Osbornedale State Park

Osbornedale State Park is a 417-acre conservation area on the east bank of the Housatonic River in Derby, featuring hiking trails, a pond, and natural landscapes. The Kellogg Environmental Center serves as a focal point where visitors can learn about the park's ecosystems before heading out to explore on foot.

The area served as hunting grounds for the Paugussett Nation before European fur traders made contact in the early 1600s. In the 20th century, Frances Osborne Kellogg acquired multiple farms on the land and eventually transferred them to the state as a public park.

The property belonged to Frances Osborne Kellogg, a businesswoman who ran factories and farmed the land before donating it to the state. Her decision to preserve these grounds shaped how people today can walk through forests and meadows that might otherwise have been developed.

The park is best explored on foot, with marked trails winding through forests and open areas at varying difficulty levels. In winter the pond becomes available for ice skating, and the visitor center offers helpful orientation before you head out to explore the grounds.

The property was once home to specialized cattle breeding operations where Osbornedale Holstein herds and Jersey cattle were raised separately. This agricultural heritage as a breeding ground shapes the park's open meadows and rolling pastures that visitors see today.

Location: New Haven County

Inception: 1956

Elevation above the sea: 135 m

Website: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/State-Parks/Parks/Osbornedale-State-Park

GPS coordinates: 41.33972,-73.10278

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:41