Dudleytown Area Closed to Public

John F. Leich is Chairman of the Public Relations Committee for Dark Entry Forest, Inc.

As some of you may know, in recent years we who live in Dark Entry Forest in Cornwall have had a good deal of trouble with destructive trespassers at Halloween, who do a great deal of damage to our forest, often drinking heavily and lighting campfires. This is the result of widespread publicity on the Internet to the effect that our forest, the site of a settlement known as Dudleytown, is somewhat haunted.

At the suggestion of Lieutenant Wayne I. Rioux, Commanding Officer of the State Police Troop B, we are contacting all neighboring newspapers and radio stations and request that information about Dark Entry Forest be published.

Dark Entry Forest is on privately owned land and is posted thoroughly with "No Trespassing" and "No Parking" signs on all roadways leading into the area known as Dudleytown. Dudleytown is not on state property, nor is it in a state forest; therefore, this property is not open to the public.

Officers of the Connecticut State Police and Department of Environmental Protection will continue to patrol and strictly enforce all trespassing and illegal parking laws and regulations. The owners of the Dark Entry Forest will seek the arrest and prosecution of all trespassers to the full extent of the law. Furthermore, parking is prohibited on the roads leading into Dark Entry Forest, and owners will be ticketed and vehicles will be towed should they be blocking vehicular traffic and/or driveways.

This year law enforcement officers have been summoned 79 times to the Dark Entry Forest area, resulting in arrests for criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, illegal parking and littering. We will also assist the police by obtaining vehicle registration numbers and photographing them for evidence in citizen complaints. Dark Entry Forest, Inc. regrets having to take these measures, but we are dedicated to the preservation of our fragile woodlands, as well as our peace and tranquillity.

In conjunction with our efforts, Connecticut Forest and Parks Association has announced that it will close a section of the Mohawk Trail to the public from the Dark Entry Road entrance to the village of Cornwall Plains for nine days, beginning Saturday, October 27. This temporary trail closure is on private land owned by the Dark Entry Association, whose members have for many years permitted hikers to use the trail that passes through their property. Recreational users of this trail are urged to respect this temporary closure and keep off the property. The trail will reopen on Monday, November 5.