A beautiful trail in Collinsville! The plant garden is along the trail which used to be a railroad…read moretrack. The objective was to create a native plant garden. This project is for pollinators and wildlife that is local to the area. Canton residents and organizations such as Cherry Brook Garden Club, etc. were the ones that made this happen. The goal is to remove invasive plants and put native plants in, such as shrubs, trees, and other pollinators. We were walking the Farmington River Trail and stumbled upon this pollen trail. The trail was clean and lovely. There is a small river down the hill with steps and trails in the woods. There were benches, garden beds, and an information sign; they even labeled all the plants that were planted. I think this is a great conservation area for a good cause. Also, a lovely spot to take a stroll!

"Down by the old mill stream Where I first met you"…read more(The Mills Brothers) Mills Pond Park is an embarrassment of riches, both natural and man-made. There's a trail that takes you down to a pretty pond, waterfall, and wetlands. There's a recreational bonanza of options, with an Olympic sized pool, tennis courts, two baseball fields, basketball courts, a football field, a park, a softball field, a skate park, two pavilions, a soccer field, wading pool, and playgrounds. There's even a large public art display at the park's entrance which I've reviewed separately. https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-canton-gate-canton?hrid=_woQOmg74ws2Myhd1Zb0mA&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) One thing ruined our perfect visitor experience. As we were walking around the ballfields, we saw a guy in a gray hoodie and gray pants with his black lab running around freely. They were hundreds of feet apart and he was yelling at the dog to come over. But the dog didn't because he or she was busy squatting and taking a dump on the ballfield where kids play. Did Mr. gray hoodie clean up after Fido? Nope, he just ignored that steaming pile of dog doo, leashed up his dog when it finally sprinted over, and calmly walked away along East Hill Road. The selfish, careless, inconsiderate arrogance was incredible to witness. So, if you're playing out there on the fields, watch where you step.

A large and clean neighborhood park. It has all you need to get fresh air and exercise…read more Tennis courts, basketball courts, pool, baseball/soccer field, playground, small gym equipment, skatepark, and a view of the pond. There is a pavilion with a few picnic tables; you can contact Canton recreation to reserve them for a party. The parking lot has plenty of spaces. There's no trail, just a small paved portion behind the skatepark. I saw plenty of people walking around the park and around the field. My kids really enjoyed playing in the playground. There's a double swing you can put your small child in and you can sit on the swing as well; that was a first for me. A gem and I'm lucky to live close by and be able to use this establishment.

"And it's just a box of rain I don't know who put it there…read moreBelieve it if you need it Or leave it if you dare" (Grateful Dead) There's a lot more to the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail than the side with the beautiful scenery along the Farmington River. The other side of the trail takes you through the meadows, fields, picnic areas and gardens of Bicentennial Park. One of the park's gardens caught my eye this morning, and I walked over to get a closer look and read the nearby sign. That's how I learned about the Canton Bicentennial Rain Garden. It was officially dedicated on June 10, 2023, during a ceremony marking Canton's 200th anniversary, which was observed throughout 2023. The native plant garden and pathway were funded by a grant from the Canton Greater Together Community Fund and designed by the Cherry Brook Garden Club. It was designed to be a living tribute to the town's bicentennial, blending a nod to Canton's natural beauty, environmental stewardship, historical commemoration, and community spirit. So, what exactly is a rain garden? They are shallow, landscaped areas designed to capture and filter stormwater runoff, reduce pollution and erosion, and support native plant life and pollinators. The water collected in a rain garden allows the plants in the garden to naturally filter and absorb the water. Their goal is to reduce the amount of untreated runoff that leaves properties via stormwater pipes and ends up in local streams chock full of nasty things like lawn fertilizers and pesticides, oil, vehicle gas and heavy metals, and viruses and bacteria from animal droppings. Rain Gardens like the one in Canton catch rainwater before it might be contaminated by those nasties and keeps them out of ponds and streams, like the nearby Farmington River. Native plants in the garden include some pretty flowers like yellow Rudbeckia, purple, echinacea, and red Winterberry. A placard at the garden identifies the plants and flowers and offers some educational information on rain gardens.

Found Land is a rectangular forest with a main perimeter hiking trail and a few off-shoot trails…read more The property is 122 acres of woods and trees. The inner loop measures a very manageable 1.65 miles while the outer loop is 2.1 miles. We entered the trail from a cul-de-sac on St. Michaels Court in Avon. It's a residential neighborhood with some huge houses. As we walked the trail, we were practically in the back yards of some of those prestigious houses. The name "Found Land" has a literal meaning - the Connecticut legislature gave the space to the town of Avon after it was "found" during tax mapping during the 1950's. We didn't stay on the well-marked trail very long, because we were bombarded by mosquitos as soon as we started hiking. Maybe once things dry out, we'll head back.

If you're looking for an easy paved trail, this is the one. The trail is wide and goes around the…read morereservoir. Many joggers, walkers, dog walkers, and people pushing strollers. Dogs on a leash are allowed, it's wheelchair accessible, and kid friendly. If you bring your dog, signs says to pick up after them. The Nepaug dam has a beautiful waterfall with serene sounds. It was built between 1914 to 1916 and created the 951 acre reservoir about 35 feet deep. There is a parking lot; on nice weekend days, it does get full. Overall, it's one of my favorite trails because I can take a stroller/wagon to lug my babies. Also, the view is amazing!

One of the good things that happened to us from the Pandemic was it got us out of the house on…read moreweekends to visit so many of the parks and hiking trails in our area we had never visited before. We must have hit 30 different venues in 2020, and we started 2021 by visiting another new place that turned out to be a terrific find. The Nepaug Reservoir Trail is a mile long and is wide, paved, flat and about as easy to walk on as any trail we have visited. We parked at the main parking lot on Route 202, walked through a chain link gate, and found the start of the trail to begin our scenic walk around the reservoir and across the historic 100-year old Nepaug Dam. The 600-foot long dam has a concrete spillway in its center. The spillway is over 100 feet tall and is quite spectacular. The trail around the dam has a few cutouts that serve as observation platforms to take you out over the top of the dam. You will love the view ! We saw quite a variety of folks out there today -young families with strollers, couples of every age, joggers, lots of leashed dogs, and even a few hoverboard operators. What a great way to kick off the New Year.

This review is for the Canton/Collinsville portion of the trail. You will see signs regarding the…read moreFarmington Canal Heritage Trail on this trail which is connected to the Farmington River Trail in Canton/Collinsville. There are 56.5 miles of FCHT in Connecticut, 18.2 miles of that is the Farmington River Trail. This loop trail goes through Farmington, Simsbury, Unionville, Collinsville, Canton, and Burlington. There are many areas where you have to cross the street; there are usually buttons to alert motorists with flashing yellow lights. However, be cautious because some drivers will not stop for you.

This trail used to be a rail trail back in the day. The trail is paved and easy to walk, bike, and…read moreskate on. It has gorgeous views of the Farmington River. I've walked the trail in the Collinsville area in the Autumn and it was amazing seeing the foliage. Before crossing the street, there is a crosswalk and button to alert traffic to stop; beware though, some people will just go through the yellow light while you're waiting to cross. There is a little free library and bench once you get across. Once you walk up further, there is a flower bridge; when in season, the flowers are beautiful. Overall, a great trail that connects to the larger Farmington Canal Heritage Trail that goes through multiple towns.

The Canton to Collinsville portion of the Farmington River Trail accounts for about 4 of its 18…read moremiles. The paved trail is level and flat and very easy to walk on. It was clean and free of debris and dog poop. There were quite a few bicyclists out today, so keep your ears open for "on your left" when they come up behind you. The trail hugs the Farmington River and winds through a park with picnic tables, benches, a gazebo, a flower bridge, and gives you some very pretty views of the river. We didn't see any geese or wild birds today, but we did see something odd. I noticed some kind of splashing or commotion in the water, and when I looked carefully, I saw it was a guy swimming in the river! I wonder if he was training for an Ironman or something?

We went on a Monday but the nature center was closed. This was fine because I wanted to walk on the…read morered trail (Werner Pond Trail); this trail is half a mile long and it's flat. The walk was very easy with some roots and rocks. There were views of the brook which was peaceful and the sound of flowing water was lovely. There were information cards everywhere detailing which wildlife lived in these woods. There were a couple of small bridges; one was on concrete and fenced in. We also walked over to the butterfly garden. They did a great job with maintaining this land. I can't wait to go back to check out the nature center and the other trails. Since it's early spring, there were no vegetation; I'm sure in the summer this place gets super lush greenery. They also offer many programs and activities; The Children's Museum in West Hartford is also affiliated with them.

A wonderful place for Nature Lovers, young & old! Live animals to see & sometimes touch! Well…read morestocked with treats & toys! Lots of those CT

"We're after the same rainbow's end Waitin' 'round the bend…read moreMy huckleberry friend" (Mancini and Mercer) Huckleberry Hill Road or Buckingham Road will bring you to this nice little 17.73-acre park and recreation center where you'll see three athletic fields and a fully accessible children's playground. We took advantage of the mild Easter Sunday weather and strolled around the park and neighborhood today. The park is crisscrossed by the Rails to Trails hiking path and walking paths that take you through residential backyards and the Buckingham neighborhood, complete with its town green, gazebo and social hall. The playground was crowded with young families enjoying the Spring like weather. One thing that really bugged me was the total disregard some dog owners had for the numerous signs that stated, "No dogs are allowed on the playing fields". I counted four dogs running free (off leash) on these fields, so I guess those signs don't apply to those who want to disobey them.

A nice big playground and baseball field. There were plenty of parking available. There's a walking…read morepath around the playground and the baseball field. Additional parking near the baseball field as well. The points board on the baseball field says Avon High School. Overall, a great spot to take the kids out to on a nice day; dogs were allowed too.