Wide, flat, easy trail that is great for families. I was here recently searching for glass apples…read moreas part of the "Apple Trails" event that Smithfield hosts every October. I didn't find any apples, but I still enjoyed my walk on this trail. Fall is a really good time to be here, because the foliage colors are beautiful, and with fewer leaves on the trees, you can see more of the water views. The trail is not long (only about a mile in each direction), and there is parking at either end. At the midpoint of the trail, there are benches overlooking the water (Stillwater Reservoir, I think?) that make for a nice spot to sit, relax, and maybe enjoy a snack before continuing on.

If you're looking for short, level, easy path, you'll find it here. That said, in the summer, views…read moreare somewhat limited due to vegetation, and it's just 1.1 miles long, so out and back is a short 2.2 mile trek. At .8 miles (from the lot where we parked), there are two benches which offer a view of the river. There is also a lot at the other end of the trail, so the benches would be at .3 miles respectively. On the plus side, the trail is quiet and we only saw a few people. On the negative side, it's very short, it's not a loop, there are limited views in the summer, and it's not especially interesting. I wouldn't go out of my way to walk here, but if it's convenient to your locale, or your limited on time, this might be your spot!

Across from the tulip garden, you can't miss the park. It looks like a regular farm with a house,…read morebarn, sheds and a giant park map. You walk past the hpuse & barn & into the park trail and slowly you find yourself up a hill and in the woods. There's a stream that runs through the property. The park is usually quiet, a couple of hikers.

Shame that hunting is allowed in this park. If you remembered to wear orange and trust that hunters…read morewith bows won't shoot you, you'll get a beautiful view of broken arrows, trash bags, and other various litter on the trails. I'll stick to the parks that don't allow hunting.

Great place to go for a walk with the dog. There are several trails through the woods. Some longer…read morethan others, depending on how far you want to go. There is a loop shorter than a mile and another loop longer than 2 miles, Plus a few other trails. My dog loves going there.

Great, well maintained trail system. Lots of parking. Dogs allowed (on leashes) and clean-up and…read morecarry-out expected.

Beautiful hiking spot. Spectacular views…read more We found two parking lots that you can start your hike at. One is visible from the main road and the other you need to drive down an access road. We tried both ways and enjoyed the visible parking lot more. Well marked trail that isn't too difficult (well maybe the part with the views is a little harder).

This is a nice little CT State Park, that's recently had some (at least online) improvements,…read morecoinciding with it being featured in the Sky's The Limit Challenge. There's a couple of ways to access this park, depending on if you're here for boating or hiking. If you're here for boating, there's a large lot on Ross Road, between Old Furnace and Ross Pond. If you're here for hiking, there's a nice large lot at the northern end, off of S Frontage Road. There are a number of trails here, and you can make a pretty good day out of it if you want to take a decent hike. The west side of the pond is up on a ridge, where rock climbers have attached ropes at the vista areas, possibly semi permanently. There are some nice views here of the pond, and the trails are mostly well blazed. The Blue Blazed Old Furnace Trail could use some reblazing, but the other trails were fine. A nice little park to check out if you are at this end of CT.

I visited John L. Curran State Park for some quality time outside and I am thrilled to have…read moreselected the Spring Lake Trailhead to begin my travels. At 330ish acres, there's a good amount of trail to check out. Advertised as an undeveloped state park, there are a series of interconnected trails that deliver you through a gorgeous pine glen, down to the waters of the two reservoirs on the property, a dam, and many more sights. There's a decent bit of elevation to and from the parking area on Laten Knight Road but the towering pines it delivers you through was so enjoyable to hike through. Incredibly soft pine needles underfoot... the satisfying crunch of pine cones mixed in. So much space between the trees, one could truly frolic or aimlessly meander. Lovely. I checked out much of the shoreline of the Lower Reservoir and dam which was a welcome sight after emerging from all the trees. Other than some snails, I didn't encounter too much wildlife. I had plenty to explore so I never ventured to the Upper Reservoir, though I've driven by it a million times on Seven Mile Road. Boat ramp, expansive waters. Another time perhaps. The trails were fairly well marked with blue placards and in some areas, lined with logs but, I still found myself referencing my trails app to try to stay on course. Lots of blowdowns and no evidence of recent trail maintenance so it was easy to get off track at times. Old stone walls dot the property. The trailhead suggests a scout group may have done some work in the area at one time but I wonder if it's still on their radar. There was a surprising number of charred trees throughout... maybe from lightning strikes? Some still partially standing, burnt from top to bottom, others scattered about... some used to line the trails. Signage at the entrance requires blaze orange during hunting seasons. Small parking area for a few cars on Laten Knight. Will be back!

Westconnaug Meadows Hiking Trail is a beautiful and serene locale to stretch your legs and breathe…read morein the fresh air. At approximately 1 mile, this loop hike allows you to clear your mind and learn a little bit about nature. The Scituate Land Trust has owned the land here for some time and they keep it very well maintained. The signage here is really neat. The trailhead is adorned with a large wooden sign identifying the hike. There are informational posts on several trees that point out various types of oak, birch, sassafras, pine, and so many more. The trail itself is very easy to follow if you pay attention (don't accidentally cross into the Scituate Reservoir property!). Some nice glacial boulders, vernal pools, and wildlife. Very peaceful, very quiet. Parking is easy and located at the baseball field near to the Scituate Animal Shelter. Seems like dogs are welcome on the property. Worth a visit!

We were looking for a short hike with a water view and decided to check out the Quinebaug Lake…read moreState Park, and the Quinebaug Lake Loop Trail. According to Wikipedia, the Quinebaug Lake State Park comprises 181 acres in the town of Killingly, Connecticut. The state park offers fishing, hiking and non-motorized boating on the lake (aka the Wauregan Reservoir). Google Map directions took us to a dead end street, which does offer access to the trail, but you may/may not be able to park there. There are no signs indication that you can park here. However, they park does have a large, free to park, parking lot though it can be tricky to find. Look for a paved access road off of Shepard Hill Road, which is about a half mile long, and takes you to a large gravel parking lot. The lake trail which is a fairly easy trail and 2.1 miles long, takes about an hour to circumnavigate. Traveling clockwise, the footing is initially rocky, but gets progressively easier after the first quarter mile. We had no problem on this trail, but did notice that Camp Quinebaug is located about half way across the lake. Since it was closed, we walked through the camp and continued on the trail. There are no trespassing signs there, so we're not sure if you can cut through the camp in the summer, or if there is a longer way around it. We looked up the camp and found some interesting information: Camp Quinebaug is a summer Day Camp in Killingly. It is a camp for children with developmental disabilities, funded and operated by the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services and The Friends of Camp Quinebaug. It provides a unique summer camp experience for school age children with developmental disabilities and has the only beach on the lake. Approximately 90-100 campers per season enjoy the benefits of this 6 week fully accessible camp environment. We enjoyed our Quinebaug Lake Loop Trail hike though we found Pulaski State Park, which is about 20 minutes away, to have a more beautiful setting and interesting hike around their pond. Pulaski also has picnic tables and a rest room, but it's likely much busier in the summer!

If you are a National Park visitor and want to get your book stamped, this beautiful urban park in…read moredowntown Providence is a great choice. Open from 10a-4p Thursday to Sundays, it offers a video of the origins of the city of Providence as well as a seasoned tour guide inside with lots of answers for any questions you might have for him. The park grounds have lot of benches and places for a picnic under shady trees. Definitely a respite of tranquility and shade in the busy downtown area.

This is a lovely little historic park in Providence. It offers an interesting glimpse into the life…read moreof Roger Williams and the founding of Rhode Island. There are also many beautiful historic buildings facing the park and lovely, shaded, albeit short walking paths in the park. Williams was a visionary who was banished from Massachusetts because of his religious beliefs. He wanted to establish a community where people could worship freely, guided by their own conscience and without government interference. In 1636, he founded Providence on those principles. Williams also supported freedoms for women that were unusual at the time. Women could follow their own religious beliefs, and two of Providence's first nine landowners were women, something rarely seen in colonial America. His ideas about religious freedom were reflected in Rhode Island's Royal Charter of 1663. They also helped lay the foundation for the religious liberties later protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The park has many interesting signs about Roger Williams and the founding of Providence. Free parking is available for visitors for up to two hours, and this small 4.5-acre park is well worth a quick visit.