Kent Falls, Circle Museum and the Taconic Sculpture Park

Friday, April 27th, 2012

Gaea's concrete head at the Taconic Sculpture Park

If you’re into tall waterfalls and outdoor art parks then have a seat and check this out! There is an awesome waterfall in Connecticut called Kent Falls that, all together, is over 250 feet high. It has a lot of different sections to it and there are good views at every section, as you progress up the trail. When I went it was raining and found it pretty odd, but there were quite a few people fishing at the base of the waterfall!

But then, as I headed toward the Taconic Sculpture Park, I passed a sculpture park I didn’t even know about; the Circle Museum. I decided to stop and check out the recycled art, created by a guy named Bijan, and it was a cool find! There are a lot of metal sculptures, paintings inside and the artist is a pretty chill dude.

And when I finally made it to the Taconic Sculpture Park, I was amazed at the detail of Roy Kanwit’s work. A lot of the sculptures are made from cement, some are carved from marble, and you can tell that a lot of it is inspired by Greek and Roman mythology. I thought it was pretty cool that the head, pictured above, was taller than I am and you can go inside it and climb and ladder to a hole in the top of Gaea’s head.

But enough out of me, watch the video below to see how awesome these places are:

HOW DO YOU GET HERE?

The three spots are in three completely different locations, but if you’d like to check out Kent Falls State Park in Kent, Connecticut then CLICK HERE for a map that will direct you right to the entrance to the park. There’s a big parking lot and restrooms available.

If you want to check out the Circle Museum in Austerlitz, New York then CLICK HERE for a map that will direct you right to where you can park to check out the art. There are not many parking spots but you should be able to squeeze in.

If you want to check out the Taconic Sculpture Park in Spencertown, New York then CLICK HERE for a map that will direct you right to the driveway of the park. You’ll be directed to park right on the grass.

HELPFUL TIPS

If you come to Kent Falls between Memorial Day weekend and the end of October then there will be a parking fee, otherwise it’s free. Be ready for a little climb on the trail. Most of the area is pretty well fenced off, but you’ll want to keep an eye on your kids at the base and at the top of the waterfall. Signs instruct you to stay on the trail as much as possible, but things are a little more open at the top and bottom. The park’s open from 8 AM to sunset.

And, when you go to the Circle Museum, don’t forget to check out the paintings inside the building. Bijan might be in there ready to strike up a conversation about his artwork with you. I’m not sure of the hours, but I’m sure you could swing by at any time, during daylights hours.

And amazingly enough, all of the artwork at the Taconic Sculpture Park is for sale! So, if something really catches your eye, you can talk with Roy about purchasing it. You can swing by the park from 9 AM to 5 PM on the weekends, during the warmer months.

WANT MORE?

If that wasn’t enough for you then check out the official site for Kent Falls State Park here: http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=325228

And here is the official site for the Circle Museum: http://cargocollective.com/circlemuseum

And the official site for the Taconic Sculpture Park: http://www.taconic.net/~kanwit/

And for those of you who want to enjoy Kent Falls without me interrupting the natural beauty, here’s an instrumental version of my stroll through the park: