I walked these trails with my dogs and mom and found them to bebeautif, and we met lovely people…read morealong the way.

Took my boys to one of the lakes located here. If you go early, you will usually have luck. We…read morecaught 12 fish, mostly bluegills, but my sons just want to catch fish. We were also visited by a big snapping turtle, which was cool. We are all about catch and release, so someone else will have an opportunity to catch something with their children. Really beautiful land so help take care of it if you visit.

I have always liked going there for a fun day of swimming and just plain enjoying my time there in…read morethe summer. The fact that after all these years it is still standing tells me that the people still enjoy going there and still want it to be preserved.

The signage is not great, especially if you are looking for the waterfall. But once found, it was a…read moregreat hike. There are 3 different trails, from 0.5m to 1m each way. You can go to the summit and get to see the beautiful river or head down to the waterfall. Unfortunately we went after a dry summer, and the waterfall was a very small trickle which was anticlimactic. But the hike was still fun. Warning: some paths are very narrow and can only take one person at a time. If going with kids, be warned. If your kids are prone to not listening and wandering, this is not the right hike. The paths are not paved and the risk of getting hurt if varying off-course are great. Since I mentioned about the signage...here are some tips. If you go to the general parking area, that is for the beach. It is very pretty to walk along and take photos or launch kayaks...but this is not the parking lot for the waterfall. Instead, go to the small parking lot on the other side of the road (do not pass the train tracks). If you go right, there is good signage that explains the 3 trails and markers. If you go left, it's the shortest 0.5m path directly to the waterfall (it's the red/blue path). Enjoy!

There's a few different sections of the Naugatuck State Forest. We went to the Quillinan Reservoir…read moreBlock, which is in Ansonia. There are a few ways to access this park, we decided to go from the Ansonia Nature Center. The transition over to State Forest is pretty subtle, mainly with some markings on the trees. This park is also adjacent to some watershed land, that is also marked really well. This park has some nice hiking trails, with a lot of different loop options. We ended up doing a 10k (6 miles) hike, on the white and purple loop trails. The trails are nicely blazed, and there's a really good variety of trees. We went through some hardwoods and some pine forest, and there were lots of plants and some water views of the reservoir at various points along the hike. It's not too strenuous elevation wise, which was nice for a moderate hike. Mountain biking is allowed in the park, and we saw several people out for a ride, so it seems a pretty popular location for biking, and the trails seem not overly eroded. My only complaint is this park is adjacent to a gun club, so for a good chunk of the hike (mostly the white trail) was done to the sound of near constant gunfire. It's not the most tranquil thing, especially if you're sensitive to that sound.

This is a beautiful walk around the reservoir. The day was overcast with a threat of rain, but the…read moretemperature today made up for the darkened skies. Colorful leaves are starting to pop out everywhere, and I suppose this place will be in it's prime in a week or so. If you're in the neighborhood, you have to stop by and enjoy the scenery.

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.

Best walking trail in the area. It's several miles long, fairly flat and decently maintained. Great…read morespace for walking strollers, kids or just with friends. It does get very muddy even a day after a rain, though. The bikers can get a little annoying too. The parking lot can fill up quickly on weekends, but there's plenty of parking on the side street parallel to the trail.

I rode the trail today from Daniels Farm Road to Benedict's Home and Garden in Monroe. I stopped…read morehere and had to go back because I had no idea where the trail went from here which is my complaint about this trail. It is poorly marked. There is a fork in the trail with a sign that says "Main Street Spur, one way and Spring Hill Road Trail Route" the other way. I took the Main Street route and after about 200 yards I was at the edge of Main Street and I had no idea which way to go as there is no signage at all. I doubled back and took the Spring Hill Road route which took me to Victorinox. Here you either go left or right, again no trail markers. I went right towards Victrinox because it looked like that trail went around the the property but no, I was soon met with a no trespassing sign. So I doubled back again and found the trail again which took me to another trail head with no markings although I did find the Stephen French Store/Post Office marker, but no trail marker as to which way to go. I gambled and went right and found the Stepney Depot marker but no trail marker. I continued north until I came to the Benedict's Home and Garden Center, again which way do I go? Again I gambled and went right to Wolf Park which seemed like a logical way to go, however the park was closed for the Bicentennial?! Again you guessed it no trail marker to be found. I gave up at this point and went back to my truck and went home. Did I miss something? Did I miss all the trail markers? If I did please let me know where they are. Otherwise it was a great ride with some slight inclines and and mostly smooth riding. I would recommend it but be aware there are no obvious trail markers.

My first trip to Maltby Lakes was wonderful. Looking for a short hike near home. Saw 3 deer…read more Beautiful.

If you go to Maltby Lakes, you will be amazed that you are actually in West Haven. It's definitely…read morethe most beautiful area in town. As mentioned in a previous review, you need to purchase a regional water authority pass for access. You have to post your pass on your dashboard, and the property is gated with a combination lock which you receive the code to when you get your pass. This is nice actually because limited access keeps the area more pristine. Usually you will only encounter a few other people while walking which is wonderful if you're going to the woods to get away from it all. It's a peaceful, serene environment. It's a great area to take a walk/hike during any season of the year. There are numerous trails, many of them bordering on the water. All of the trails are gentle and fairly easy to traverse. There are many deer in these woods, which make for nice nature sightings. Take your camera because the scenery is truly beautiful.

We stopped in this little park for a small bit, and really enjoyed it. There are some really pretty…read moreviews of the Housatonic River from here, and the dam/weir area. It's a little slice right next to the road, but they've packed a few things here. There's a playground, a basketball court, a couple of baseball diamonds, hiking, and a couple of monuments and memorials. A pretty little patch of tranquility in the winter.

Love love love love You don't even have to climb anything…read morelol The walk is paved so that's great Lots of old people and people with very new children!! lol It's easy It's beautiful Bring a ball Bring a kite Bring burgers they have tables and grills Bri g blankets Not crowded Bathroom was not open

This place is so beautiful. It's a short hike around the falls but if you take a right can go on…read morefor a long time I'm not sure how long because I have never went that full way. On the way up there are stairs and lookouts over the falls. They were recently redone and looks so nice. I love going here. Right now the bathrooms are locked so if you go have a picnic at the tables below you might have to leave to find a bathroom about 8 mins up the road in a store or restaurant. I think the bathrooms open on memorial day but I'm not sure. There are picnic tables in the grassy area and benches along the right side of the falls.

Great playground for the kids. Has a great area for sports like soccer or softball playing…read more Bathrooms and ample parking available.

Twin Brooks Park is a very beautiful and well maintained park. It has a nice paved walking/bike…read morepath with flowers and trees that bloom in spring and summer. There are a total of 5 ponds/lakes, two of which people sometimes fish at. There are swings (in very good condition) and a playground that is suitable for kids around age 4-13. In the winter Twin Brooks has easily the best sledding hill in a 10 mile radius. It's such a good sledding hill that it can actually be dangerous due to the sheer distance. With most sleds you don't have to worry but with high quality inner tubes you can generate a lot of speed. Sledding not your thing? No problem! There is also an extensive network of mountain biking/hiking trails in the woods to the north of the park. In fact you can mountain bike or hike from Beach Memorial Park all the way to Twin Brooks! Twin Brooks is beautiful in all 4 seasons, just don't forget your Trumbull parking pass. If you don't have one there is street parking on Franklin Street.

I stopped by Silver Sands State Park with my husband and some friends when we were driving down the…read moreConnecticut coast over the Fourth of July weekend. The park is almost 300 acres of beach, dunes, salt marsh, and woods. You can beach, swim, fish, walk along the beach or boardwalks, birdwatch... (FYI: alcohol is prohibited, so this is a beach for families, relaxing, and no-alcohol fun.) It's free for in-state registered vehicles. If your car or rental car is not registered in Connecticut, it costs $22 on weekends or holidays and $15 on weekdays (or $112 for a season pass). We couldn't stay long (the downside of a roadtrip with a planned out itinerary), which was too bad, because the beach was very nice! Crowded, perhaps, but what beach isn't on a hot July day?! I could've stayed a while with an umbrella for shade, a book, and a picnic! A lovely public beach.

Silver Sands State Park is a beautiful, well kept and safe environment to enjoy nature. The beach…read moreis better than many others in the East coast as it is calmer and you can actually go swimming. There are lifeguards whici provide an important safety feature. The park also has two great boardwalks that can be enjoyed while walking or jogging. There is a cafe with good snack options at reasonable prices and the restrooms are immaculate. It is perfect for family outings. Parking is available. I loved the time ai spen there and look forward to retirnung.