Gillette Castle is a historic home and museum that was built in East Haddam, Connecticut in 1919…read more It was the home of the late American stage actor and playwright William Gillette. He is most well-known for portraying the famous literary character Sherlock Holmes: a role he assumed more than 1,300 times on stage, once in a silent film, and twice on the radio. Gillette's use of the deerstalker cap and calabash pipe became enduring symbols of the character. He had planned to build a retirement home in Long Island, but changed his mind when he saw the Seven Sisters cliffs while traversing the Connecticut River in his houseboat, Aunt Polly. He chose this location for his "castle", which he designed himself and dubbed "Seventh Sister". Taking nearly five years to complete, the 14,000-sq-ft castle featured a 3-story-plus-tower and 24 rooms. Gillette also built a 3-mile-long narrow gauge railroad around the property, which he was particularly fond of. Notable celebrities of the early 20th century visited the home, including Albert Einstein, Helen Hayes, and Charlie Chaplin. Gillette passed away in 1937 at the age of 83. The State of Connecticut purchased the property in 1943 and dubbed it "Gillette Castle". Today the residence and surrounding park receive 350,000 visitors annually. Every holiday season, the Friends of Gillette Castle volunteer organization decorate the castle and the grounds with festive Christmas decorations. Visitors can tour the massive home in all of its holiday splendor. My family and I loved exploring the interior of the castle. The gorgeous rooms are even more beautiful with all of the Christmas trees, wreaths, ornaments, nutcrackers and other various holiday accents. Of course, there were quite a few Sherlock Holmes artifacts scattered around as well. Mrs. Claus was also in attendance distributing cups of hot apple cider to visitors. We also really liked seeing the miniature locomotives at the Visitors' Center: some of the only remaining relics of Mr. Gillette's cherished miniature railroad.

A fun, yet simple, little trip to do on a summer day. Forgot my OFF, so I couldn't go as far into…read morethe trails as I would've liked, but the castle was the primary reason for going and probably the reason most go. Although it may look medieval, the castle was built in 1914. It's rather simple and straightforward, but for $6 as an out-of-state visitor, you can't go wrong. Takes about 1/2 hour to do, and again is just something different and outside the norm to do a summer (or anytime really) day.

Trails were scenic and lovely. Some downed trees block the way. Orange trail has some vertical…read moreareas, and uneven in spots - but that's nature. Waterfall easily accessible from parking lot - short distance, wide trail mostly crushed stone. Vista A lovely overlook of the river valley and mountains.

Superb park! One of my favorites to ride my motorcycle through. It was already a 5/5 experience for…read moreme without even getting off my bike. "Where should we ride today?" "How about through Devil's Hopyard?" This was a common discussion between my partner & I. It was only during our last ride that we actually parked our bikes & got off them to explore. So imagine my delight to find waterfalls, creeks, beautiful trails, & a covered bridge! There were quite a few people there, but it didn't feel crowded at all. It was possible to evenly disperse ourselves to not disturb other people. The only con (& this is just Mother Nature at work, so all we can do is prepare better in the future) is the amount of mosquitos. Load up on your favorite deet free bug repellant & you'll be good to go.

Having read much about the mysterious Moodus noises, my curiosity lead me here on a surprisingly…read morecool morning, with hiking boots on my feet, and a day pack on my back. There was entrance fee, and plenty of parking; so, it seemed I was off to a good start. I chose to hike the upper vista "trail" in the beginning, making my way back via the lower vista trail. You'll notice that "trail" is in parenthesis, for the reason that this is not a trail at all; it's a dirt road. That in itself would prevent any hiking area from receiving a a five, or even a four, star rating from me. In any event, it was a moderately steep ascent; but, not so much that I felt the need to stop for a rest. There was an adequate forrest canopy, providing plenty of shade. The forrest had the appearance of being dense on each side; but alas, the constant sound of traffic let me know better. Another star gone Upon reaching the summit, I noticed a number of picnic tables and benches. Although this area seemed well maintained, the view of the Connecticut river below was partially obscured by rather tall fauna. Continuing on, I immediately found myself descending on the lower vista trail, which, at this juncture, is as advertised, indeed being a narrow, winding trail. To my dismay, I noted several improvised footpaths, clearly made in attempt to avoid zig zag patterned descent. The descent itself was all to short; and, I again found myself on the lower fork of that same dirt road. All in all, it felt as if it took longer to drive there then it took to hike the main loop, leaving me to ponder whether or not I should have brought my fishing poll, instead. To extend the hike, chose to branch off the main trail, on to the yellw, then blue, to make a wider loop. At one point, I glanced a rooftop through the trees wondering if that was part of once abandoned town of Johnsonville, that I been told was visible from the trail. Maybe it was; maybe, it wasn't. All in all, this was a pleasant, but unremarkable, hike. If your kids are in reasonably good shape, this is a great place to bring them. Your dog is welcomed as well; in fact, I jokingly commented one fellow hiker that felt out place, not having brought a dog of my own. But wait! You say. The mysterious noise! Did you hear it? Well, at one point I did hear what sounded like the roar of a Civil War reenactment cannon. Unfortunately, that sounds a lot like the sound of a dumpster lid slamming against a garbage truck as it's lifted from the ground; and given the constant sound of traffic, I'd say either is plausible.

Maybe this is just me, but I don't feel the entrance is clearly marked from the road. There is an…read moreentrance and an exit sign, but I was looking for a state park sign and plum drove right past it the first go-round. But I made it... Parking lot is a good size, and there was a porta potty on the far side. Now, when you're in the parking lot, there is a trail to the left ambling downward, and a trail going up that leads to a paved parking lot with a few creepy boarded up houses, paved parking lot, and (at the time) a bunch of cherry pickers. It used to be a SOMETHING because there are overgrown basketball courts to be seen. This is not part of the park, although a friendly native let us know how to pick up a trail back into the park. Moral of our story - when you're in the parking lot, pick the trail ambling down, not up. Once you're in the actual park and not a mile out of your way, it's lovely. The trails are well maintained, lots of signage about how far you are from what lookout and the parking lot. There are also cute little fairy doors and elements, surely a magical place! I didn't see any picnic benches, but if you bring a blanket the lower overlook is very picnic worthy!

Located over the bridge from the Good Speed Opera House, this is a great place to bring a picnic…read morelunch and enjoy the sights and sounds of the Connecticut River. Plenty of picnic tables as well as grass to bring a blanket and just relax.

This is a beautiful park, it's very well maintained and clean. There are a lot of people walking…read moretheir dogs. You can walk in a small boardwalk and read about the wildlife. There are also some more challenging hikes where there is even some scrambling. Very clean and peaceful. The pine needles smell so beautiful! There's lots of free parking. You need pay for parking if you're out of state. Plenty of porta potties and bathrooms.

It has been at least 25 years since we last visited this park which is a shame because it is a true…read moregem. There is no entrance fee for CT residents and only costs $5 for out-of-state vehicles. We enjoyed walking around the ponds and trails with out dog as it appears many others do. The sole disappointment is the small covered bridge is currently closed. Next time, and there will be a next time in the not too distant future, we will bring a lunch and settle in at one of the many picnic tables.

Beautiful scenic nature with hidden gems throughout! Definitely a great place to bring the fur…read morebabies to have a swim! The park is clean and litter free Just be careful as some of the areas near the "island" are dirty and littered partially due to wash up and rising/sinking water levels. This is the only part that is concerning.

was looking for a picnic spot to eat some sandwiches and saw on there sign there was a picnic area…read morebut the gates were closed and we saw people walking with there dogs, seemed like nice spot. until we started to walk in the direction of the pinic spot and it was a very very far walk and it was very cold, we gave up on walking to the picnic spot and we ate on the road instead. would not recommend going if the gates are closed and the weather is cold.

Truly amazing to see the CT River ice damn and the surrounding damage left in its wake along the…read moreshore line. The damn extended well passed the middle of the river and seemed to stretch along the West bank for several miles. I was able to walk out on it to get a better view, although, I would recommend you exercise due caution if you are so inclined. This is one of natures unbridled wonders in all its sheer majectic raw power.

Love hiking here! Great views, beautiful forest, easy parking, dog friendly.read more

We've made a couple of visits to the Salmon River State Forest since we moved to CT. There are a…read morecouple of parks and trails that go through the forest - The Air Line Trail and Day Pond State Park are both inside the forest, and the Salmon River Trail goes through it, around Day Pond park and over to the Comstock Covered Bridge. The trails are well maintained and well signed, and this is overall a great place to spend time hiking or fishing.

Cool! Some of my family moved to Deep River and in my initial exploration, when visiting from DC,…read moreetc., I did not notice this park with all its trails. On my run, I found it and randomly went into the park. Maybe not the best place to run, compared with other parks in other cities, for most people. But still a pleasure. It was quiet and serene (mostly all of Deep River is like that any way, even the town center). But if you are on the shoreline and in need of a hike, this is yet another solid option, amongst the many! I still have tons of trails to explore. Just be aware of the ticks, as this is tick country. And make sure not to twist you ankle as some parts of the path are not exactly maintained as well as they could/should be.

Crystal-clear water + sunny spring day = perfect hike…read more Spent a beautiful spring sunny day at Wadsworth Falls State Park, and it did not disappoint. I took so many pictures of the clear river. It's seriously that stunning. The swimming water vanished. We hiked the Wadsworth Falls Loop (3.6 miles, easy, great waterfall views) and also checked out part of the Main Trail. Trails were in good shape; just a little mud here and there, but totally manageable. Bonus tips from my visit: · Dogs welcome on leash · Free for CT-registered cars; $10-15 for out-of-state · Restrooms, parking, and picnic tables available · Get there early on a sunny day to beat the crowds If you love clear water, peaceful forest walks, and two distinct waterfalls, don't miss this spot. Already planning to come back with an all-terrain wheelchair for a friend (you can reserve one in advance). Would I go again? 100%.

Gorgeous gorges! Although this park has ample signage against swimming, the Coginchaug River is…read morelovely on the eyes and ears, and being centrally located, Wadsworth Falls is a great local escape. If you have the right footwear in winter, it's a place for a rewarding hike! Boots and grips and the occasional side stepping is good for your winter trip. Mind the tracks, or crews tending the still in-use tracks, then enjoy the lovely views of multiple waterfalls, some frosted over, but water audibly rushing beneath the ice. Starting out, we didn't see the blue trail marked on the yellow and orange junction map, but the trails were well-marked with vertical tree blazes, so if you take the orange, yellow, or blue trails, you should be in good shape. If you don't have the time for a decent hike and just need a restful stop, large falls are just below the parking lot (those no access signs on the trails don't kid!). All year, enjoy! There are zero facilities here, and the only amenities appear to be accessible recreation and a dog waste station beneath the parking lot, but you aren't in the middle of nowhere. Pack in, pack out, and enjoy as much or little woods as you like, and enjoy the peaceful sounds and sights of the many falls.