Burr Pond State Park is a very beautiful and peaceful park. The pond is the showstopper here, hence…read morethe name. Driving up to the park was enjoyable; there's a big hill with a small waterfall you can see from the street. The parking area was a decent size but I can see it being packed in the summer and on weekends. The park is on 438-acres and the man-made pond is 85-acres. Popular recreational activities in this park are hiking, fishing, swimming, and boating. The pond was created in 1851 to help produce power buy building dams. There are two trails within the park; 2.5-mile blue blazed Walcott Trail which goes around the pond and 2-mile John Muir trail which goes through multiple parks. The beach is quaint but does the job on a hot day rather than driving an hour or so to the beach. There were so many picnic tables throughout; definitely a nice area for picnics. There is a seasonal boat rental and concession stand. If you want to go boating, there is a boat launch. We went in the winter for an event, the parking lot was packed so they were offering shuttles. The park was beautiful in the winter with the pond being frozen. There were people ice fishing and playing on the ice. I went recently on a spring weekday, temperature was perfect and the place was quiet. We walked on the trail and it was lovely with the view of the pond. Overall, a great park and will be there as often as we can.

"Don't say a word Don't say anything…read moreDon't say a word I'm not even listening You better watch your step" (Elvis Costello) Trust the Mayor. You'd better watch your step as you're walking the three mile trail that circles Burr Pond, or you'll end up face first on the dirt trail with a broken ankle. The dirt trail sure has its share of dangerous tree roots and rocks, followed by relatively hazard free stretches to walk. You sure get some gorgeous views of the water! We saw people fishing, swimming by the small beach, a big group hanging out by picnic tables playing salsa music, and two dog owners whose well behaved dogs were swimming in the pond. The trail itself is flat with just a handful of inclines, but most of those inclines are tree trunk related. It really is a lovely park.

Great spot to walk. An escape from the noise of Bristol's commotion. Close to home. A nice place…read moreto stretch your legs.

I had no idea how big this park was. Disc golf, dog park, mountain biking, hiking/nature trails,…read moreball fields, skate park... I could go on and on. It's an older park but has tons of new attractions and modern park features. It's worth going. This is a real Bristol, CT Gem. Pequabuck river flows through it. Tons of green space. Lots of parking. A really great park to visit.

Located on the West End of Bristol, Rockwell Park has been a staple in my family since the mid…read more40's! (my grandparents home is off the park) The park has a nice shady walking path around its border for hot summer days as well as a splash pad ...and pool for kids. They have SO MANY fun events just look in Bristol Park and Rec webpage... For example, they have music every Tuesday throughout the summer in the outdoor amphitheater. They have Muzzy field adjacent to the parking lot and there are games of all kinds with fireworks afterward. They have seasonal events, including visits from Santa in Mrs. Rockwells pavillion. Also, there is a skateboard cement park that was professionally designed by pro skaters.... A frisbee disc golf course on one end AND a dog park!!! I can't say enough of good things about Rockwell Park...I absolutely Love this local spot.

"Down by the old mill stream Where I first met you"…read more(The Mills Brothers) Mills Pond Park is an embarrassment of riches, both natural and man-made. There's a trail that takes you down to a pretty pond, waterfall, and wetlands. There's a recreational bonanza of options, with an Olympic sized pool, tennis courts, two baseball fields, basketball courts, a football field, a park, a softball field, a skate park, two pavilions, a soccer field, wading pool, and playgrounds. There's even a large public art display at the park's entrance which I've reviewed separately. https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-canton-gate-canton?hrid=_woQOmg74ws2Myhd1Zb0mA&utm_campaign=www_review_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) One thing ruined our perfect visitor experience. As we were walking around the ballfields, we saw a guy in a gray hoodie and gray pants with his black lab running around freely. They were hundreds of feet apart and he was yelling at the dog to come over. But the dog didn't because he or she was busy squatting and taking a dump on the ballfield where kids play. Did Mr. gray hoodie clean up after Fido? Nope, he just ignored that steaming pile of dog doo, leashed up his dog when it finally sprinted over, and calmly walked away along East Hill Road. The selfish, careless, inconsiderate arrogance was incredible to witness. So, if you're playing out there on the fields, watch where you step.

A large and clean neighborhood park. It has all you need to get fresh air and exercise…read more Tennis courts, basketball courts, pool, baseball/soccer field, playground, small gym equipment, skatepark, and a view of the pond. There is a pavilion with a few picnic tables; you can contact Canton recreation to reserve them for a party. The parking lot has plenty of spaces. There's no trail, just a small paved portion behind the skatepark. I saw plenty of people walking around the park and around the field. My kids really enjoyed playing in the playground. There's a double swing you can put your small child in and you can sit on the swing as well; that was a first for me. A gem and I'm lucky to live close by and be able to use this establishment.

A warm, English-Tudor style cottage built in the 1920s on the top of a meadow surrounded by…read moregardens. Fields filled with birds, butterflies and dragonflies. I wish I could describe it better... I'm not going to, because I'm tired. I guess you can always just look at the photos. Unless you decide to actually go and experience it for yourself. Either way...

Since moving to CT, we discovered a great program that gives a little incentive for visiting a…read morenumber of CT state parks, the DEEP Sky's The Limit Program. In 2017, Topsmead was among the parks listed, so we decided to go give it a visit. Winter was not the best time to visit, and it's hard to give it a really good/fair rating. The main farmhouse area was closed for the season, and the weather wasn't really great for hiking. It would be a great spot for cross country skiing in the winter, though. The outstanding negative at the time of our visit were the state of the toilets. They're pit toilets, which is fine, but they were not dug at all deeply, and if not for the freezing weather, I can imagine it would be rather unpleasantly fragrant. We'll definitely be visiting again and reevaluating at some point.

"We're after the same rainbow's end Waitin' 'round the bend…read moreMy huckleberry friend" (Mancini and Mercer) Huckleberry Hill Road or Buckingham Road will bring you to this nice little 17.73-acre park and recreation center where you'll see three athletic fields and a fully accessible children's playground. We took advantage of the mild Easter Sunday weather and strolled around the park and neighborhood today. The park is crisscrossed by the Rails to Trails hiking path and walking paths that take you through residential backyards and the Buckingham neighborhood, complete with its town green, gazebo and social hall. The playground was crowded with young families enjoying the Spring like weather. One thing that really bugged me was the total disregard some dog owners had for the numerous signs that stated, "No dogs are allowed on the playing fields". I counted four dogs running free (off leash) on these fields, so I guess those signs don't apply to those who want to disobey them.

A nice big playground and baseball field. There were plenty of parking available. There's a walking…read morepath around the playground and the baseball field. Additional parking near the baseball field as well. The points board on the baseball field says Avon High School. Overall, a great spot to take the kids out to on a nice day; dogs were allowed too.

At first glance, a neighborhood park with a few cottages, a field, and a large dirt parking lot…read more The cottages were for the Girl Scouts based on the sign I saw on them. I was here for the playground so I walked across the field to the back and found it. I didn't realize there were parking in the back lot and closer to the playground. The fenced in playground was big and had plenty of swings and space for my toddler to run around. The weather was perfect (55 degrees in February) so there were a few other people there. There was snow on the ground in certain parts, so it was very muddy/slippery in some spots. A few of the playscapes were taped off with caution tape; I'm assuming they were broken. This park is on 200 acres of land and has many events. There is a 50 acre lake area. The spring fed lake is called West Hill Lake; people can swim, fish, and boat in it. In the summer, you will need to buy a beach pass. They also have tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, and basketball courts. Nearby and across the street, you can find the Franklin P. Kearney Conservative Trail. Overall, a great spot to get some fresh air and exercise. Hopefully they will fix the broken playscapes and it will be less muddy when it gets warmer soon.

Just not great. Has a lot that could be improved. Not well kept, run of the mill regular park.read more

Tunxis Mead - Thomas Quirk Park is large community outdoor sports facility. Soccer, tennis,…read morebaseball, softball, lacrosse, play scape, even a groovy skate park, and wooded trails along the Farmington River. The fields are kept neat and clean by the Farmington Parks and Recreation Department and generally only used for scheduled sporting events. The trails are my favorite through the 4 seasons. Quiet trails with our pup and the occasional chance of other friendly pups. Please keep the trails clean if your pup needs to drop a Number 2, trash cans are available near the athletic fields. Get out and enjoy all the great outdoor space has to offer.

"The falling leaves drift by the window The autumn leaves of…read morered and gold I miss you most of all my darling When autumn leaves start to fall" (Nat "King" Cole) I found that trail that Kim V. found at the back end of a parking lot. Didn't see any markers or entrance signs there, besides one sign that was vandalized by spray paint, making whatever information was on it, illegible. The path was enveloped by falling and fallen leaves, so there was a blanket of yellows, golds, and browns everywhere. And it's a very low impact path- pretty much flat with a very small number of rocks and tree limbs to trip you up. On the path we saw a very cool site where it skirts a farm property -two small baling tractors tidying up the overgrown hayfield and making neat cylindrical bales of hay. Eventually, the path takes you to the Farmington River and if you follow the path and keep the river to your right you'll be rewarded with some very pretty scenery. Stay on the path and get to the very impressive Farmington High School Boathouse and boat launch. Toss in a few wood bridges, skeletal remains of old buildings, and a concrete staircase to nowhere, and you'll enjoy your visit as much as we did. Our walk to the boathouse and back ran around 6,000 steps.

I saw that this 17.5 acres park had a wooden covered foot bridge so I had to check it out. There…read moreare two ponds in this park; upper north pond and lower south pond. The bridge is over a dam between these two ponds. New England is popular for its covered bridges; they're all over. There were plenty of parking and a porta potty onsite. There is a building with a deck overlooking the ponds that you can rent out for events. We walked around the park and explored. There were two small trails in this park we walked on; one lead to a street and the other to a paved path behind houses. There were a couple of benches and a small wooden bridge on one of the trails. I think it's a small park; great to do a short walk and view the small waterfall. As far as trails and activities, it seems limited compared to other parks.

"Let's move to the countryside Park this truck in the pale…read moremoonlight Just you and the stars up in your eyes" (Florida Georgia Line) We parked in the Countryside lot near 335 Huckleberry Hill Road and immediately saw two pretty big ponds and a covered bridge. Countryside Park is just 17.5 acres of hiking trails, scenery, and picnic areas by the ponds. Lots of great photo ops here. The short hiking trail is dirt with some tree roots and rocks. Its really a connector to the paved "Rails to Trails" system which snakes right past single family homes. We were so close to the houses, we felt like we were intruding on their privacy. The park property also has a 60' X 25' multi-use building for private use, with a full kitchen, fireplace, air conditioning, and a deck overlooking one of the ponds.  But you'll have to wait a while before you use it because its currently closed for renovations.

The Best Lake Water in Connecticut! This is our favorite place to kayak. It's relaxing loop to…read morepaddle, approximately three and a half miles hunting the shore. There's a small island with a old fireplace & chimney; no camping or fires are allowed. However, it's a nice spot to stop, go for a shallow swim, and a have a snack just take your trash with you. The CT DEEP maintains the boat ramp and motors are restricted on the lake to 8 HP. A welcome rule to Green Powered Craft. Springtime the lake is stocked, but please catch and release for other enthusiasts to enjoy. The gravel parking area is across the quiet road. Pot-O-Potty's are available is the parking area - should have a need. The Lake is lined with cottages, a couple of Town beaches, a private Lake club, two scout camps. So there's plenty to see along your loop.