Burr Pond State Park is a very beautiful and peaceful park. The pond is the showstopper here, hence…read morethe name. Driving up to the park was enjoyable; there's a big hill with a small waterfall you can see from the street. The parking area was a decent size but I can see it being packed in the summer and on weekends. The park is on 438-acres and the man-made pond is 85-acres. Popular recreational activities in this park are hiking, fishing, swimming, and boating. The pond was created in 1851 to help produce power buy building dams. There are two trails within the park; 2.5-mile blue blazed Walcott Trail which goes around the pond and 2-mile John Muir trail which goes through multiple parks. The beach is quaint but does the job on a hot day rather than driving an hour or so to the beach. There were so many picnic tables throughout; definitely a nice area for picnics. There is a seasonal boat rental and concession stand. If you want to go boating, there is a boat launch. We went in the winter for an event, the parking lot was packed so they were offering shuttles. The park was beautiful in the winter with the pond being frozen. There were people ice fishing and playing on the ice. I went recently on a spring weekday, temperature was perfect and the place was quiet. We walked on the trail and it was lovely with the view of the pond. Overall, a great park and will be there as often as we can.

"Don't say a word Don't say anything…read moreDon't say a word I'm not even listening You better watch your step" (Elvis Costello) Trust the Mayor. You'd better watch your step as you're walking the three mile trail that circles Burr Pond, or you'll end up face first on the dirt trail with a broken ankle. The dirt trail sure has its share of dangerous tree roots and rocks, followed by relatively hazard free stretches to walk. You sure get some gorgeous views of the water! We saw people fishing, swimming by the small beach, a big group hanging out by picnic tables playing salsa music, and two dog owners whose well behaved dogs were swimming in the pond. The trail itself is flat with just a handful of inclines, but most of those inclines are tree trunk related. It really is a lovely park.

The Best Lake Water in Connecticut! This is our favorite place to kayak. It's relaxing loop to…read morepaddle, approximately three and a half miles hunting the shore. There's a small island with a old fireplace & chimney; no camping or fires are allowed. However, it's a nice spot to stop, go for a shallow swim, and a have a snack just take your trash with you. The CT DEEP maintains the boat ramp and motors are restricted on the lake to 8 HP. A welcome rule to Green Powered Craft. Springtime the lake is stocked, but please catch and release for other enthusiasts to enjoy. The gravel parking area is across the quiet road. Pot-O-Potty's are available is the parking area - should have a need. The Lake is lined with cottages, a couple of Town beaches, a private Lake club, two scout camps. So there's plenty to see along your loop.

Who in their right mind pays a fee to use public land. Parking is one thing, but to seriously…read morecharge people to use a boat launch is beyond disappointing and I will not spend any money to do so. Your swimming/beach area isn't even open (and hasn't been in several years), so what are you doing with this money? You offer absolutely nothing and a boat launch should be free. Honestly pathetic.

This review is for the fishing aspect of Lake McDonough. The water in this lake is extremely clear…read moreand there are steep drop-offs, so naturally, the fishing can be very difficult. Also, the place seems to have a lot of bass in the 1# to 1.5# range. They can be fun to catch, but it would be nice to get some larger ones once in a while. Never caught a trout here, or seen one follow my lure, for that matter. On the positive side, the launch is great, your boat will come off easy. $6 to launch and another $6 to park. Lake is never crowded with boat traffic, no water skiers or jet skiers, which is also good. Very scenic too, just wish the fishing was better, because I only live 4 miles from here. FYI, alcohol is not allowed, they will search your cooler. Gate opens at 8am on weekends, 10am on weekdays (which I find a tad late being a fisherman, but it is what it is).

At first glance, a neighborhood park with a few cottages, a field, and a large dirt parking lot…read more The cottages were for the Girl Scouts based on the sign I saw on them. I was here for the playground so I walked across the field to the back and found it. I didn't realize there were parking in the back lot and closer to the playground. The fenced in playground was big and had plenty of swings and space for my toddler to run around. The weather was perfect (55 degrees in February) so there were a few other people there. There was snow on the ground in certain parts, so it was very muddy/slippery in some spots. A few of the playscapes were taped off with caution tape; I'm assuming they were broken. This park is on 200 acres of land and has many events. There is a 50 acre lake area. The spring fed lake is called West Hill Lake; people can swim, fish, and boat in it. In the summer, you will need to buy a beach pass. They also have tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, and basketball courts. Nearby and across the street, you can find the Franklin P. Kearney Conservative Trail. Overall, a great spot to get some fresh air and exercise. Hopefully they will fix the broken playscapes and it will be less muddy when it gets warmer soon.

Just not great. Has a lot that could be improved. Not well kept, run of the mill regular park.read more

I spoke to the owner and scheduled 7/5 as a full day trip for my husbands birthday. There were a…read moretotal of 10 people going out on the boat. Multiple people took the day off from work for this trip. The owner assured me the day was booked for us a month before and said a deposit was not necessary. I texted and called the week leading up to the trip to get specific info on where to meet and what to bring as well as trying to give a deposit. No one returned any of my texts or calls. So, here I am, feeling horrible about asking multiple people to take the day off and like a fool that my husbands birthday present is nonexistent. Sounded like it would be fun but the fact that the owner could care less about his patrons makes me wonder how serious he takes this business.

From the owner: Established in 2012…read more This new flyboard water sport has been over taking the lake and ocean side for the last few years. The flyboard sales and rentals provides services to you in your area. CT Flyboard brings this summer to you and your family the next best thing there is to flying above the water top being as free as you can. All fly boards are propelled by water from the jetski. With in a few mins of your time we can have you up and out flying around. come see us for your first time and share a lifetime of fun.

If you live in a big city, ever wonder where your water supply comes from?…read more Well, if you happen to live in the Hartford, CT metroplex, your water comes from the Saville Dam and the Barkhamsted Reservoir. We first saw this gorgeous area when we were driving home from a college run up to Troy, NY and took the back roads home. Suddenly, we were in the middle of jaw dropping beauty, with spectacular water views everywhere. We returned today on an unexpectedly wonderful 70-degree sunny Saturday in November. There were lots of families strolling around enjoying the pretty views. There are a few parking lots sprinkled along Route 318 and you can stroll on the grass to follow the waterline. Be careful, because we saw some depressions and protrusions along the way that might twist an ankle if you aren't careful. There were lots of photographers out today, and I smiled when I saw a young lady posing in her purple cap and gown for a graduation picture. The grounds were impeccably well maintained, and the people we interacted with (masked and socially distanced) were all pleasant. Dogs were all leashed and diligently cleaned up after. It was an outstanding visit with great weather, beautiful Fall foliage and scenery, and nice people.

5 stars for the magnificent beauty. I had to deduct a star because the paved trail was closed. It…read morelooks like an awesome trail but I think it's closed due to hazardous water conditions based on the sign. There are three parking lots total. However, there are no sidewalks across the dam. You can walk on the grassy part of the dam, it is high and there are no railings; you can either fall into the street or down the dam face, which would probably hurt a little lol. If you bring small children, hold onto their hands. So many people are there on a nice day to gaze at the wonderful views of the reservoir and hills. Now please open up the trails, it would be an awesome place to take a walk in nature.

Being new to the hobby of paddle boarding I was very intimated at first however after coming across…read moreValley paddle board, I decided to give it a shot. There were numerous packages available in the planning phase and I ultimately went with the 2 hour group paddle board session with instructor guidance and equipment rental. Not to mention included in the cost was a (2) drink voucher for refreshments at a local brewery post paddle board session (which was a welcomed bonus). The location Christine chose for this session was perfect especially for someone just starting off like myself. We started off in a small shallow beach just sitting on our boards and getting a feel for the water. With Christine's concise, easy to follow direction, I upgraded to a kneeled position and finally to a standing, balancing and confident position within a half a hour. When the sun started to go down Christine advised that the group paddle out to a small island in the middle of the lake that was full of wild flowers, to relax and enjoyed the rest of the sunset. At this time we well exceeded the 2 hour mark but Christine was happy to do so for a wonderful experience. Once the weather gets a bit warmer I will definitely be reaching out to Christine for another session!!

We had the best time! Christine at Valley Paddleboard took our family on a trip down the Farmington…read moreRiver. it was so beautiful. She made sure the kids in our group were safe and having fun. She even taught us some paddleboard yoga moves. Can't wait to go back next summer!

We love this spot to rent kayaks on the Farmington river. They rent by the hour so get there early…read moreas they are slammed in the summer months. Easy check in and send off. Floating on the river is so relaxing and a great workout for the arms They also have bike rentals and kayak sales

I did not rent anything, so keep that in mind. It was rather impressive though, you could never…read moretell driving by how much stuff there is to buy and rent. There store has three sectionsnfor different sales, and very professional. Parking lot is a good size, and you can enter the river (I believe) by the store or further down the street at the boat launch. The side by the garden center is closed. The other side by the town buildings is open, and fairly picturesque to see everyone go by on the river.

I'm ashamed, today (2019-06-02) was my first paddle on the West Branch (Hogsback) Reservoir in the…read morebeautiful Colebrook / Hartland area. Situated at the lower end (aka downstream) of the Colebrook River Reservoir and Dam. The West Branch serves as second stage storage for flood control. Over time, this has turned to a Quiet Water for fishing, paddling, and nature observers. Speaking of nature, I had multiple encounters with a couple of Heron that would say Hi and hop upstream to another water side rock, then repeat the process. Better yet! My up-close, but not too close, interview with a young Porcupine. This fella was suspended over the water on a downed birch tree. Likely looking for bugs. Shy though the quills kept me at bay. The West Branch is approximately 200 acres of water surface, which can vary with the seasonal waters. I didn't observe any boats with motors larger than 6-10 HP. A good thing, as there are shallow rocks, but the water can be as deep at 90 feet. I recommend canoeing, kayaking, or a shallow draft boat with minimal horse power & electric trolling motors.

What a beautiful place in such a great community, the people here are phenomenal , welcoming and…read morehelpful in so many ways . They have plenty of picnic tables by the little beach and live entertainment. Definitely a place to spend a family day !