My Uncle John and my Aunt Doris were avid birdwatchers. They are also members of the National…read moreAudubon Society. I was a member for many years and loved to volunteer for local community service projects. I also love to visit sanctuary and park locations to spend time out in nature. This is an absolutely beautiful park in my former home state of Connecticut. It is memorable to visit with family and friends. This time of year the fall colors are beautiful to photograph. If you are in the area make this a stop to escape from the world!

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Great birding, hiking, beauty and topography are really something to be…read moreexperienced. Fair warning, beware bears. Just be prepared and bring your bear defense accoutrements. No one has ever been attacked or even charged but just being fair to the Audubon and you the hiker/birder. Note: no dogs allowed.

Lovely walk I was lucky to find a Amazing Couple who allowed me to walk with them due to me not…read morebringing a bear whistle the trail was flat and clean. Hopefully my talking and walking was what they enjoyed their Love Story was magical just like this trail. To My Two New Friends Thank you for the Lovely Sunday Stroll. Next time I'll walk farther with a Bear whistle and family.

Great historical area with awesome up keep and no vandalized buildings!! (So far). You can also…read morefeel the cool breeze from the caves, the bat cage mine as well as the shaft on the main hiking trail.

It's a beautiful place to spend with your family. It's a small quiet beach with clear water.read more

Great park. Went here for the first time for my company picnic. We took up the entire pavilion…read morearea. Weather was good, mid 70's. Set-up some volley ball, frisbee can, corn hole, and few people fished along the shore. Looks like they also have a beach and place to launch kayaks. Our picnic was in mid-September, since those activities looked like they were done for the season, we'll have to wait until next year, if we go a bit earlier.

This was our 3rd hike this week, and by far the best one I've done in quite awhile. We chose the…read more3.5 mile (yellow) trail which started off along the river, past an old quarry and up to 2 vantage points (one mostly obscured). The trails are well maintained and clearly marked throughout. It starts off along the river and then moves along through series of hills of moderate height. It takes around 2 hours to complete, and the varied scenery makes it the whole trip a joy. We will definitely be back in the fall to see it again with more colorful foliage.

"Sixteen miles to seven lakes way up among the pines In some…read morehidden valley where the twirlin' river twines" (Gordon Lightfoot) Hidden Valley is beautiful - a quiet and tranquil oasis of peaceful solitude. It covers over 900 acres with wooded scenery, hiking trails, gorgeous river views, and a very cool wooden timber suspension bridge known as the Thoreau Bridge. The bridge was the high point of our visit. It spans 134′ across the Shepaug River. We saw a few photographers stationed on the bridge snapping away in search of a perfect photo of Mother Nature' majesty. Spread across the bridge's handrails and a bench at the base of the bridge are etched quotes from Henry David Thoreau's essays. The inscription on the bench contains what is perhaps Thoreau's best-known passage: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Was a member for a couple of years. The setting is great. The management is lax which leads to…read morearbitrary decisions regarding membership fees and enforcement of rules. As an individual senior, I asked this year for a rate commensurate with that status. After going back and forth with vague interpretation on their part, I was told that the fee for one senior is the same as the fee for two seniors. As a result, I've chosen not to return. The McDomald family, who owns this venue, is tone deaf to suggestions and recommendations from members. They are not ADA compliant. The bathroom stalls in the womens bathroom are so small one's knees hit the door while on the toilet. The attitude of the McDonald family seems to be, "if you don't like it, don't join".

Very nice beach with lifeguards and picnic tables. I enjoyed swimming there this summer. Plenty…read moreof parking. The bathroom could use some renovations. Too small and difficult to change in that small space. Well maintained beachfront.

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.

Ahh, the lake…read more Things about the lake that kids don't know, but we discover with them: 1) Fish live here, and if you stand still, you'll see them. 2) Fish don't bite you. 3) The water has a smell, but it's not bad. 4) The water has a taste, and it's not good (but not ocean bad). 5) Waves are non-existent. 6) You can see your toes, even 30 feet from shore. Did it beat the ocean this year? You bet. Entirely uncrowded, we had a shaded spot all to ourselves. We could watch the kids play in the water while relaxing, and not burning or baking. The facilities were a little rough but functional, parking super easy, people are all nice. It is a nice spot and a definite return visit candidate. Too bad it's 2 hours from our home... --#

Situated on the corner of Pleasant Street and Route 6 in Woodbury, CT, this little park is often…read moreforgotten by the residents, except at Christmas, when the town's tree is decorated and lit. It's not included in the list of the town's recreational facilities, nor is it one of the popular sites for family picnicking. One of the reasons is the lack of parking, which makes this a great place to walk to from anywhere in town, instead of taking the car. There's a number of benches, some provided by the town, others, built and dedicated by the local Lions in memory of deceased members. The bandstand (NEVER call it a gazebo!) was also built by the Lions in 1986, and is dedicated to the memory of local composer Leroy Anderson. It's popular with local residents as a dog walk area, or as a place to sit and quietly reflect. There are several large trees, and an open space that's great for that quick Frisbee toss. It's also the place with the most advertising signs because of its location along Route 6, and the traffic light that requires cars to stop in front of them. I'm all for green space in any town. I wish this little park would get more use.

This is a nice little area to rest in Woodbury. It is down the road from the Orenaug Park and…read moreHollow Park which could be part of why this area is overlooked when visiting the town. The gazebo and benches make a nice pit stop when walking along the sidewalk of route six. Like many other town greens, there is not much to do and it is not big enough for town wide events, but nice little areas to bring your family for some fresh air on nights and weekends.