Lake Waramaug State Park has so much to offer, whether it be camping, fishing, swimming, renting a…read morekayak, boating, having a picnic, or just to take in the beautiful views. I came here for kayaking. This beautiful, scenic lake is clean, and circling the lake is an enjoyable 9-mile paddle. From the water, you can take in the scenic hills that surround the lake, or view some of the waterfront gorgeous homes. This state park is well worth checking out.

It's an okay stay over place, large spaces, no privacy, but pleasant enough. What totally ruined…read morethe experience were the extremely loud campers across the way who's nonstop shouting and swearing went well into the quiet hours with no one to contact for assistance since staff leaves at 10:00 (the start of quiet hours!)

Some of the best trails CT has to offer. Steep Rock in the Fall should be on every CT native's…read morebucket list.

Love love Steep Rock! Diverse land. Nice for family hikes. Nice restaurants near by. Cute town…read moresetting around. Trails. Driveway. Great parking.

I really enjoy hiking this location, especially in the winter. There is a train trestle that…read morecollects giant icicles. That's really cool to look at. We did the Pinney Loop which is just under 4 miles. The trail was obviously covered in snow as we had hiked January 1.

What goes great with a hike is coming with a group of friends and/or family, and Steep Rock…read morePreserve brings it all. It's worth the trip from surrounding areas for a weekend get-together or definitely the holidays. Free parking is provided with plenty of spaces to park. The trail map is provided at the beginning of the hike, or looking online and printing it out. Very useful to have on the whole journey. The main hiking trail is a gravel trail that parallels the Shepaug River from the parking lot, where cars pass through and also horses, which I found quite interesting. There are also dirt trails along the way with different colors (see map or online). Some highlights of coming here are checking out the old train tunnel, a bridge that crosses the river (which is wobbly, so be careful), and Steep Rock Summit, which can be tiring but well worth the climb with a decent view of the Clamshell section of the Shepaug River Valley. Bring snacks and a lot of fluids, it's needed according to the big map.

This was a really nice hike I took recently. My cousin took me here and mentioned was a popular…read morespot to hike and swim at. It was so cool to walk through the trail with all the fall leaves and there wasn't anyone around at all so was able to enjoy nature (went in the middle of the week). The weather was perfect and cool which worked out as I did sweat. I was able to make it to the tower and had a really nice view around with the trees and the water. There is a beach too but we only drove passed it (looked really nice). For the tower just watch your head as there are spots, including going outside, you have to duck. It is a short trail up to the tower but be aware some spot can be a bit challenging to climb with going up hill and rocks. It did rain prior and was a bit slippery too but gotta watch your footing regardless. Overall this was a great place and would absolutely come back.

A great place for a short hike and the view at the top is stunning. It's a relatively short hike,…read morebut as you can see from the pic, a little goes a long way. It's a nice place to escape into nature.

The state of Connecticut has owned Mount Bushnell State Park for over 100 years. In that time, they…read morehave done (as far as I can tell) nearly nothing except possible a small parking area off Tinker Hill Road. My personal theory is Tinker Hill Road once ran through the park and the forrest has since eaten it up, because there not one, not two, but THREE Tinker Hill Roads in the immediate area. The one with the small parking area is off Loomarwick Road. The other Tinker Hill Roads will bring you to either a private property, or what looks to be another private property but on a dirt road. As for the park itself, "state park" is a bit of a misnomer. "State forest" would be more accurate. It's pretty clear for a forest, but bring your boots and tick spray. There so not seem to be any clear paths.

Bantam River Park is across from the former Bantam Town Hall. It's small but cute. There's a lovely…read moregarden in the spring, and currently signs explaining former historical landmarks in Bantam. I'm not sure if it's just me, but I forget some of these small towns used to have THINGS, instead of just shopping and restaurants. Bantam had factories like many other small towns. They made horse carriages, one of which is on display in a small barn. There's a waterfall you can admire, although I believe access is restricted by gated fence.

This is a small, "underdeveloped" Connecticut state park. So underdeveloped, it doesn't have a…read morestreet number. There is a small parking area outside a metal green gate, which seems to be locked to prevent cars from driving down. From the trail, it does look like people use bikes or ATVs there. Supposedly there is a retired Cold War era listening station somewhere in the park, but I couldn't tell you how far it may be down the trail or where it is. It is NOT at the top of the first peak. It's pretty tree-filled, so on warmer days there's a lot of shade.

The tiny town of Warren, CT sent 43 men to fight in the Revolutionary War. It was named after…read moreGeneral Warren, a hero of that war who was slain at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The Warren Historical Marker spotlights that connection to America's War for Independence and the value the town placed on education and the world of academia. It's a two-sided marker from the CT Historical Commission with the familiar white lettering on a blue background. You'll see it on a grassy stretch of land more or less across the street from Town Hall. The sign dates to 1980, and its condition shows some signs of wear and tear -staining, fading, and peeling, especially on the front side. Side two is in pretty good condition. The full inscription reads: This area was settled in 1737 as part of the Town of Kent. A separate ecclesiastical society called the Society of East Greenwich, established in 1750, led to the founding of a church in 1756 and a separate town in 1786. It was named in honor of General Joseph Warren, hero of the Revolutionary War, who was slain in the battle of Bunker Hill. In the first century and a half of its life, Warren not only sent forty-three of its men into that war but later, even though engaged mainly in farming, the Town became known as an educational center. Five private schools and academies produced fifteen ministers and educators. Among them were Charles G. Finney, revivalist and president of Oberlin College 1851-1866, and Julian M. Sturtevant, minister and president of Illinois College 1844-1876. During a half century commencing in 1772, more than 2837 Warren emigrants took part in settling new territories to the north and west. The population of the town had increased to approximately 1100 by the year 1810 but decreased to a low of 303 in 1930 with the decline of agriculture and the local iron industry. Subsequent regrowth to 990 by 1979 was based on residential development and recreational features including Lake Waramaug, several inns, and a state park and forest. In 1963 Warren resident Eric Sloane, well-known American artist and author, revived countrywide the custom of celebrating our nation's independence by the simultaneous ringing of bells on July 4th. The focal point of the revival was the bell in the steeple of the Warren Congregational Church. The old one-room brick schoolhouse, built in 1784, was in continuous use for 140 years. In 1968 it was presented to the Town by Frank Reinhold. The Brick School and the Warren Academy have been restored and furnished with authentic articles of an earlier time, and are open by appointment for public visitation. Erected by the Town of Warren the Warren Historical Society and the Connecticut Historical Commission 1980