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Peter Leclerc, Donna Carney-Bastrzycki, Pam Coca and Dan Leonard 860-668-3862

There is no better way to kick off spring than a hike in the woods! The Suffield Parks and Recreation Department offered a new Spring Hiking Workshop and group led hike on Sunday, March 27 and it was a hit. It was a gorgeous sunny day at beautiful Sunrise Park and Mat Jobin, owner of Reach Your Summit, volunteer Stephan Bastrzycki and the Town of Suffield Parks and Recreation Department led this interactive, one of a kind and enjoyable event.

Photo by Donna Carney-Bastrzycki
Parks and Recreation Department volunteer Stephan Bastrzycki presents the updated Sunrise Map Hiking Trail map along with hike leader Mat Jobin.

The participants learned all about day hiking basics in the Nutmeg state and at our beautiful Sunrise Park. Important Leave No Trace Principles, ten tips for packing for day hike essentials and fitness hiking were all covered. There was a terrific turnout with a variety of ages and abilities, and important trip-planning information and safety topics were covered. Throughout the first portion of the day, there was a workshop, with a show and tell of equipment, gear reviews, water filtration systems, first aid supplies and other important packing tips.

Photo by Donna Carney-Bastrzycki
Participants checking out gear and gadgets and learning more about the essentials of what to pack for a day hike.

Mat Jobin is the owner and guide of Reach Your Summit and has a tremendous amount of first-hand experience and knowledge from guiding groups for over thirteen years and tackling many thru hikes and solo pursuits. A thru-hike is when you walk the entirety of an established long-distance hiking trail from one end to another. The hike is completed in one-way fashion without leaving the trail for an extended period of time. Mat leads excellent presentations. After the workshop, the Sunrise map was highlighted and distributed, and then we broke up into two groups for some enjoyable hikes at Sunrise Park. Park Superintendent Tom O’Brien greeted the groups and took time to talk to the hikers about recent projects at Sunrise Park. The participants thanked Tom for all the incredible work that he has been doing at Sunrise and commented how terrific the park and trails were. It was a truly enjoyable day at a truly special place in Suffield. If you are interested in downloading the new Sunrise Park map visit the Town of Suffield webpage and this link: Sunrise Park Map

We are looking forward to seeing you and your family out on the trails and summer programs soon!

Photo by Donna Carney-Bastrzycki
Hike Workshop participants gathering on the deck of the Pavilion at Sunrise Park before heading out on a hike.

Register Today for Our New Summer Programs

The Suffield Parks and Recreation Department is offering a variety of fun summer programs for the whole family. From traditional summer day camp programs, specialty sport programs and fun enrichment programs, we have something for everyone! To learn about all our offerings and to register please visit- suffieldrec.com.

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