A short hike brings you to a beautiful waterfall surrounded by large boulders perfect for…read moresunbathing. The area is posted "no swimming", but there were people in the water. It is also posted "no picnicking". The Willimantic River is not known for it's purity, so bathe at your own risk. Although the hike is short and easy, it is rocky and tree roots are staggered throughout. If you're careful you could probably get away with flip flops. There is also a

Beautiful!!! This little spot is amazing. The water is so beautiful. Definitely be mindful of the…read moreweather.

What a great hiking adventure! There various trails to choose from, but all of the terrine tends to…read morebe flat. There are stairs in some locations, but I've found them to be near the waterfall and throughout various place in the trail There is a waterfall basin in the beginning of the trail in the parking lot. Various bridges and beautiful scenery. There are benches along the trails for a quick break or to watch nature and the wildlife.

Enjoyed an amazing hike here! Plenty to see! There is a bunch of different trails you can pick…read morefrom. Beautiful views of waterfalls. So much to see and do here definitely check this spot out!

My husband and I recently started kayaking. As beginners, we aren't comfortable yet kayaking in…read morerivers, so we decided to search for a nice lake to begin our kayaking adventures in. A few friends highly recommended Mansfield Hollow Lake (boat launch), so we made the drive to Mansfield. We were not disappointed! The parking area, in front of the lake, is large, and easy to find a space to park, even on summer weekends. It's easy to get in and launch a kayak or paddleboard from the shallow shore area. The lake itself is clean and beautiful! I love the fact that swimming in the lake is not allowed (because this lake supplies drinking water) and that motorboats must maintain a speed of 5 mph or less. We haven't yet kayaked in any other lakes, but I'm sure that Mansfield Hollow Lake (boat launch) will remain a favorite of ours. Such a beautiful place!

Beautiful and scenic, nice and clean tranquil. So many lakes in the area it is well worth the trip.read more

I love love love this particular hike. I would characterize the trails as intermediate with rocky…read moreareas that require you to pay close attention to what you are doing. The trails are clearly marked but I recommend you take a photo of the smaller trail maps posted throughout the mountain for reference. Because the area is so large with many loop- arounds, having a map photo will prove very helpful. There area several areas near the top with beautiful scenic overlooks you just won't want to miss. This is a dandy hike!

This is a beautiful mountain not far from the Connecticut border. We've been here a few times since…read morediscovering it and really enjoy it. It's a gradual incline at first but still gives you a good workout and is steeper then it looks! Down the road there is another little preserve area with a lake that is perfect for an easy run without too much hill. Very beautiful area and perfect for a late summer and/or fall hike!

Miles of hiking trails, paved and graveled mountain roads, and scenic overlooks whichever way you…read moreascend, this is a perfect spot for a quiet weekend getaway, Even on a Sunday morning around peak Autumn foliage you can find many scenic spots no else already found. This can be a quick drive kind of spot or a great morning hike as trails to beaver ponds, glacial erratics, and picnic tables are all within a short distance of the forest roads. The fire tower was out of commission for years but has happily been restored, and interpretive signs at the top show each visible peak including, Mt. Tom and Mt. Monadnock among them, on clear enough days. The only facilities are a port-o-let at the bottom of Soapstone Road, so plan accordingly if you don't want to make the ten minute trip back down to Ellington.

Great views, easy hike through the woods, or up the paved access road, or drive up if you prefer!…read more Awesome local option for some nice views. Tips: Bring lunch if the weather is nice, there are picnic tables everywhere. DON'T MISS THE TOWER. It was repaired (major overhaul) recently and reopened to the public. Can't see it from the end of the access road, but it's an incredibly short walk from there. Go up toward and around the chain fence.

Backledge Falls is an 80-acre park with hiking trails, a pond, and yes...a waterfall. You'll find…read moreit on Route 93 (Hebron Ave) just on the Glastonbury side of the Glastonbury-Hebron line. There's a small parking lot at the trailhead. The trail is rather thin and has an extraordinary number of rocks and tree roots, so you really have to keep your head down and watch where you're going. Streams crisscross the park, so that explains why we found three small wooden bridges to help us navigate the wetlands. Two of those bridges had no railing, and one (a Boy Scout project) had a nice Trex railing, but just on one side. It was 81 degrees yesterday, but the high tree cover kept direct sunshine off of us for pretty much our whole time out there. There are some pretty steep inclines that had me huffing and puffing and thank the lord we had our hiking poles for balance and leverage. We walked most of the Blue and White trail, which is marked, but the paint is fading and in need of a refresh. We met around half a dozen groups of hikers, and each group was nicer and friendlier than the one before.

It was a beautiful late November day and perfect for a hike. Blackledge Falls is right in town…read morethough I've only been one other time after a snowfall. The hike is fairly easy with a small incline but a lot of small rocks on the "blue-white". As it was November, leaves covered the trail and made some spots slippery. The falls themselves were disappointing ... more like a dribble than a falls but it was still a nice walk in the woods. Perhaps springtime after the thaw is the better time to come if seeing a waterfall is your goal.

Great trail, flat and wide. Plenty to see--plants, animals, hills, tunnels, and bridges…read more Definitely worth a hike or bike ride. Or two.

Awesome trail that meets up to others. Options to run along a flat gravel and dirt trail or branch…read moreoff to side trails that lead up or down hills. Mile markers present along the trails and great views. Parking is available and off of 384 highway so carefully enter the driveway which is a steep decline and be sure to use your blinker! After parking if you walk to the left side there are amazing rock structures and a little bit of running water. This area tends to be the most bug filled so remember your bug spray! Plenty of foot traffic and cyclists are common as well.

Beautiful venue and great food and drink! I have visited Little Dipper Farm for several of the…read moreField & Feast events from the incomparable team at Stone Row KB out of Willimantic. The space pays homage to the previous business Golden Lamb while adding new flair! From an afternoon tea in the Fall to a Summer celebration; the farm features the idyllic countryside of Eastern CT and rustic chic interior perfect for a special event. The signature locally-sourced small plates and cocktails from Stone Row crew have been excellent, and make the meal more of an evolving experience. Thanks for a lovely time!

Unreal. Every dish was more incredible than the last. This was the juiciest pork I had ever had in…read moremy life! The flavors of each course were masterful. Lobster ravioli and lavash with homemade butter are to die for. Coming from Boston, this was worth the trip, I can see this rustic, farm to table culinary EXPERIENCE being the next French Laundry. You can taste how fresh the ingredients are and the passion that the chef and staff have for their craft. Not to mention, the property is breathtaking. It is peaceful farm with a stunning lookout point and lake behind the restaurant. Overall decor is ultra authentic and sourced directly from the chef and staff, or part of the history of the farm. Each dish and each part of the restaurant seems to have a unique story behind it. I would drive the 1.5 hours from Boston, or farther anytime to experience this again!! Shout out to Crystal for taking great care of us and sharing fascinating tidbits about the history of the farm, the food, and how it's made!

This is one of my absolute favorite places to hike! The trail around the main pond is very easy and…read morea very short hike. There are also a few places that have picnic table sites for you to grill at! I always notice people fishing, and I see people in the water with their inflatables. There are a few other trails to hike, which I highly recommend! The birding here is also fantastic. This place is magical!! Bring the pups! .... One last thought, just be aware that service is very patchy here!

Bigelow hollow is a pleasant place to picnic and spend the day. It has become crowded, so try it…read moreduring the week. It is local to me. I have not yet kayaked there. When i do i will come back to report.

Small but fun trail in Vernon , CT About 1.4 miles one way. There are also connecting loops of 0.3…read moreand 0.4 miles. Dog friendly. Plenty of beautiful birds and animals along this hiking trail.

"Why so unforgiving and why so cold Been a long time…read morecrossing the bridge of sighs" (Robin Trower -Bridge of Sighs) I subscribe to e-mails from "Only in Your State". They're a web service that spotlights oddities, curiosities, and attractions across the Nutmeg State. When they recently posted about a 100-foot long rope bridge somewhere between Vernon and Ellington, well how can you blame me for instantly wanting to go check it out? It turned out that finding it was pretty difficult. I did some research and learned that the bridge is part of the Hockanum River Trail, a loose collection of disjointed trail sections that frustrates even experienced hikers, which we most definitely are not. At first, I thought the bridge was in Ellington, so we found the Ellington trailhead near Windemere Avenue last week, walked around quite a bit, but couldn't find the damn bridge. So, I wrote to Steve Wood, whose name I found on a lot of hiking blogs and asked him for help on how to find that bridge. He wrote back and said, "don't feel bad - the Hockanum River Trail is a mysterious mistress". He sent me a map which directed me to a parking lot on Windsorville Road in Vernon, more or less between Penfield Avenue and Franklin Street. It took us a while to figure out that the bridge was on the opposite side of Windsorville, so you have to walk across the street to get there. We originally went the wrong way and between the mud and bugs, we luckily bailed before the conditions became intolerable. But when we corrected our mistake and found the bridge, it was worth every minute of our fruitless hikes. The David Smith Bridge (named after Vernon Town Engineer David Smith) is a 100-foot suspension bridge across the Hockanum River connecting the Vernon and Ellington sections of the Hockanum River Trail. I've never seen, let alone walked, on anything like it in my life. Walking across that bridge and feeling it sway slightly back and forth was one very cool experience.