The walking paths at Fort Trumbull State Park wrap through an expanse of emerald lawn that stretches down a hill to the sparkling waters of the Thames River. Ferries, pleasure craft, even submarines, can be viewed as they slice through the river. Historic Groton Bank and Fort Griswold are visible across the river, as is downtown New London to the north.

These panoramic views from the fort are among the most inviting in the region. Yet after nearly 20 years as a state park, Fort Trumbull remains a hidden gem undiscovered by many local and state residents. We think this is a shame. The park offers intriguing history, great fishing, scenic walks and, as the Thames River Heritage Park’s water taxi begins another season this weekend with one of its three stops at Fort Trumbull, an opportunity to explore all that the New London-Groton riverfront has to offer.

Fort Trumbull’s history is particularly significant to the region, stretching from the colonial era to the Cold War. It played a part in one of southeastern Connecticut’s most notable dates − Sept. 6, 1781. On that day American traitor Benedict Arnold led British troops up the Thames during the American Revolution in an effort to divert George Washington’s forces away from Yorktown, Va., back to New England. Militia members at the fort engaged the British for a short fight before rowing across the river to join the larger group of militia at Fort Griswold. The ensuing Battle of Groton Heights proved to be the final British victory of the revolution and the terrible colonial losses in Groton along with the fiery destruction of New London by the British that day, helped bolster support for the revolutionary cause.

The current fortress on the Fort Trumbull peninsula is the third one built on the site. It dates to the mid-19th century. During the Civil War, troops were recruited and trained at the fort. Hartford resident Mark Twain in 1881 used Fort Trumbull as the setting for his short story about Civil War spies and intrigue titled “A Curious Experience.”

Between 1915 and 1932, Fort Trumbull was the site of the first Coast Guard Academy and between 1939 and 1947, the  peninsula was home to one of two merchant marine officers training schools. During the Cold War, the Naval Underwater Sound Lab, which was the Navy’s principal sonar research facility, was located at the fort. After that facility closed in 1996, ending public access restrictions to the fort, the state invested $25 million in restoring it and the park opened in 2000.

Despite this history and natural beauty, in recent years, park attendance has remained steady between about 60,000 and 70,000 visitors annually, according to figures provided by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. In comparison, some 110,000 visitors annually flock to Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam, while more than 200,000 annually visit Bluff Point State Park in Groton.

Special events such as the Sailfest fireworks, Coast Guard band concerts, the Maritime Heritage Festival and vintage baseball games draw crowds to Fort Trumbull, but everyday visitor numbers clearly lag below those of other local state parks.

The Thames River Heritage Park launches its 2019 season this weekend and is offering new incentives to visit Fort Trumbull, along with historic downtown New London and Groton Bank. Fort Trumbull is one of three heritage park water taxi stops and ticket holders can now gain free same-day admission to the very informative Fort Trumbull visitor center. This, combined with free shuttle service to several Groton sites from the Thames Street water taxi stop, make the $10 adult round-trip, hop-on hop-off water taxi ticket an even better bargain. In addition, the heritage park is offering themed tours on the water this season and walking tours at its stops.

Fort Trumbull State Park is a beautiful and historically significant asset in our backyard. Discover the fort — by water taxi or by land — this season.

The Day editorial board meets with political, business and community leaders to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Timothy Dwyer, Executive Editor Izaskun E. Larraneta, Owen Poole, copy editor, and Lisa McGinley, retired deputy managing editor. The board operates independently from The Day newsroom.