Huge fan of this bike/walking path. I typically park at the YMCA and do outdoor cardio here as a…read morewarmup. However, there are several places to park along this path that meanders betwixt Kennedy Drive and the Quinebaug River. There are so many positives! Along this path is a dog park, a bike fix-it station, a seasonal farmers market, fishing spots, kayak drop locations, and places to bebop over and eat. It is rarely crowded, and well kept. If that weren't enough they have picnic areas, quasi clean portapotties, story time stations changed seasonally, and some kid play areas. They thought of it all! Come take a stroll and take a nature bath!

Basically, the trail/pavement is pretty small with not much there to do, and then there was the…read morefire department/ambulance with their loud sirens, along with Auto's traffic, I guess the only thing good I could say about it is it's outside so if you want to just get outside, it's a good place to go, get off your phone people lol

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!

One of my very favorite wild life sanctuaries. The Laughing Brook and surrounding 300 acre parcel…read moreof land is beautiful any time of year but the Fall and Winter months hold a special charm not found any other time of year. There are several hiking trails which traverse the sanctuary and you are sure to see many species if birds and wild life.

How did I not discover this great place before?…read more A close by hike that will make you feel transported far away. The trails were fairly easy but I do recommend bringing a walking stick since the leaves make it slippery and there were a lot of stumps to trip over. It took us about 1 hour and 45 to complete the loop at a leisurely pace taking lots of pictures. Plenty of parking and no admission fee.

We camped at the group site here this past weekend (6/21-23). I would definitely recommend camping…read morehere with a large group, though it does book up quickly. The group site can accommodate up to 15 people. We had 12 and were MORE than comfortable. The site was large enough for all 6 of our tents and a canopy and could have accommodated more. There was plenty of grass and mulch to set up on, as well as ample space for parking, 2 fire pits, 2 picnic tables and an extra large grill, making it easy to cook for a big group. It was also far enough from other campsites to avoid bothering them, which we were concerned about with 12 young adults. It was located very close to the ranger station which had toilets but no showers. I never checked out the showers because we only stayed 2 nights but the bathrooms we used were clean and well kept. A few bugs in them late at night but that can't really be helped. The mosquitos were present but not as bad as some of the reviews I read suggested. Between the fire, a repelling device and bug spray we were not getting eaten alive. My friend did find one tick but caught it before it burrowed luckily. Just make sure you're checking for ticks each night. Some of the group went hiking which they said was lovely with pretty views. We checked out the beach which was a short walk from the group site. It was mainly set up for kids with a shallow roped off area, though there would have been nothing stopping you from climbing under the rope if you wanted to go for more of a swim. The water was still very cold that early in the season so I didn't get past my ankles. People were also fishing and launching kayaks near the beach. The park was pretty busy the whole weekend, so definitely not a secluded backwoods vibe, which was fine by me since I haven't camped much. I also appreciated the close proximity to Walmart which was useful for getting ice when we ran out. There is also a liquor store a short drive from the campsite, though officially alcohol is not allowed. All in all I would definitely come back here and reserve the group site again. It was an awesome trip for our larger group of friends.

Terrible place for a hike. Poor mapping. A lot of paved roads as "trails". Steer clear.read more

I read a random article posted on Facebook by a friend, with a title of "the best waterpark you've…read moreprobably never heard of". Well, they were right on both accounts and my wife and I are now huge fans. The article got us there but the beauty of BPG will keep us coming back for years. After heading down some windy roads, 20 minutes or so off of the Pike, we finally arrived to an expansive, free parking lot across the street from the park. The road is somewhat busy to cross but nobody is going more than like 15 MPH so it's relatively safe, then the gate is right there so you may only need to lug heavy coolers a few hundred feet in total which is nice. We waited for 3:00 to roll around to get the $15 deal, as did many others it seemed. The line did move quickly and we spotted a nice area in the shade to put down our goodies for the day after getting our wristbands and waterproof stamp. I took a peak at the slides and on a 90 degree, weekend day.....they seemed pretty packed. So we ventured down to the lake just 50 feet or so from where we were sitting. The water was cool at first but certainly not as shocking as the ocean can be in New England. It was so CLEAN, no smell, no litter in the water...I was amazed. The swimming area is fairly large, probably three Olympic sized pools big, and is roped off with plenty of lifeguards. It steeply drops off and gets deep quickly, I never made it out to the ropes to see how deep it was there. You can bring many beach toys, rafts etc into the water here, all perfectly welcomed. We then decided to brave the lines for the waterslides which didn't end up being all that bad, maybe 15 minutes. These aren't going to knock your bathing suit from your waist or anything, they are fairly slow moving but still fun. There are three in total and all a little different, one starts out in a darkened tunnel on a steeper incline and another was lazily standard. Three lines formed at the top and you got to pick so we always decided to go on the one with the shortest queue. The line for the snack shack was long almost the entire day, I was really looking forward to some fried dough but never got to try any. That will be for next time and now I understand how the charcoal grills work. I may go back some day and spend the entire lazy morning and afternoon swimming and cooking. You likely need to get there super early to grab a picnic table on the weekends which also assists in having a place to put a grill. You could probably start up some charcoal on the ground but I didn't see anyone else doing that. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed by this place, it's a throwback to simple lake beauty and New England summers.

This place was so much fun! The slides are long. The wait is between 10 and 15 minutes... But it's…read moreso worth it! I especially love the fact that it felt safe. There seemed to be gates and guards everywhere! The bathrooms were spotless. I loved the fact that there was a separate changing room for the ladies. Spots really are first come first served. The beach is basically almost all grass so I noticed a lot of people with massive tent, set ups and large swaths of area that they would claim, lol. As far as the pond goes, it is one of the cleanest and clearest I have ever seen. It's nice that you can bring floats from home, as well as goggles. The food was pretty decent! And was reasonably priced. Make sure you wear shoes or sandals on the deck of the concession stand because it gets really hot! The only reason I took off a star? This is a family establishment with kids running around. I'm the LAST person to be a prude but HOLY COW- I saw so many cheeks, lol...and I was a woman who DJ'd at strip joints for a year... I am all for women's rights, but this should definitely be a safe space for children. ..,also.... add clam strips to the menu lol

We love the trail. Wide, flat and beautiful nature everywhere. I wish dog walkers and horseback…read moreriders would pick up after their animals but the trail itself is great.

Grand Trunk Trail is part of the Titanic Rail Trail and is approximately 9.7 miles from start to…read morefinish. The parking lot alogside Rt.20 is fairly large so you should always find adequate parking. This is a very beautifully well maintained manicured trail great for day hikes.

Took my two nephews 14 + 11, they had so much fun! We drove an hour and a half each way to take…read morethem here because a friend recommended it. It was so worth it! We got to go on several courses, my partner, 33 years old completed the black diamond course, he said it was hard though! Let that remind you to get in there with the kiddos! I had so much fun keeping up with them, the one with the 6 or 7 zip lines was the best! I ended up with a sore shoulder the next day, but totally worth it! I hope to do the light up one at night next time we go!

Absolutely loved this place! Came here for a date with my boyfriend and we both had a blast! Easy…read moreto follow instructions for beginners and hard challenges for more adventurous people too! Hope to come back and try harder courses sometime

It had been over a decade since I'd visited this laurel sanctuary, and I've kept meaning to get…read moreback. It wasn't til we moved much closer that I finally returned with my husband this weekend (late July 2022), and it's now in our top five local places to walk/relax. The mountain laurel is Connecticut's state flower, and they usually bloom from late spring to early summer, so the blooms were long gone but that was hardly the point. We were here to check out the walking and eat a little packed snack. The turn into the sanctuary going east on route 190 is easy to see (sign faces you at the entrance, pictured below) but comes up fast. The road's name is Snow Hill Rd., but I didn't see any signage at this entrance. We drove down until we passed 4 picnic tables on the left, on grassy areas you could pull a car or two onto. There's a turnaround/possible parking area just after the last table. I'd suggest not going further, as the road turns to a bumpy, hilly, unimproved road that eventually leads to a turn we didn't take (which is where we saw a handmade sign marking "Snow Hill Rd." Back at the turnaround, we returned to the level road and stopped at one of the picnic tables. After a little bug spray, we set off. I'm mobility-challenged, but can walk for short stretches on a level surface with mild increases/decreases. The long, tree-lined gravel road was exactly what I was looking for. From the picnic table to the entrance was just over half a mile. Again, a slight sloping up and down, nothing taxing. I'd think one could use a motorized wheelchair or any wheelchair with good tires. Back at the picnic table, we enjoyed the watermelon we'd packed, basking in the afternoon sun and remarking how peaceful the place was. This was a gorgeous CT summer Saturday and while we were there (2-4pm) we saw a total of four people just walking the road themselves or with their leashed dogs. If you're looking for a little peace & quiet nestled in the woods (along with a lovely walk), this is your place. A true hidden gem of a spot. A few things to note: 1. There are no outhouses/toilets here 2. There's no garbage bins, so carry in/carry out 3. You're sharing a road with others cars and walkers, so keep it slow and safe 4. If you want to see blooming laurels, try late spring and early summer Have a beautiful day!

Beautiful and quaint place to stop for a picnic and nature walks. Come when it's fall and you are…read moresure to get a beautiful view here of the changing leaves.