They have a great trail that goes along the water that it pretty flat it just has a lot of roots…read more The Meriden parks department did a goat walk there and I highly recommend following them to know when the next one is !

USE CAUTION! This trail resides along a steep cliff side (not the main trail area) and may not be…read morefor suitable for a beginner hiker. Dogs are welcome on leash. Oaths are uneven with roots poking through. Watch your step One of my favorite local parks where every season is beautiful! Well maintained and marked trails, fishing areas a free little book library and a path to the rock quarry if lucky to find! If you travel to the far end of the reservoir (main entry area next to trail map) you come to a nice opening along the reservoir. Venture a bit further along the pond to the furthest end of the water; Left brings you further into the woods and over the bridge brings you full loop around the reservoir

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.

Great hiking trails. There are around 5 different trails you can hike depending on the time you…read morehave and your hiking fitness. There is also pavilions you can rent for parties, picnic areas you can use for your gatherings, corn hole games, volleyball courts and a ball field. Overall great place for escaping the hum drum of the city. Great for nature walks with the kids where you can visit the vernal pools and if lucky see a hawk or an eagle flying in the area above.

Main gates close at 430pm, but the small upper parking lot is still available…read more Beach is closed due to water conditions. Seems like a pretty nice park. We arrived late afternoon, so didn't get to explore a whole lot, but it seemed that there were some trails to explore. There are paved roads and walkways for biking also. Note, there is no power and no open bathrooms since power has not been restored. Only a few (?2) port a potties are available.

I was able to do part of this trail and really enjoyed it. I believe is about 30 miles and see they…read moredo bicycle rides which do look cool and could definitely see that being awesome to do in the fall. I saw a few cool animals including a cute snake (harmless). There were a few seats available along the path for folks to rest too and was clean for the most part (hardly trash that I saw). The leafs colors were awesome and was just cool enough to enjoy. The paths I saw were easy so anyone can really do this. It was a fun experience for me and definitely would take a longer hike next time I come to visit.

excellent to eat bike on this trail lots of space and plenty of room for people to pass and enjoy…read moretheir hike while biking as well. There's a lot of historic places to explore after the trail as well.. It goes all the way a mass.

This is such a staple for long-time residents of Meriden, or folks passing through!…read more Hiking trails, a pond for fishing, a band shell where events take place throughout the year, and tons of open green space-- this is the heart and soul of Meriden!

Yesterday my dog and I decided to visit Castle Craig which is perfectly situated for a fantastic…read moreview of the park itself plus much of Meriden. Though this year's peak fall colors were muted and a bit past, it was still enjoyable.

This trail is about 4miles give or take there and back. There are benches along the way and two…read morebridges going over the water and one tunnel under the highway. It does flood under that bridge if raining a lot. There is a sign that says flood zone turn around don't drown or something like that. I can walk the whole thing in about 45 minutes. And there are a few little tails off it into the woods but they don't really loop and you have to turn around and come right back. You cal also park at either end.

"Oh, Suzie Q Baby, I love you, Suzie Q"…read more(Creedence Clearwater Revival) The indigenous people's word "Quinnipiac" roughly translates into English as "long-water people". The Q River is 38 miles long, and you'll get a gorgeous view of it from the bridge on the Quinnipiac Linear Trail. We had a lovely hike on the trail today, as did dozens of friendly walkers who smiled and waved to us as we walked from the main parking lot to the bridge and back. It was a very easy low impact walk of about two miles round trip. The trail is flat, paved, and very wide -at least fifteen feet wide. There were a few side trails marked by fresh mulch or wood shavings if you want to go off the beaten path. We saw plenty of interesting things on our walk - basketball courts, a wood walkway over some wetlands, several informational kiosks, a Lending library with a box of Narcan Nasal Spray prominently on display up front, a labyrinth, and scenic views of the Merrit Parkway which at times seemed about 50 feet from the trail. One other interesting but infuriating thing we saw was a collection of red, black, and blue knotted bags of dog doody that was neatly stacked around a Pet Waste station just under a sign that read "Please Keep This Area Clean".

I love hiking and this was such a fantastic place to go !…read more I came here on a little hiking date. I think I was expecting more of a climb but it went really easily and quickly! On top there's a little castle structure, and some outcropping rocks to chill and watch the view. Very romantic place. Jamie spotted lots of hawks :)

We needed a break on our drive from MA to NJ and this was just about the mid-point for us and just…read moreoff the highway. It is a pretty state park for a short visit if you're in the area. Lots of college students throughout the park from nearby Quinnipiac University. There are plenty of open space, picnic tables and trails for everyone to enjoy. Lots of different trail options but the tower trail is the most popular. Not much shade on the tower trail and a fairly decent elevation change in a short distance. Make sure to check the weather and bring water. Beautiful views from the highest point in the park and you can go inside the tower.

I take my toddler to the playground here fairly often. The whole playground is fenced in. It has 2…read moremain playscapes, one for toddlers and preschoolers and another for older kids. My toddler loves the smaller playscape. There are a few slides and plenty of different ladders and stairs to climb. BEWARE- after a good rain the area around this climber is a giant puddle. There's a slide that goes right into the middle of it. We avoid this park after a rainstorm for this reason. The larger playscape seems pretty fun. My toddler still climbs on it when it's not too crowded. It has a lot of ramps and some fun slides. I climb with him or stay close by because there are some openings to climbing structures he cannot navigate that are pretty high up. There are also swings (including baby swings), covered picnic tables, a sand/ digging area, and some outdoor musical instruments inside the fence.

This is a great little park for an afternoon excursion with kids. In addition to the playing…read morefields, there are lighted tennis and basketball courts for evening play. We went with our 2yr old to check out the play area. It is very well done and arranged. It is ADA compatible which in addition to being accepting to everyone makes being a parent easier, ease of access to high areas. My daughter loved the slide that was essentially a string of rolling pins. The only slide of its design I've come across. There are plenty of swings and there is a nice covered area with picnic tables. It is completely enclosed and gated, so it takes a bit for the little ones to get away! Always a plus. In the play area there is a sand box with some shovels, the sand is pretty well used at this point and isn't all that soft but it's useable. There is also a really fun little pipe instrument setup with the gates. If you venture across the street there is some hiking trails in the woods, nothing overly long or daunting but it was nice for a stroll in the woods with the baby and the the dog.

Driving along 91 in through Middletown/ Crowell several years ago, I spied a lovely little…read morewaterfall in the woods along the highway. I never gave it much thought and always made it a point to search out this view driving this route. Fast forward to these crazy days of social distancing and taking rides to some of CT's hidden gems , we passed the falls , I pulled out my phone to see if they were noted on a map and we decided to try for a closer look! I grew up in Middletown and while the Westfield de ruin was almost another " town", I can't believe I'd never heard of these falls before. They are located off Miner St just after the golf course, with a small pull off for parking. The Falls are unmarked; no signage exists. A clear path is visible after the set of cement blockades. No more than 3-4 cars can park in the pull off. The path to the falls is flat but traprock covered with many exposed roots. The falls are not that far in. The main path leads to the top of the falls , while a second trail after the entrance to the left leads you down to the base of the falls and a great view! There were 3 waterfalls on this early April day! What a hidden gem! I look forward to returning when it's a little less bleak and gray and the tree foliage is out! Easy walk in to get a waterfall fix!

Ehh it was littered and underwhelming. Also far too busy for the size, there was poison ivy on the…read moretrail to get to the waterfall and at the base of the waterfall, and parking was not good. You have to parallel park on the edge of a non-level curve .... in a residential area. This wasn't for me and I don't recommend it and I believe the trails need some maintenance at the least. If you decide to follow the river down a little, you will be right underneath a busy highway. I also thought this was not nice and it contributed to my very low star rating. I would truly give 0 stars if I could.