Love hiking here! Great views, beautiful forest, easy parking, dog friendly.read more

We've made a couple of visits to the Salmon River State Forest since we moved to CT. There are a…read morecouple of parks and trails that go through the forest - The Air Line Trail and Day Pond State Park are both inside the forest, and the Salmon River Trail goes through it, around Day Pond park and over to the Comstock Covered Bridge. The trails are well maintained and well signed, and this is overall a great place to spend time hiking or fishing.

Trails, a rose garden, water, a playground, and a dog pound(?). This a little gem of a place…read more Think lincoln woods for those from RI like me. This place is huge and one could easily spend hours here. Very quaint and peaceful.

Beautiful park, lots of trails to walk and the water fountains are a nice touch too! We were able…read moreto sit on a bench and watch the ducks and a few turtles too! Beautiful atmosphere and they even have a playground for the kids.

Great spot for kayaking! We found it on our drive hidden away. It has such beauty to it! There's…read morethree lakes and this one has a nice boat launch

Nice fishing and boating area mostly private property surrounding the Lake so you can't walk…read morearound it but is quiet and peaceful Small boats kayaks can be launched from small boat ramp

This State Park, formerly a farm, is a local gem in East Haddam. Easy to find and plenty of parking…read morewith a large gravel parking area. No matter what time of day you will find people out enjoying this Park. There are trails to scenic vistas, there are trails through the woods. There are trails down to the river, there are trails up steep grades. There is a long flat gravel roadbed great for a leisurely stroll after dinner, or a steep single track through the hills to get your blood pumping. There are picnic tables, a small pond for fishing, even a recently uncovered rock garden. We utilize this Park on a nearly weekly basis. Come out with your puppy and a picnic and get some fresh air. Come see some of Connecticut's countrysides and marvel at our stone walls. Bring a horse or a mountain bike. You'll have a great time.

Having read much about the mysterious Moodus noises, my curiosity lead me here on a surprisingly…read morecool morning, with hiking boots on my feet, and a day pack on my back. There was entrance fee, and plenty of parking; so, it seemed I was off to a good start. I chose to hike the upper vista "trail" in the beginning, making my way back via the lower vista trail. You'll notice that "trail" is in parenthesis, for the reason that this is not a trail at all; it's a dirt road. That in itself would prevent any hiking area from receiving a a five, or even a four, star rating from me. In any event, it was a moderately steep ascent; but, not so much that I felt the need to stop for a rest. There was an adequate forrest canopy, providing plenty of shade. The forrest had the appearance of being dense on each side; but alas, the constant sound of traffic let me know better. Another star gone Upon reaching the summit, I noticed a number of picnic tables and benches. Although this area seemed well maintained, the view of the Connecticut river below was partially obscured by rather tall fauna. Continuing on, I immediately found myself descending on the lower vista trail, which, at this juncture, is as advertised, indeed being a narrow, winding trail. To my dismay, I noted several improvised footpaths, clearly made in attempt to avoid zig zag patterned descent. The descent itself was all to short; and, I again found myself on the lower fork of that same dirt road. All in all, it felt as if it took longer to drive there then it took to hike the main loop, leaving me to ponder whether or not I should have brought my fishing poll, instead. To extend the hike, chose to branch off the main trail, on to the yellw, then blue, to make a wider loop. At one point, I glanced a rooftop through the trees wondering if that was part of once abandoned town of Johnsonville, that I been told was visible from the trail. Maybe it was; maybe, it wasn't. All in all, this was a pleasant, but unremarkable, hike. If your kids are in reasonably good shape, this is a great place to bring them. Your dog is welcomed as well; in fact, I jokingly commented one fellow hiker that felt out place, not having brought a dog of my own. But wait! You say. The mysterious noise! Did you hear it? Well, at one point I did hear what sounded like the roar of a Civil War reenactment cannon. Unfortunately, that sounds a lot like the sound of a dumpster lid slamming against a garbage truck as it's lifted from the ground; and given the constant sound of traffic, I'd say either is plausible.

The longest place name in all of North America. It's Lake…read moreChargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg, or to the locals, Lake Webster. A small lake in an out of the way place, Southern Massachusetts near the corner of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Shaped a bit like a figure eight with two peninsulas that almost cut the lake in half, the name is from an Algonquin language and is humorously translated as: "You fish on your side, I'll fish on my side, and nobody fish in the middle." Cold and frozen at the beginning of February, the entrance I visited has a large parking lot and a large walking loop. Even in this weather, two women were getting their exercise.

I've been boating on this lake for 13 years, and yes--I can pronounce its full name, one of the…read morelongest place names in the world: Chargoggagoggmanchauggagaugchaubunagungamaugg. It's quite a mouthful! Purportedly the largest natural lake in Massachusetts, it's only about three miles long and one mile wide, which perhaps says more about Massachusetts lakes than it does this one. Still, it's a terrific local destination. The lake has a couple of marinas, three waterfront restaurants accessible by boat, a town beach with restrooms and a snack bar, and the popular Indian Ranch entertainment venue, which also includes an RV campground and the newer and quite good Samuel Slater's Restaurant. The lake offers something for almost everyone: fishing, swimming, boating, tubing, water skiing (there's even a water ski club), kayaking, and enough open water for all of those activities to coexist somewhat comfortably. Weekdays are wonderfully peaceful, making it easy to find a quiet cove or enjoy a leisurely cruise. Summer weekends, however, are another story. When the weather is hot, the lake becomes a very busy place. There are at least three eagle nests on the lake and one gas station. Unfortunately the gas station is currently closed. Dock space is in high demand, with waiting lists at the marinas. Development around the shoreline has steadily increased over the years. While a few natural stretches remain, nearly every buildable lot has been developed, and many of the original seasonal cottages have been replaced by sprawling year-round waterfront homes. I'm very fortunate to have this lake just a few minutes from home--and even more fortunate that I can usually enjoy it during the week, when the crowds are at work.

A short hike brings you to a beautiful waterfall surrounded by large boulders perfect for…read moresunbathing. The area is posted "no swimming", but there were people in the water. It is also posted "no picnicking". The Willimantic River is not known for it's purity, so bathe at your own risk. Although the hike is short and easy, it is rocky and tree roots are staggered throughout. If you're careful you could probably get away with flip flops. There is also a

It's been a few decades, but I want to throw in my 2 cents worth regarding the potential hazardous…read moreconditions. I was there in the spring with a couple of other experienced kayakers and we spent some time playing in the main pool, and then went to head further downstream. There's a large rock on the downstream left side and I thought I had plenty of room to go around it. However, it turned out that it was seriously undercut and just at the water surface. I got sucked over by the current, flipped when I hit the upstream side, and scraped my way slowly under the rock. The buoyancy of my kayak meant that it was pushing hard against the bottom of the rock and I was running out of air. (Spoiler alert - I survived.) I was about to bail out and let the current take me out of the overhang, but just then I felt the release, saw daylight, and rolled up to finish the planned trip. Wetter but wiser.

This is a fantastic park, one of the best we've been to in CT since moving here…read more Chatfield Hollow has a little bit of everything: There's history (This was a park built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 30s) there's fishing, there's even a little sliver of a beach. There is a climbing wall in the southern end of the park that is pretty popular, having been a place for rock climbing since the '70s. There's also a really nice network of trails here, from short little jaunts to a decent route that takes you all around the park. This would be a great park to just come and have picnic, or spend all day wandering the woods. It's well maintained and has restroom facilities all around. A+.

This is a beautiful park, it's very well maintained and clean. There are a lot of people walking…read moretheir dogs. You can walk in a small boardwalk and read about the wildlife. There are also some more challenging hikes where there is even some scrambling. Very clean and peaceful. The pine needles smell so beautiful! There's lots of free parking. You need pay for parking if you're out of state. Plenty of porta potties and bathrooms.

Beautiful clear lake and no visible sign of weed populations. However, the Lake is a heavily…read morepopulated with numerous cottages & newer, oversized McMansion style Lake Compounds. With that comes loud and fast aquatic toys. The Lake Association (or MASS DEP) regulate the flow pattern of water craft to a counter-clockwise direction, only. Arm powered water craft (i.e. canoes, kayaks, SUPs) have some leeway to go clockwise, BUT you have to stay close to the shore, especially if going against the grain. All in all, this is a nice lake to paddle, power boat, and fish. I'd recommend off season such as spring and fall if you want a more tranquil experience.

Do you have availability in august! Two adults maybe three for a night....flexible....clean good…read morebed....aug 7 -15..between those dates for 3/4 nights or week! Thank you Dayle two oldies .

Cool area. lots of places to lay low and relax. Biking is not a problem. The water is nice feeling…read moredue to a cold spring as well.

If you need breathtaking views especially this time of the year where the trees change color, this…read moreis the spot for you. There is more than one trail and if you have a map you can decide which trail to follow. If you are interested in just a walk around the lake the red trail would be perfect but if you are more interested in the view of the lake from higher up, then the blue to the orange trail, blue and blue to the red trail will get you there. The entire hike got us was about 3 miles. A simple hike that is good enough for a beginner. It had a steep hill and I was so out of breath going up but when you get to the top at the lookout point it was all worth it. The lake wasn't the cleanest as the water was green but there were still people fishing. A lot of picnic tables to sit, eat or hang out and a big parking lot with adequate space.

This is a great little spot on the CT River, that is quiet and relaxing. This isn't a park with…read moreactivities for kids. Pack a lunch, bring a fishing pole and get back to basics. There is plenty of open space for a gathering, if you wanted to bring some lawn games, a cooler and a grill. The grounds are always clean and there is ample parking. Unfortunately, this park is directly across from a stable. On warm days, you can not escape the smell of manure.