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    Ayers Gap Preserve

    5.0 (1 review)

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    2 years ago

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    Wadsworth Falls State Park - Easy on the eyes and ears.

    Wadsworth Falls State Park

    3.9(73 reviews)
    46.8 km

    Crystal-clear water + sunny spring day = perfect hike…read more Spent a beautiful spring sunny day at Wadsworth Falls State Park, and it did not disappoint. I took so many pictures of the clear river. It's seriously that stunning. The swimming water vanished. We hiked the Wadsworth Falls Loop (3.6 miles, easy, great waterfall views) and also checked out part of the Main Trail. Trails were in good shape; just a little mud here and there, but totally manageable. Bonus tips from my visit: · Dogs welcome on leash · Free for CT-registered cars; $10-15 for out-of-state · Restrooms, parking, and picnic tables available · Get there early on a sunny day to beat the crowds If you love clear water, peaceful forest walks, and two distinct waterfalls, don't miss this spot. Already planning to come back with an all-terrain wheelchair for a friend (you can reserve one in advance). Would I go again? 100%.

    Gorgeous gorges! Although this park has ample signage against swimming, the Coginchaug River is…read morelovely on the eyes and ears, and being centrally located, Wadsworth Falls is a great local escape. If you have the right footwear in winter, it's a place for a rewarding hike! Boots and grips and the occasional side stepping is good for your winter trip. Mind the tracks, or crews tending the still in-use tracks, then enjoy the lovely views of multiple waterfalls, some frosted over, but water audibly rushing beneath the ice. Starting out, we didn't see the blue trail marked on the yellow and orange junction map, but the trails were well-marked with vertical tree blazes, so if you take the orange, yellow, or blue trails, you should be in good shape. If you don't have the time for a decent hike and just need a restful stop, large falls are just below the parking lot (those no access signs on the trails don't kid!). All year, enjoy! There are zero facilities here, and the only amenities appear to be accessible recreation and a dog waste station beneath the parking lot, but you aren't in the middle of nowhere. Pack in, pack out, and enjoy as much or little woods as you like, and enjoy the peaceful sounds and sights of the many falls.

    Photos
    Wadsworth Falls State Park - Icy in winter! Wear grips.

    Icy in winter! Wear grips.

    Wadsworth Falls State Park - Rewarding winter hike.

    Rewarding winter hike.

    Wadsworth Falls State Park - River

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    River

    Breakheart Trail - Dead people

    Breakheart Trail

    4.7(3 reviews)
    36.0 km

    A hike that won't…read more break your heart The Breakheart Trial is one of the many trails in the the area that ends up (or starts) at Breakheart Pond. This is one of the main trails and despite it's imposing name really isn't very difficult. Sure some hills, rocks, roots and water but certainly nothing that is going to break your heart or any other part of your anatomy. I heard the name actually stated many decades ago when the oxen had to haul the corn and other farm veggies up a huge, rather steep hill and of course struggled to get up it. The hill may be tough if you're hauling a wagon full of rutabaga but for a hiker it's really not much of a challenge. The old names given to places usually have interesting stories behind them. I have heard that Roast Meat Road in Connecticut received it's name because of a rather unfortunately incident in which a wagon of dry hay being dragged by a couple of oxen was hit by lighting. A rather unpleasant scene developed but I imagine the farmers did eat well that night. The actually Breakheart trail is pleasant with lots of water views including, rivers, steams, swamps and of course Breakheart Pond. In the spring it does get very muddy but there certainly are worse places. Of course because of the water, birds and many small animals make this their home. Lots of turtles, frogs and water snakes can be seen basking on rocks if you thread quietly. Unfortunately a vast number of stinging and biting insects are also present during certainly times of the year. Strong Deet is an absolute necessity if you dare venture here in the late spring, The main trail is poorly marked but easy enough to follow. If you want a challenge you can try some of the very small paths that lead off in all directions but you probably will get lost. Some of the paths just lead into old stone cellar foundations and then stop, Others meander into large open fields or into swamps. A reminder that in days gone by this whole area was once productive farm land. The Breakheart Trail is a well used path that is the most fun in the winter. Easy to follow the tracks of various critters in the snow and of course the horrible bugs are gone. It still is pleasant enough all year long if you don't mine sharing the woods with some insects and lots of mud. An ancient and well traveled path that may break an ankle if you're not careful but it certainly won't break your heart.

    We found this trail via the AllTrails app and glad that we visited. This trail has some pretty…read moreviews (see pictures attached) around the Breakheart Pond. There is adequate parking at a few points around the trail. The paths are wide but there are quite a bit of rocks and roots so you need to be careful with your footing. Other than the rocks and roots the walk is relatively flat (no hills to climb). We took the trail directly around the pond because we weren't sure how long it was (approximately 2 miles). The trails are marked but this could be improved on to indicate the mileage on each trail. Overall we really enjoyed this hike and its views and will be visiting again.

    Photos
    Breakheart Trail - Ankle breaker

    Ankle breaker

    Breakheart Trail - Photos by Anna K.

    Photos by Anna K.

    Breakheart Trail - Remains of old building

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    Remains of old building

    Blackledge Falls

    Blackledge Falls

    3.9(12 reviews)
    27.7 km

    Backledge Falls is an 80-acre park with hiking trails, a pond, and yes...a waterfall. You'll find…read moreit on Route 93 (Hebron Ave) just on the Glastonbury side of the Glastonbury-Hebron line. There's a small parking lot at the trailhead. The trail is rather thin and has an extraordinary number of rocks and tree roots, so you really have to keep your head down and watch where you're going. Streams crisscross the park, so that explains why we found three small wooden bridges to help us navigate the wetlands. Two of those bridges had no railing, and one (a Boy Scout project) had a nice Trex railing, but just on one side. It was 81 degrees yesterday, but the high tree cover kept direct sunshine off of us for pretty much our whole time out there. There are some pretty steep inclines that had me huffing and puffing and thank the lord we had our hiking poles for balance and leverage. We walked most of the Blue and White trail, which is marked, but the paint is fading and in need of a refresh. We met around half a dozen groups of hikers, and each group was nicer and friendlier than the one before.

    It was a beautiful late November day and perfect for a hike. Blackledge Falls is right in town…read morethough I've only been one other time after a snowfall. The hike is fairly easy with a small incline but a lot of small rocks on the "blue-white". As it was November, leaves covered the trail and made some spots slippery. The falls themselves were disappointing ... more like a dribble than a falls but it was still a nice walk in the woods. Perhaps springtime after the thaw is the better time to come if seeing a waterfall is your goal.

    Photos
    Blackledge Falls - Frozen waterfalls in the winter months

    Frozen waterfalls in the winter months

    Blackledge Falls
    Blackledge Falls

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    Ayers Gap Preserve - hiking - Updated May 2026

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