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    Enders State Forest

    4.5 (37 reviews)

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    Erik W.

    My wife and I are novice hikers and were very pleased with Enders State Forest. The trails clean and are well marked, with plenty of side paths that lead to various small waterfalls. Other reviews mention the ability to swim in some areas. I would only caution hikers to be aware of the loose rock going down to some of these spots. It can be treacherous if you aren't careful. We will definitely be back with our kids for another hike.

    Mayra L.

    Located in a peaceful state forest, one of Connecticut's prettiest trails offers a serene escape from the tropical jungle. Its beauty is likely to be enhanced before the rain. Due to the steep slopes and slippery rocks, it is recommended that you wear hiking shoes.

    David H.

    Enders Falls State Forest is one of Connecticut's gems. This beautiful natural area has heen upgraded considerably in the last five years. Newly widened and improved trails make for an easy hike for most people, and viewing stands and stairs have been added to the most popular spots. The five very nice waterfalls are beautiful even when waterflow is down. Viewing is best from the Sputh side of the river, but the hiking is more dangerous as the rocks and cliffs can be slippery. You won't be disappointed with this oark. Swimming is allowed, and there are four or five good swimming holes. Be prepared, however, as river water is very cold all summer.

    Mackenzie Q.

    I heard about the waterfalls at Enders State Park on tik tok and was like it's so close, we gotta go see for ourselves! So we packed up my son and our Great Pyrenees who loves water and off we went! There was a decent amount of parking and the trail is right off the lot. We only went in one direction so next time we'll have to go the other way to explore. The hike is pretty decent, maybe not strenuous enough for big time hikers but it was good enough for my 11 yr old and my dog. He isn't much on the strenuous. Some of the trail is roped or has stairs and other parts are dirt and boulders. It goes right past the water so you're able to walk across the rocks to the other side in some places. It hadn't rained in a bit when we went so the waterfall action wasn't spectacular but it was still a lot of fun. A good intro for my son who is neurodivergent and takes time to get past fears when we do things like that. Once he did he had a total blast! We saw some kids and families swimming in deeper areas so that's a plan as well next time. It was a nice hike and going back is a plan! Next time we're gonna try to get there after a good rain so the falls will be full!

    Dan R.

    "Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream Lay down all thoughts, surrender to the void It is shining, it is shining" (The Beatles) Once you make it all the way down to the gorge, you will see so much breathtaking scenery! Be prepared to walk through forests, see steep rock walls, jagged gorges cut deep into the earth, and running streams of water. We didn't make it all the way down to the waterfalls, but what we saw was beautiful. There were quite a few warning signs everywhere asking you to mind what can be treacherous conditions. Our descent into the gorge was very steep and kind of dangerous with tree roots, rocks, fallen trees, and slick soil on the path. Even on a relatively dry day like today I slipped a few times and I thanked the Lord we were using our hiking poles. Eventually we ran into a wide level stone dust path marked with purple signs. This path led to a series of stairs and boardwalks that took us deep into the gorge and down toward the water. This was awesome. We didn't make it all the way to the falls, but what we saw was gorgeous.

    Susan R.

    Enders State Forest is a magical place. I first visited in July of 2015 to include it in my waterfalls blog and I found it to be just a magical place as ever on my recent visit last week. There were at least 5 waterfalls. (plunges, horsetails, cascades and slides) The hike itself isn't too strenuous but there are some steep parts and it'd be good to bring your hiking poles. If you are into Letterboxing, there is said to be a stamp here too.

    Jessie D.

    Went here last weekend with my sisters. It was a lot of fun and really beautiful. The walk was nice. We went around the loop twice enjoying the little look over areas of the waterfalls, the stairs are placed in a nice way to see everything quite well and have little platforms to stop and look out over the water. I didn't see any litter either which is nice. Overall, quite a nice place and I would definitely recommend visiting.

    Lisa F.

    What a gorgeous area! Amazing scenery that you don't have to hike too deep into the forest to check out. Lots of uneven terrain with giant treeroots, boulders and not to mention, the waterfalls! Worth the trip, just go prepared with proper footwear.

    Michael H.

    We've been to Enders twice within a week. Great little spot for viewing a multi tiered waterfall. We went back after a bit of rain and the falls were awesome. There are at least three great spots to shoot the waterfalls from. Top just off the parking lot. A hundred feet or so below there and then maybe 50 feet or so for the third and largest falls. Be careful after the third falls on the lower trail. There's a hornets nest on the ground and we got a few stings. Take the high trail from the third fall up above to avoid it. Great spot for hiking and viewing falls. It's a good short trip to be paired with another spot on a day trip.

    Don P.

    Short hike from the parking lot to the the various falls on Kendall Brook which makes picture taking a must as there are several beautiful areas to capture digitally. There are numerous spots to swim beneath each of the five falls if you are so inclined. The main falls at the begining of the fairly steep descent was the site of an accident yesterday, a young 26 year old woman trying to walk across the falls took a terrible tumble down one of the slides but miraculously survived without major injuries. Exercise extreme caution and avoid attempting to cross the brook, stick to the trails on either side and enjoy the falls and the surrounding scenery as this is a beautiful area.

    David B.

    I'm so happy I finally got over to Enders State Forest. Sometimes you just have to pick the closest green spot on Google Maps, and go check it out. Enders is known for its series of waterfalls. I really wasn't expecting much, but ended up being pleasantly surprised. There are some rather large waterfalls here, and nice, deep pools you can go swimming in. I believe there are some CFPA trails here, but all I saw that suggested this was one solitary purple blaze. Since the falls are quite close to the road, this appears to have become a little party spot. There is trash scattered about, and quite a few empty beer cans. Pack it in, pack it out, folks. If you're looking to cool off with a nice swim, or just walk around and look at some beautiful waterfalls, Enders is worth checking out. You owe it to yourself.

    Beautiful waterfalls!!
    Amy C.

    This is an absolutely beautiful place with multiple waterfalls and swimming holes. However, with its beauty comes great danger. Many of the rocks are covered with moss and very slippery. I wore shoes that are meant for being in and out of the water (KEEN), but took a digger. I was lucky that I just slipped and didn't crack my head open. Almost everyone I've talked to who has been here has either been injured or knows someone who has. Although it is beautiful, there isn't much of a hike and it's very dangerous, so I would find somewhere else to spend the day. I saw many children here and it really made me uneasy. If you go, proceed with caution!!

    Had some nice family time here and the waterfall is super pretty. Wear the right shoes since there's a few muddy parts.

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    Ask the Community - Enders State Forest

    Review Highlights - Enders State Forest

    Bring appropriate hiking clothing and shoes and be mindful of the water depth.

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    Salmon Brook Park

    Salmon Brook Park

    3.6(11 reviews)
    4.2 mi

    This park is on 116 acres and provides many recreational options. We came here for the playground…read more The tot lot playscape was nicely maintained and is on mulch with a couple of benches. This playground is for children ages 2-10 and is a fenced in area. Over by the basketball courts, there is the playground for children ages 5-12. Parking was plentiful. Across the street are the restrooms. There are tennis courts right nearby and a huge soccer field. There are ball fields, a bandshell, basketball courts, bathhouse, children's memorial garden, dog park, horse exercise area, horseshoe game area, pavilions, volleyball courts, veteran's wall memorial, swimming in a pond, snack shack during games, and a pond house for events. This place has got it all for your recreational needs!

    We visited Salmon Brook Park by parking in the hiking trail entrance so we could wander through the…read morevery pretty area. The hiking trail is very easy to follow and navigate. No rocks, no tree roots, and not too much animal waste except for one enormous deposit that had us wondering if it was squeezed out by a Great Dane or a bear!! We took one of the side trails to the right and entered the river basin where we saw some jaw dropping beautiful vistas down in the valley. Five stars for a photo op, believe me. We walked all the way to the event meadow, but things were quiet today. Salmon Brook Park has a lot to offer - a Band Shell, an Event Room, Baseball Fields, Basketball, Volleyball, and Tennis Courts, Field Hockey, Soccer and Lacrosse Fields, a river, a playground, 2 picnic pavilions, and that very nice network of Hiking Trails. Come to think of it, it has pretty much everything you need to spend a few very nice hours in the great outdoors.

    Photos
    Salmon Brook Park
    Salmon Brook Park
    Salmon Brook Park

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    Northwest Park & Nature Center - Gift shop

    Northwest Park & Nature Center

    4.6(22 reviews)
    9.8 mi

    This is my first time coming here, and I definitely need to return to explore the whole grounds!…read more There is plenty of parking upon entering and a dog park right near the parking lot There is an animal barn, a tobacco museum, picnic areas, a community garden, a maple sugar house, a nature center, a soccer field and 12 miles worth of hiking trails!! This could definitely be an all day adventure.

    Northwest Park is a beautiful park located in the Town of Windsor. It is 473 acres and it used to…read morebe a tobacco farm. It's located right on the Farmington River. There are forests, wetlands, fields, and 12 miles of trails. There is a nature center, farm animals, tobacco museum, gardens, playground, and picnic pavilions. The tobacco museum is only opened seasonally. The parking lot was on gravel but there were plenty of spots available when I went; there is a porta potty in the lot as well. You can find restrooms at the nature Center too. Once you walk into the park, there is a viewing platform overlooking a small pond. The pond had goldfishes in it! First we went to the animal barn. There were turkeys, goats, ducks, donkey, chickens, cows, and rabbits. Next door to the barn was the maple sugar house; I don't think it was open when we went. We went into the nature center which was very nice. There were many exhibits, taxidermied local animals, a fish tank, hissing cockroaches, frogs, snake, a gift shop, a turtle pond, a tree house, and a table with puzzles and blocks for the kids. There was a clean bathroom onsite and the attendant working in the nature center was very friendly. The playground was also very nice. There were two playscapes for the different age groups. There were a couple of benches and the large picnic pavilions were nearby. They had a couple of gardens as well; one was an organic garden and the other was a butterfly garden, which was accessible. They had informational signs with braille on it. There are quite a few trails on the property. We walked over to the reservoir and Farmington River; the trails were easy and quiet. You can find the map online and in the Nature Center. There are also soccer fields and a dog park. Seriously, you won't be bored at this place. It's nicely maintained and the people of Windsor are lucky to have this park! I'm looking forward to going back!

    Photos
    Northwest Park & Nature Center - Chickens

    Chickens

    Northwest Park & Nature Center - Inside treehouse

    Inside treehouse

    Northwest Park & Nature Center - Maple syrup house

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    Maple syrup house

    American Legion & People’s State Forests - Boardwalk

    American Legion & People’s State Forests

    5.0(4 reviews)
    6.4 mi

    This 3059-acres Connecticut State Forest is located in Barkhamsted and was established in 1924. The…read moreroads, trails, and museum was created by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The museum was built in 1935 and is considered historic. There are about 10 miles of blazed trails. American Legion State Forest is on the west branch of the Farmington River while Peoples State Forest is on the opposite side. Popular activities include canoeing/kayaking, hiking, camping, and snowmobiling. There are many entrances since this place is so large. Waze took me to a side entrance which led me to the Beaver Brook Recreation Area. There were two parking areas that probably can fit 4 vehicles. I saw a picnic area by the brook. The very bumpy dirt road led me to a wooden bridge near the recreation area and I decided to park there since there were cars parked there. I walked by a snowmobiling trail which was cool to see even though it's not winter yet; I'm sure you can walk on that trail in the warmer months. I walked up the dirt road and found a blue and orange blazed trail which was a boardwalk. The boardwalk was nicely maintained some spots were buggy. I got to the end of the boardwalk and walked back to the car. I drove around the place and there were more trails and a museum. I look forward to going back to hike some more trails, loved what I saw though!

    Beautiful and well maintained. All trails are easy to moderate. FALPS has added some great trails…read morerecently.

    Photos
    American Legion & People’s State Forests - Snowmobiling

    Snowmobiling

    American Legion & People’s State Forests - Under bridge

    Under bridge

    American Legion & People’s State Forests

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    Enders State Forest - parks - Updated May 2026

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