For all the posts in the Chasing Waterfalls Series, go here.
Prologue: Inspired by the 2021 Hallmark romantic movie Chasing Waterfalls started my own blog, featuring the local waterfalls in the State of Connecticut where I live, and also may be any waterfalls that I might come across in my trips around America and the World. The film was released in July, as part of their “Spring Fling” lineup. The lead actress, Cindy Busby, plays the part of Amy Atwater, a photo journalist who goes to a remote town to find a mythical waterfall. Her co-star Christopher Russell, plays the part of Mark North, the guide at the lodge where she stays in while visiting the town.
Now I am chasing these majestic and gorgeous waterfalls. Next up is Chapman Falls in Devil’s Hopyard State Park
Located in the Devil’s Hopyard State Park in East Haddam, Connecticut; this 860 acres of park land comes with birding features; waterfalls; potholes; popular fishing joint; and several hiking & biking trails along with camping and picnicking. The terrain is rocky and at some places steep enough make me think this as the most difficult hike I did so far. You can read about the hike here.
The Eight Mile River moves through the entire park. At the beginning of the park on the northern end, the river flows over a series of stone steps forming the beautiful Chapman Falls. They drop more than sixty feet over a series of steps in a Scotland Schist stone formation. The falls also once powered “Beebe’s Mills” which were named after the original owner. The mills operated until the mid 1890’s.
Incidentally I recently posted about the Southford Falls in Oxford, Connecticut; which also is on the Eight Mile River. Although there is almost 60 miles of distance between Southford Falls and these Chapman Falls, seems to be the River extended beyond eight miles. 😛
The name “Devil’s Hopyard” has several sources and stories; more fiction than fact. More fictional tale surrounding the name ties to these Chapman Falls. These falls come with some of finest examples of pothole stone formations in this side of the country. Perfectly cylindrical, they range from inches to several feet in diameter and depth. Scientifically we know that these potholes are formed by stones moving downstream by the current and trapped in an eddy where the stone spins around and around, wearing a depression in the rock.
But to the early settlers the potholes were a great mystery that they tried to explain with references to the supernatural. They thought that the Devil has passed by the falls, accidentally getting his tail wet. This made him so mad he burned holes in the stones with his hooves as he bounded away.
Here is a view of the Eight Mile River right before it flows into the stone formation and becomes Chapman Falls.
The hike was difficult for me, and added to it the mosquitoes didn’t help make it easy either. Despite that the Chapman Falls made it worthy to hike the trails surrounding it.
Galavant Reflections 