Music on Sunday's is awesome!! It was a beautiful park with different gardens and water features…read more They pump in water and it recirculates from the CT River.

Stanley Park was nice! Parks are an ideal outing for little ones so we headed over here one late…read moremorning. We walked on the trails and saw a few creatures including fish, frogs, geese, ducks, squirrels, and chipmunks. Great spot to take the family. It was also well-maintained as I saw several workers around. There was a cool map on the ground and as a cartophile, I appreciated that. Seems like there's quite a bit to do here.

Skinner State Park really surprised me. The drive up was beautiful and the view at the top over the…read morePioneer Valley made me stop and just take it in. I also liked reading about the old Mt. Holyoke Summit House and the incline railway that used to bring people up the mountain. I'm a sucker for places with a bit of history mixed in with the views And of course I loved seeing it with our friends we met on a cruise 24 years ago!

Iconic set of rolling wooded hills over looking the Connecticut River and surrounding lowlands…read more Skinner State Park is approximately 3,000 acres once privately owned now overseen by the Mass DCR. There are an intertwining network of trails from the base, along the ridge, and through the wooded parkland. Bring a GPS and trail maps are available at the gates and in the Summit House. This was my first time hiking here. A life long buddy & hiking pal encouraged me to join him. He was excited to try out his new hip on some varying terrain. He drove in from Vermont, me from CT. Both of us aging (gracefully) we each used an adjustable pair hiking sticks, which did come in handy both ascending and descending the hills. We found the trails were all very well maintained and well traveled. There's a system of trail markers and blazes to follow. Keep in mind bikes and horse are allowed, so hikers, keep your eye open and give way to wheels & hooves. The Summit House does have access too by vehicle, but (!) parking is very limited up top and DRC Rangers control traffic flow. We parked very close to Hockanum Road (Rte 47) and hiked up. Views at the Summit House stunning 360 degrees. If the House is open (seasonally) take time to tour the former residence and Lodge. View from the House decks are even better. My foot recently repaired foot & my buddies new hip passed the test!

This is a block away from my house. How sweet is that ? We took our son on a nice morning walk. I…read moresaw someone heading in for a run. I was shaking with joy, a local running path! We just moved here, so this was a great find. The path is blocked off to prevent cars from driving in. Not sure if it's always blocked. I was amazed at how beautiful it was, the trees, the benches that overlooked the Springfield skyline and the Connecticut river. Gosh , it's beautiful! I can't wait to come out here in the spring and summer and have a little picnic. There's a set of benches that can be reserved for parties. There's water fountains that are made for people and for dogs, they are two separate fountains, FYI . This is a perfect place for a family walk, including that furry child you have. We can't wait to run a dog out here. It's perfect !

This is a cute park on a triangle of land surrounded by quaint houses. There is a dirt pathway you…read morecan drive into and park. It was originally dedicated on the bicentennial in honor of 200 years of America. In the park itself, there's a gazebo with stairs I would recommend being cautious on (but the rest of the gazebo seems sound). There are also benches along a stone wall, which divides the park in two. On the other side of the wall, there is an enclosed space I saw people playing with a very happy dog in. Right now it's a little muddy from the snow melting, but it must be nice to picnic in the fall! John E Julian seems to have been a lifelong Stafford resident and prominent citizen. He was a Korean War Veteran, and went on to politics. He served as State Representative from 1974 to 1978, and then as First Selectman of Stafford from 1977 to 1987, and again from 1993 to 2001. He served on a whole bunch of committees and clubs, and seems to have really made his mark during the time he had.

Tree in honor of my uncle who owned property in town along with a marker. Peaceful spot on a…read morebeautiful spring afternoon!

What an enjoyable time we had strolling around the park on a gorgeous autumn day…read more We found our way to the hiking trail which was predominantly flat and low impact, just beware of the occasional tree root. We walked over a wooden bridge and followed the gray trail through the woods next to the Westfield River. The park wasn't too crowded, and we marveled at just how beautiful and peaceful and quiet the woods were. We also saw a gorgeous meadow with half a dozen pedestal grills, just perfect for picnics and family gatherings. We also saw a small strip of sand that was actually a beach!! Somewhere along the hike, we got our lower legs and sneakers covered in prickly stickers, so be careful where you walk. Those suckers were hard to dislodge!!

Not a fan. I went around 2 pm and spent 3 hours here. The dirt paths are short. I did a few loops…read more The road and pathway was closed just past the pond. Also didn't help I didn't have cell service in the park. So trying to find a decent trail to walk was impossible. Maybe better if the road was open past the pond. ‍ I won't be back here. I'd rather go back to the Ashley reservoir.

Nice trail to go on with other trails along it if you wanted something longer. It was a simple…read moretrail that's was easy to follow with the marks and enjoyable with friends.

Absolutely beautiful here. Nice and quiet. My only issue is I was charged $20 instead of $5 and I'm…read morea Mass resident.

Who knew that nestled between US route 5 and the Connecticut River in Holyoke, 190 million years…read moreago, there wandered groups of dinosaurs along what was once a lake bed. It's really cool to literally walk in the same footprints of these Jurassic creatures. The tracks include Eubrontes, a bipedal ornisthiscian which apparently was an ancestor of the iconic T-Rex. The site is not very large but it is easily accessible and it not only offers the aforesaid dino footprints but also nice views of the CT River. Well worth a stop!

Small but mighty is how I describe this place. I was not a…read moredinosaur kid - I was an oceanographer or astronaut type instead but there's no way I would pass up the opportunity to see dino footprints no matter what age or what I was into. Met up with a friend from the area en route to NH and we took a pit stop here. He told me you can see them best if you put a little water in the print to see the contrast and that really brought them to life. Couple tips: -Bug spray! Down by the water is mosquito heaven and I'm still picking my skin over a week later. -Solid footwear. You don't need hiking boots but a legit sole and covered toe would be good. It's slippery, slanted, and rocky. -sunglasses, water, or a hat. It's exposed and you'll cook. Don't plan your trip around this but def stop by if you're in the area!!

"Down by the ocean it was so dismal" (Redondo Beach - Patti…read moreSmith) There's nothing dismal about the Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve. It's 210 acres of land with two trails winding through it for 3.5 miles. We hiked some of the well-marked Green Trail today and wandered through a wide flat and very easy to navigate trail covered with leaves. We did cross into wetlands twice, but each time the trail prevented us from getting our feet wet with a footbridge and stones to elevate us over the water line. We caught a few glimpses of Creamer Pond but didn't get too close to it. I wonder if the Yellow Trail would have done that? The property also has an old building known as Glazier Cabin and an old colonial burial ground that goes back to 1795. We didn't see any of those because we got there late and it was rainy and getting pretty chilly, so we made a U Turn and decided to return soon and try the Yellow Trail. The trailhead is located at 253 Loomis Street. You'll see a small parking lot there, but we also saw half a dozen cars parked along Loomis Street.

It is a magical place with amenities that make it even more so. The historic Glazier Cabin…read moreoverlooks Creamer Pond, raised viewing platforms overlook vibrant marshes often full of interesting species of birds, and newly installed bridges and well manicured paths allow visitors to roam about without worrying about getting lost. From the cabin, visitors to the preserve can sit in comfortable rocking chairs and look out through the trees to the pond. Parents with children can entertain them with a library of books that can be read aloud in that peaceful place. At dawn and dusk there are beavers working in the pond, too. Before you come, I recommend that you download the free Avenza app on your iPhone and then download the digital app of the preserve. When you're on the property, even though there is not good Wi-Fi coverage, you can see exactly where you are at all times. A little blue dot that changes its location as you walk from place to place exactly locates you. For more information on that, check out the Granby Land Trust's webpage at www.granbylandtrust.org.