perfect
place for relaxing and taking an
easy stroll, or you might just sit
down in the field and gaze at a
deep blue sky. There are wild
flowers, grasses, and vegetation
to look at along with an abundance
of wildlife. Birds, rabbits, wild
turkeys, hawks, owls, deer, and
fox are just a few of the wild
creatures you'll might come
across. (A dawn or dusk hike
will undoubtedly yield interesting
encounters with the wild animals;
which may include seeing a fox
quietly hunting in the middle of
the field.) At the top of
the hill there is a patch of
woods. Here there are clearly
marked paths that eventually lead
to the athletic fields of
Brookfield High School.
Although it's tempting to
wander off into the middle of the
field at Gurski, try to remember
to stay close to clearly marked
paths. Birds nest in these
fields, and it's easy to step on a
nest with eggs without even
realizing it. (If you just
can't help yourself and have to
walk to the middle of the field,
watch your steps carefully in
order to avoid harming the animals
or their habitat.) All in
all, Gurski is a good place to
check out, and it is peaceful
nearly all the time. Because
of its relative proximity to
Brookfield H.S., you may encounter
the cross country team or distance
runners who have made their way
over to the farm.
Williams Park is a small
plot of land set aside for
recreational use. It's
directly across the street from
the Brookfield Library off Route
25 about a mile north of
Brookfield Center and the
intersections of Rt 25 and 133.
The entrance is marked by a small
stone veteran's memorial and
American flag. There are
some tennis courts, a playground,
and picnic tables for those who
want to relax and enjoy a peaceful
rest from the hustle and bustle.
The local Boy Scout troop
also has done a lot of work to
restore and add-on to existing
trails that branch out into the
woods. If you want a
peaceful walk through the woods,
you can't go wrong here. The
Boy Scouts have made the trails
clean and easily marked.
They have also placed tib
bits of information along the way
so you can learn more about the
natural environment you find
yourself in.
From Interstate 84, take exit 7
(Brookfield/New Milford exit).
You're now on Rt. 7
extension which bypasses
Brookfield's commerce area and
hooks back up with Rt. 7 a few
miles later. Follow Rt. 7
Extension until it ends in about
4-5 miles. Take a left. You're now
back on Rt. 7, or Federal Road. as
it's know locally. About a quarter
mile later, you'll want to go left
onto Silvermine Rd. A half mile
onto Silvermine you'll come to a
four stop sign intersection. Just
go straight through, remaining on
Silvermine Rd as it winds up to
the center of Brookfield. At
Brookfield Center with its old
historical buildings, just keep
going straight through the traffic
light. You're now on Rt.
133. Go past St. Joseph's
Church located on the right side
and about four-tenths of a mile
down the bottom of the hill, on
the left side, is a dirt cut-out
which is the entrance to Gurski's
Farm. Read the posted sign
to help you get started with your
hike.
Printable
version of the Gurski Farm page
If you have any trail updates to
share or have feedback/questions
please click
here to send email or call
203.788.7665
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