Connecticut is a wild state, literally! Although many travelers only think of little CT as a strip of blacktop laden with endless billboards through the metropolitan areas of Hartford, New Haven, and New York City, by getting off the highway and onto the back road, this state has an array of parks and preserves worth exploring. From sandy beaches to serene hillsides, Connecticut’s greenspace is quite remarkable. Here are ten of our favorite Connecticut parks and preserves.
Helen Altschul Preserve – Stamford
Over the last few years, Western Connecticut has become a favorite backyard road trip destination. This preserve, accessible via a residential neighborhood, is a perfect slice of serenity within the confines of a busy region. Thanks to benefactors such as the Altschuls, public parcels of land such as this would be fewer and farther between. Park on Dundee Road, look for the small entrance sign and enjoy a woodland walk by rock formations and up and over rising hills.
Lowthorpe Meadows, Norwich
Growing up in Norwichtown, one of the most beautiful places to ramble is the Lowthorpe Meadow. It is adjacent to the Old Burial Ground but consists of protected fields, with streams and a pond that makes for a gorgeous walk in any season. Park behind the Meadows Shopping Center or behind United Community and Family Services on East Town Street for access.
Kent Falls State Park, Kent
Kent Falls State Park is one of the most popular in the Connecticut state park system, with good reason, because it is a stunning cascade of flowing water. Sure, you can view it from the parking lot or even the base, but for a real treat, scale the steps on the path which goes up and around the falls for an up-close view. Lovely in any season, but fall is transcendent.
Mine Hill Preserve, Roxbury
Mine Hill represents nature’s overtaking industry. As old-growth forests were cleared to make room for farmland or in this case, industry, time has reclaimed it in the name of nature. What is now a preserve was once a thriving industrial site, mining iron from the hills of the Litchfield Hills. What is left are towering blast furnaces that you can explore up close. Maps on-site show what was formerly in certain locations. Mine Hill was once a profitable mining site of iron in the mid-1800s with the village of Chalybes rising alongside it. It included a railway, blast furnaces, and other town buildings. What remains is a series of furnaces, which are well-preserved and immense. The parking area is located off the aptly named Mine Hill Road. Mine Hill is one of many protected parcels of land under the tutelage of the Roxbury Land Trust. Footing can be tricky in parts, so the ability to get up close to the furnaces may be difficult for those visitors with stability issues. Notice the Shepaug River as it winds its way near the former village of Chalybes.
Yantic Falls – Norwich
The legend of Uncas leaping over this breathtaking vista gave the falls the nickname “Indian Leap.” Unlike many of my favorite Connecticut parks and preserves where a good amount of walking is in store, this waterfall is only a few steps from the parking lot on Yantic Street. Watch as the seemingly benign Yantic River cascades ferociously over the rocks below. This is easily one of the most impressive waterfalls in New England. Although the spring’s rushing water is awe-inspiring, an iced-over falls in the winter is also a sight to see.
Rock Spring Preserve – Hampton
This unassuming preserve is located on Pudding Hill Road (Route 97) in Hampton, near the border it shares with Scotland. The paths will take you into the northeastern woodlands with pretty views and a slice of solitude. Pretty any time of the year, the fall is especially majestic.
Mohegan Park – Norwich
This park is pretty phenomenal. It is dense woods in the middle of the city. It also is a tip of the cap to Norwich’s forebears who put aside this parcel to remain wilderness. Deep woods with meandering trails, ponds, and streams are certainly appealing, but this urban jungle has another side to it as well. It is a popular recreation facility, with a swimming beach on Spalding Pond, a paved path around the pond, and two playgrounds. It also has the Memorial Rose Garden which is absolutely stunning when in bloom during the summer.
Bailey’s Ravine at Ayer Gap – Franklin
This one’s from Jim: I love living in Franklin; there’s so much beauty here. The only catch is, all of its real gems are hidden. Thankfully, you don’t usually have to stray too far from the path to find them. Maybe the best example of this is a little-known nature preserve called Ayers Gap. I can go from my couch to this view in less than ten minutes. There’s parking right off the main road, and it’s only a three-minute hike. But it’s not widely advertised- if you don’t already know about it, it’s unlikely to be something you’ll happen upon. And that three-minute hike is almost straight up. But that’s what makes it a true hidden gem. Elusive but accessible, and totally worth the effort.
To find Ayers Gap, turn east onto Route 207 from Route 32. A parking alcove will be slightly more than a mile up on the left. There are two trailheads; take the far right trail. It is about a three-minute hike, stay to the right. There will be a small trail on the right once you start nearing the top that leads up to the rock ledge. The best time to visit during the fall is late morning to mid-afternoon. In the summer months, it’s a great vista for Milky Way photographers. Happy hiking!
Day Pond State Park – Colchester
Day Pond State Park has the perfect mix of recreation and beauty. The serene pond is easily accessible from the parking lot. Here find swimming or walking along its banks. There are traces of the old industrial sites located here. Try and find the Day Pond Brook Falls, a waterfall that was once covered by brush but has since become accessible through a Boy Scout-made trail.
Sunrise State Park – East Haddam
This one’s a little different. The Moodus section of East Haddam is known for its rumblings, little noises reverberating under the ground which were once thought to be otherworldly and now are known as seismic activity. Moodus was also known for its collection of resorts such as Ted Hilton’s, Cave Hill, and others. Sunrise Resort was a later incarnation of the famous Ted Hilton’s.
Today most of the resorts can only be found in the history books. Some of the lands that was once the Sunrise Resort is now two parks: Machimoodus State Park and Sunrise State Park. They both share a parking lot. Remains of the Sunrise Resort still stand, with a vacant swimming pool and camp buildings still standing (albeit in forlorn condition).
Clearly, this is only the tip of the iceberg for my favorite Connecticut parks and preserves as we’ve taken separate backyard road trips to parks such as Seaside State Park. From the northeast to the southwest, wherever you are Connecticut has a green space for you. Visit our friend Matt at explorect for an extensive list of the state’s fine trails.
