Family outing on this historical trail! Perfect for walking, running, biking or skating!…read more The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail is a scenic, easygoing path stretching over 80 miles through charming towns, peaceful woodlands, and historic canal routes. Perfect for biking, walking, or a relaxing day outdoors, it's one of New England's best hidden gems for all skill levels. The trail you see today has roots going back over 200 years. In the early 1800s, it began as the Farmington Canal construction, built to connect New Haven to inland towns and boost trade. Completed in 1828, the canal was used to transport goods like coal, timber, and farm products, but eventually shut down in the 1840's

I loved hiking at this trail it Stretches through scenic New England towns, the Farmington Canal…read moreHeritage Trail follows the path of a historic 1800s canal and railroad. Today it's a peaceful paved trail perfect for biking, walking, or forest views. Definitely a well traveled path.

Came here for a run while staying near BDL and really enjoyed the trail along the Connecticut…read moreRiver! You really get that feeling that you're out in nature--the sights, the smells, the sounds, everything. The path is suitable for walking, running and cycling. How I wish I could enjoy it in the fall with the changing colors!

Absolutely gorgeous, magical day, the kind that makes one thankful for the opportunity to enjoy…read morenature...sunny, mid 60's, low humidity, gentle breeze. Blue heron right after you enter from the south terminus. Lots of turtles basking. Eagles (adult and 2 juvies) visible in their nest, with another adult high above about 50 yds north. Another uge (we don't pronounce the "h" where I'm from) blue heron about 7/10ths of a mile from the start. Ducks, geese, hawk. Haven't seen a rabbit yet this year. My theory is that overcutting on the bank of the canal-side has caused rabbits to change their habits (seriously). No place to hide from predators. Everyone friendly...strollers, fishermen, bicyclists.... I tried to make a video of the song, "I was strolling thru the park one day, in the very merry month of May...". Lucky for the reader / listener that my phone was having memory issues. Always a 5 star!

Miles of hiking trails, paved and graveled mountain roads, and scenic overlooks whichever way you…read moreascend, this is a perfect spot for a quiet weekend getaway, Even on a Sunday morning around peak Autumn foliage you can find many scenic spots no else already found. This can be a quick drive kind of spot or a great morning hike as trails to beaver ponds, glacial erratics, and picnic tables are all within a short distance of the forest roads. The fire tower was out of commission for years but has happily been restored, and interpretive signs at the top show each visible peak including, Mt. Tom and Mt. Monadnock among them, on clear enough days. The only facilities are a port-o-let at the bottom of Soapstone Road, so plan accordingly if you don't want to make the ten minute trip back down to Ellington.

Great views, easy hike through the woods, or up the paved access road, or drive up if you prefer!…read more Awesome local option for some nice views. Tips: Bring lunch if the weather is nice, there are picnic tables everywhere. DON'T MISS THE TOWER. It was repaired (major overhaul) recently and reopened to the public. Can't see it from the end of the access road, but it's an incredibly short walk from there. Go up toward and around the chain fence.

One of my new favorite walking trails! I was looking for a meeting place that is halfway for my mom…read moreand I and this is PERFECT. I love walking along the river and the paved trail makes it easy to walk as fast or as slow as you'd like. As a bird nerd, I could spend hours birdwatching here. I saw bluebirds, cardinals, blue jays, robins, hawks, ducks, and more! But what I enjoy the most is the fit trail exercises they have at the beginning. As my mom gets older, she's trying to find ways to get stronger. We've committed to going to this trail once a month to do the fit test, which includes stretches and bodyweight exercises, so we can track our strength progression. The one downside to the trail is that there's no bathroom or port-a-pottie. But otherwise, we are so grateful we found it and are excited to be new regulars!

This is a very easy and accessible trail - just about a mile loop. Lots of Farmington River views…read moreand a bridge or two. The path is wide, flat, and paved with a gravel section you'll find after you walk under the overpass and end up by Bart's Hot Dogs. The main parking lot is on Palisado, kind of Kitty Corner to Bart's. The main entrance path soon turns into a "T", so you have the option of heading left to Pleasant Street Park (.4 miles) or right to Mechanic Street (.5 miles). We went left, walked all the way to the boat launch behind Bart's, then doubled back. It was a very enjoyable walk with great scenery everywhere we looked.

Stumbled upon this place while looking for a quick walk somewhere new. This place fit the bill…read morenicely. Fairly decent sized dirt parking lot, short, well maintained trail, small turnaround area for launching canoes, kayaks, etc. into the river for some upstream or downstream paddling on the Willimantic River and Eagleville Pond (to the south). I hope to find my way back here with paddles in hand at some point. Hiking: I use the word hiking very loosely. It's more of a casual stroll, but it was pretty nicely maintained and meanders around a bit through wooded areas, grassy areas and marshy areas, with a short duration along the shoreline of the river. To find the trail, park in the dirt lot, then walk all the way to the back right corner of they grassy field. Grassy areas were low while I was there due to it being the winter, but I'd certainly be cautious for ticks if that grass gets longer in the summer. Looks like good potential for mosquitos as well due to the marshy areas, so show up prepared. Paddling: The river looked very calm and with good potential for wildlife sighting. You could paddle upstream or float down into Eagleville Pond. There's another park at the end of Eagleville Pond where you can end your trip if you have the means to do so. (Note: the pond ends with a pretty wide, marked dam. Go to the far left while facing downstream to get out at the other park). Adjacent park / Lynch Landing: The trail connects to the Lynch Landing trail, and in fact this review is admittedly glossing over that fact and considering it to be all one trail system. Know that you could also park in the VERY small Lynch Landing parking lot on Depot Road if you preferred. (...or possibly a the "EO Smith Depot Campus" building next to the Lynch Landing parking area, but I can't advise on whether or not that's allowed at this time.) Note: Yes, you can go across the bridge on your way out and instead of back out on Plains Road, but know that it's narrow and unpaved for a good distance. There's a great looking property shortly past the bridge. I could definitely see myself living there...

A hidden gem. My dad brought me here as a kid and now I go with my boyfriend. We love it and the…read morewater almost feels majestic.

Great place to hike, you'll need good balance and shoe traction here, especially after a rain.read more

Beautiful hiking trail! Muddy in the beginning, so wear hiking boots or shoes with good grip. The…read moreoverlooks are amazing and worth every minute. About 1 hour and 20 minutes to and from The caves. Rugged terrain towards the caves Not for the beginner, so plan accordingly. Snacks, water and maybe a walking stick

Trail has some lovely views, some steep up and down sections but no actual rock scrambling…read morerequired, and if you plan ahead you can find the elaborate rock etchings done over 200 years ago by patients of an 18th century small pox inoculation center! Also, when I went most recently, somebody built a pretty sick rope swing in the woods. Not sure how safe it is, but if it doesn't crap out on you it's a nice little adrenaline rush if you start your swing at the tree branch. Now for some tips to get the most out of your hike: Pro tip #1: if you're doing this as an after work hike, park yourself at Alliance Occupational Health and catch the trailhead across the street. Can't speak as to whether this would be ok during their normal business hours tho. Pro tip#2: go to the local library where they can provide you with a map on how to find hospital rock, just off the trail, with stone carvings made 200 years ago. -side tip- bring flour with you to dust the rocks with so you can make out thyme carvings better for pictures Pro tip #3: Bugspray.

This West Hartford trail was 8 to 10 feet wide and paved; it's very easy for walking with a…read morestroller. There is parking at the Beachland Park and Elmwood Community Center. We didn't know this so we found a random spot at Norfeldt Little League field and started there. Based on the town's website, the Greenway project is expected to be completed in 2024 and will be about 4 miles long: the trail is located in between New Park Ave and Asylum Ave. There are multiple phases to construction and it is still being worked on. The trail was popular when we went. There were bikers, joggers, dog walkers, and rollerbladers. The Trout Brook was clear and serene. Part of the trail is behind people's houses. There are spots where you have to cross the street and you can see/hear the traffic adjacent to the trail. It is not the quietest trail I've been on but it's still good. Overall, a lovely trail for the community; I love the accessibility and a great spot for a lovely stroll.

This trail was flat and had pretty areas but was way too close to the road. I had to keep my…read moreAirPods in just because of how loud the road was the whole time.