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Recreation Activities
From sun-up to sun-down all year, we invite visitors to enjoy the following self-guided recreation opportunities at Grey Towers.
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Landscape Tour
This tour provides an illustrated map and descriptions of important features on the grounds and gardens. Over the course of the 1920s and 1930s, Mrs. Cornelia Pinchot reimagined the Grey Towers landscape.
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Tree Trail
This trail features over thirty different tree varieties found across the estate. In addition to botanical information, this guide provides background on the significance of some of the trees to the Pinchot family, the Grey Towers landscape, and history.
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Laurel Hill Burial Grounds Tour
Laurel Hill (burial grounds), Milford’s original cemetery, includes the gravesites of members of the first three generations of the Pinchot family who first settled in Milford in the early 19th century. Located along Old Owego Turnpike on the grounds of the estate, the historic cemetery offers a glimpse into the history of the Milford community.
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The Pinchots and Milford Tour
This tour takes you through the heart of downtown Milford to learn how the Pinchot family’s vision and generosity influenced the town’s early history and made it the “Birthplace of the American Conservation Movement.” Noteworthy structures include the family’s original homestead (today the Milford Community House), Forest Hall, Normandy Cottage, and the county courthouse.
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Forest Discovery Trail
This ½ mile trail winds its way through the mixed white pine-hemlock stand behind Grey Towers. The trailhead can be accessed from the parking lot behind the mansion. Interpretive exhibits along the trail discuss invasive species, tree dendrochronology, and the American Chestnut. The trail leads to a re-creation of a historic campsite from the Yale Summer School of Forestry featuring historic forestry tools and interpretative displays and media. During summers from 1901 to 1926, the Pinchot Family welcomed students from the Yale School of Forestry to gain practical field experience in the surrounding woods.