About
This sycamore tree, which grows near Connecticut's Farmington River west of Hartford, is estimated to be well over 200 years old, standing over 95 feet tall with a circumference of 28 feet. The tree was last measured by the Connecticut Botanical Society in 2016.
The sycamore is named after Gifford Pinchot, who was appointed by Theodore Roosevelt as the nation’s first head of the United States Forest Service. A dedicated naturalist and preservationist, he also served as the Governor of Pennsylvania for two terms. The tree was originally dedicated to Pinchot in 1965.
The massive tree is lit by floodlights at night. Today, the park it sits in serves as a popular launching point for canoes, kayaks, and the like.
Know Before You Go
The Pinchot Sycamore is in a small park by the river. The tree is right near the parking lot.
Published
July 25, 2025
Sources
- https://newenglandnomad2015.com/2017/10/12/pinchot-sycamore-tree-park-simsbury-ct/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR235zoxS3dIdBTK4jEck9rwcy183t47p70BwrvOPlrMtmy5hqF-pIY7b4E_aem_kMPSEGQmdoSnruA_tm7aGA
- https://ctmuseumquest.com/?page_id=318
- https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nature/connecticut/sycamore-oldest-living-ct
- https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/nature/connecticut/connecticuts-largest-tree-ct
- https://www.simsbury-ct.gov/tourism/webforms/pinchot
- https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinchot_Sycamore
- https://metrohartford.com/about-us/newsroom/simsbury-pinchot-sycamore/
