This hidden 14 acre park is located in the Old Avon Village Parking lot, right at the exit in front…read moreof the traffic light. It was hard to find at first because the address was wrong on Yelp, but with a little perseverance, I finally found it! Yes, I requested for Yelp to update the address. There was a huge sign at the entrance with rules and facts about the park. It is a privately owned park open to the public. The trail was grassy with very little gravel at some spots. There were little signs throughout with bits of information; some were really old and faded, some didn't have anything on it. There is a big pond in the middle; on the southern portion, you will see the Farmington River and Alsop Meadows across the way. In this area, there were giant beautiful birch trees. There were picnic tables and benches in various areas. A great place to picnic, take a walk, and just take in nature in the midst of a busy area filled with plazas and roadways. However, I gave it two stars because the signs and picnic tables were old/broken; there was a huge tree that fell over and the grass was kind of long. We had to check for ticks thoroughly after. Overall, a cute little park that needs a little loving and attention.

If you ever find yourself in the Old Avon Village Shopping Plaza, make your way over to the lower…read moreparking lot's eastern most extremity. You will see a sign for the entrance to River Park, it's kind of right next to the parking lot's exit onto busy Route 44. It's a privately owned 14-acre park that was impeccably maintained. There is a mowed grass trail into the woods with a very easy to follow trail that takes you into the forest and under a nice tree canopy. Walk a little further and you'll discover the water- a very nice Pond with some gorgeous scenery. There are picnic tables, benches, and a fire-pit spread throughout the 14-acres for your enjoyment. The Park was developed for a 2010 project by Avon Girl Scout Troop 66291.

Parking for this trail can be found behind the Canton Public Works building on River Road. There is…read morea public restroom available and a small baseball field. This is a nice paved path for walking, biking, scooting, etc. right on the Farmington River. If you cross River Road, that takes you on the Farmington River trail and a portion of that is the Collinsville Pollen Trail. If you follow the trail along the river, there is a small park area. You can rest on the benches and under the gazebo. There is a small native garden and the centennial Canton tree that was planted. Further along the trail, you will find the Canton Flower Bridge. During the spring and summer time, there are beautiful displays of bouquets along the bridge. At the end of the bridge, starts the Farmington Canal Heritage trail which runs through historic Collinsville. There is an old train bridge that goes over the Farmington River; it goes into the town of Burlington. Overall, an easy path with lovely views of the river.

This green space is located behind the strip of businesses (including Barden Farm Market). There…read morewere a couple of picnic tables and a gazebo. There was a large picture frame, in memorial to a person; a great spot to take pictures with the Farmington River in the background. It's a space for the public to picnic, relax, and have water access. There is parking nearby as well as shops and businesses.

I'd like to start by noting the Alsop Meadow is a quiet gem, tucked away off Waterville Road and on…read moreNassau Way in Avon. I have known of this Meadow since the 1980's. I actually lived in the original Alsop homestead on Nod Road with 8 other house mates (32.5 rooms, including 5.5 bathrooms) from 1984-86. The Alsop family was & still well known in Avon and its connection to Uncle Teddy, yes, that former President Teddy! The Alsop Meadow is a gifted land trust to the Town of Avon. The land trust features a Farmington River side trail, a peaceful short wooded walk ending at Private Property, which is very clearly marked. An open frisbee golf course starts near the gateway to the Meadow and winds through the trees and the open meadow. A plot of Community gardens are located on the North edge of the Meadow. The gardens also provide a great pollen source for bees and butterflies. A port-a-potty is available and is maintained by the Town of Avon and its lessor. Located near the Canoe launch, placard noting the Alsop's generous gift, and an information board showing the Farmington River trail. If you bring a pup, leashes are required, you're also required to pick-up and carry out their waste. Despite that small sacrifice Alsop Meadow is worth visiting and bring a few frisbees!

Alsop Meadows is a 56.20-acre park located in the Town of Avon. The entrance is behind the Raymour…read more& Flannigan furniture store. The dirt road going into it is very narrow and can only fit one car, certain spots there is a spot to pull off to let other vehicles go. There is a decent sized parking area and a porta potty. A couple of small trails lead to the Farmington River. This is where people take their canoes and kayaks out. I walked on the dirt road through the gates and on the left, there was a community garden. The scent was lovely; ripe vine tomatoes was what I smelled. The rest of the landscape consisted of woods and meadows; there was someone mowing the large, flat, open space when I was there. Around the garden, you won't be able to see the river in the spring and summer, but I'm sure in the late fall and winter, the views and access to the river is great. The park is open from dawn to dusk, daily. The recreational activities include, jogging, walking, hiking, cross-country skiing, and camping. For camping, permission is needed from the Town of Avon. I walked to the end of the dirt road and back; it was a short walk but peaceful nonetheless. I do recommend wearing sunscreen and a hat because there is minimal shade; bug spray too because the mosquitoes were rampant. I saw other people walking their dog and others enjoying the river side. A peaceful spot; however, if you want a longer walk/hike, this doesn't have it unless you walk back and forth a few times.

This 787-acre park was established in 1944 and connects with Talcott Mountain State Park, which is…read moreacross the street. Curtis H. Veedor donated the land to the state and asked for it to be preserved the way it was. Most of the trails were blazed by him. The parking lot was large. There are multiple trails including the Metacomet Trail and picnic areas. I took the first trail I saw behind the gate, which was the blue blazed trail. The trail was on an incline and paved; there was a bunch of potholes so it looked like it was never kept up with since it was originally paved. However, aside from the pot holes and rocks, it was a peaceful and easy hike. I saw a couple of people on it with their dogs. Overall, a decent hike with some good views!

BLUE TRAIL ONLY…read more "Forty Miles of Bad Road" was a rock and roll instrumental and #9 hit for Duane Eddy in 1959. Now, bad roads don't necessarily have to be 40 miles long. And bad roads don't necessarily have to even be a conventional road. For example, a bad road can actually be a paved hiking path within a State Park. Within Penwood State Park's 800 acres you will find a wide variety of trails -blue, red, orange white, purple and yellow. The blue trail, also known as the Metacomet Path, runs straight up the park's gut like a North to South central artery. We walked a few miles of it this morning. First we parked in the main lot on Route 185, pretty much on the Bloomfield/Simsbury Line. The blue trail is flat and wide and paved, so it's an easy low impact hike for out of shape beginners like us. We started off with some pretty water views of Gale Pond and the back yards of some nice properties. But as we walked deeper into the tree line, we were very taken by the terrible conditions on that paved path. Cracked pavement, crumbling pavement, missing pavement, deep holes in pavement, etc. I couldn't tell if it was plain old wear and tear or frost heaves or water damage or old age, but the trail had some abysmal sections that seemed plain old hazardous to me. So you'd better keep a sharp look out if you value the health of your ankles. There were a few sewer or drain covers rising above the trail's surface like sea creatures or the shells of mutated turtle monsters. The hazards were spray-painted yellow, so someone is aware of their dangers. For a State Park, I sure expected better conditions on that trail.

This place is just great. We visited last night for a kids Valentine's Day event. The staff was so…read moregreat with the kids. Arts and crafts. Play room. And we can't forget all the animals. Such a great time.

What a sweet little nature center! I wandered in this afternoon after a very un-fun visit to the…read moreDMV across town. If you are ever stuck at the DMV for a few hours, visit this place to unwind. ;) I happened to be the only visitor at the moment, so I got to chat for a while with the woman working there. She introduced me to all the birds (Merlin, Thomas, and Bonnie) and got to try to make them talk to me. Merlin (the gorgeous red macaw) said a couple of words in response to my cell phone's alarm. Thomas (an African Grey) wished me a good morning and then mumbled at me a bit. ;) I also was allowed to hold Bonnie and she showed me her trick of climbing from one hand to the other if you hold your fingers out like ladder rungs. There are bunnies, ferrets, lizards, turtles... I tend to turn to mush around animals anyway, so this was the best place to possibly do to clear my head this afternoon. They also host birthday parties for kids... I asked if I could come back and visit for my 34th. The woman there said there was no reason I couldn't. ;) My friends may be getting some animal-themed invitations this year! :)

This is my first time coming here, and I definitely need to return to explore the whole grounds!…read more There is plenty of parking upon entering and a dog park right near the parking lot There is an animal barn, a tobacco museum, picnic areas, a community garden, a maple sugar house, a nature center, a soccer field and 12 miles worth of hiking trails!! This could definitely be an all day adventure.

Northwest Park is a beautiful park located in the Town of Windsor. It is 473 acres and it used to…read morebe a tobacco farm. It's located right on the Farmington River. There are forests, wetlands, fields, and 12 miles of trails. There is a nature center, farm animals, tobacco museum, gardens, playground, and picnic pavilions. The tobacco museum is only opened seasonally. The parking lot was on gravel but there were plenty of spots available when I went; there is a porta potty in the lot as well. You can find restrooms at the nature Center too. Once you walk into the park, there is a viewing platform overlooking a small pond. The pond had goldfishes in it! First we went to the animal barn. There were turkeys, goats, ducks, donkey, chickens, cows, and rabbits. Next door to the barn was the maple sugar house; I don't think it was open when we went. We went into the nature center which was very nice. There were many exhibits, taxidermied local animals, a fish tank, hissing cockroaches, frogs, snake, a gift shop, a turtle pond, a tree house, and a table with puzzles and blocks for the kids. There was a clean bathroom onsite and the attendant working in the nature center was very friendly. The playground was also very nice. There were two playscapes for the different age groups. There were a couple of benches and the large picnic pavilions were nearby. They had a couple of gardens as well; one was an organic garden and the other was a butterfly garden, which was accessible. They had informational signs with braille on it. There are quite a few trails on the property. We walked over to the reservoir and Farmington River; the trails were easy and quiet. You can find the map online and in the Nature Center. There are also soccer fields and a dog park. Seriously, you won't be bored at this place. It's nicely maintained and the people of Windsor are lucky to have this park! I'm looking forward to going back!

This conservation and recreation area in Harwinton, has plenty to offer. There's a library, town…read morehall, senior center, baseball field, basketball courts, tennis courts, sand volleyball court, picnic pavilion, fishing pond, hiking trails, lacrosse field, a concession stand, and a playground. The parking lot was large. Everything looked nicely maintained there. The library is small but has everything you would need in a library. On this visit, we played at the playground. The playground had a few swings, a couple of slides, playscape, a climbing playscape, and a ball pit. There were a couple of benches. Overall, a great spot to hang out! Everything is in close proximity and it's a great spot to get some fresh air and exercise.