Town of Warwick celebrates grand opening of Hidden Hollow Trail at Mountain Lake Park

The Town of Warwick celebrated the grand opening of the new Hidden Hollow Trail at Mountain Lake Park on Tuesday, May 12, welcoming families, students, and community members to a magical new hiking experience centered around nature, creativity, and environmental education.

The new family-friendly trail features a scenic half-mile loop around the park’s pond, with small natural insect and animal homes tucked throughout the trail for visitors to discover. These charming creations were handcrafted by students in the Sanfordville Elementary School PIE 1-2 classes as part of their hands-on learning about habitats and ecosystems.

Town Supervisor Jesse Dwyer welcomed the children and families to the special community event prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Trail volunteers were also recognized and thanked for their hard work blazing and preparing the trail around the pond.

During their visit to the park, the children explored the new trail while “hiding” their nature homes along the route for future hikers to enjoy. The students also spent time building small boats to float — or sometimes sink — in the pond’s outlet stream, adding another fun and educational outdoor activity to the day.

Recreation Director Sam Walter led discussions with the students about pond ecosystems, biodiversity, and the importance of protecting local lakes and ponds. The children also participated in a nature scavenger hunt while learning how they can help keep ecosystems healthy and balanced.

The grand opening marked an exciting addition to Warwick’s parks system and highlighted the community partnerships that helped bring Hidden Hollow Trail to life. Town officials hope residents and visitors alike will come out to enjoy the beauty, creativity, and magic of this unique new trail at Mountain Lake Park.