Cedars swamps and…read morecrappers Great Cedar Conservation Area is a 320 acre swamp with several miles of hiking trails. It is home to the largest collection of Atlantic White Cedar trees in the state as well as the largest individual White Cedar trees. It's a flat and very easy hike as long as you go in the cold weather. This is a real swamp so the flies and mosquitoes are extremely numerous and will tear you to pieces if you are brave or foolish enough to go in the spring or early summer. Not a lot of interesting rocks or terrain, the trees and plants are the attraction. Some beautiful cedars and some cool ferns closer to the ground, this swamp is a tree lover and botanist's dream I notice some old fences and what looked like an old foundation but what really caught my old was a cool old outhouse with an interesting sign. Not sure who put the sign up or exactly where the venerable old crapper originally came from but I certainly didn't have the courage to open the door to see what what inside. The Great Cedar area is a pleasant little hike that is for people that like to go slow and look, listen and smell. Swamps are beautiful places to hike in the winter but just make sure you don't go when the hordes of insects are masters of the terrain.

Very easy hikes and a beautiful and strangely interesting stroll in the woods. The trails surround…read morearound a few small lakes that make wonderful stopping off points. The Conservation Area wraps around the Hay House property, The Hay House is constructed entirely of hay bales. It is private property but you are invited to see the Stuba Buddhist shrine that sites in the front of the property by the parking lot. The "crapper" is the private loo for the Hay House. Kinda misleading since it is sitting right there on the trail.

A good spot to hang out and chill alone or accompanied. You can observe nature, bike, jog, walk or…read moreget in the water & do kayak, boating, swim or paddle board if you desire. It's a beautiful park. Check it out.

Beautiful hiking spot with easy to navigate trails and stunning ocean views. We were able to see…read moreFisher's Island, Long Island, and Groton. The port-a-potties were a nice amenity too. It was a little loud due to small airplanes taking off and landing at the nearby airport but it added a layer of intrigue. There are picnic tables and plenty of spots to sit along the water. Next time, I'll bring food and a book.

Beautiful, smooth bike trail through a wooded area that goes to Hammonasset Park and campground…read more I only wish it continued to the town of Madison as originally planned.

Great trail to run, bike and walk. The trail is not strenuous with little to no inclines. Shoreline…read moregreenway is kid friendly with plenty scenic views. It can smell during low tide, it's the price we pay for such beauty.

Beautiful hiking trail! Muddy in the beginning, so wear hiking boots or shoes with good grip. The…read moreoverlooks are amazing and worth every minute. About 1 hour and 20 minutes to and from The caves. Rugged terrain towards the caves Not for the beginner, so plan accordingly. Snacks, water and maybe a walking stick

Trail has some lovely views, some steep up and down sections but no actual rock scrambling…read morerequired, and if you plan ahead you can find the elaborate rock etchings done over 200 years ago by patients of an 18th century small pox inoculation center! Also, when I went most recently, somebody built a pretty sick rope swing in the woods. Not sure how safe it is, but if it doesn't crap out on you it's a nice little adrenaline rush if you start your swing at the tree branch. Now for some tips to get the most out of your hike: Pro tip #1: if you're doing this as an after work hike, park yourself at Alliance Occupational Health and catch the trailhead across the street. Can't speak as to whether this would be ok during their normal business hours tho. Pro tip#2: go to the local library where they can provide you with a map on how to find hospital rock, just off the trail, with stone carvings made 200 years ago. -side tip- bring flour with you to dust the rocks with so you can make out thyme carvings better for pictures Pro tip #3: Bugspray.

This gem is quite a bit off the beaten path. If you travel off season, which we do most of the…read moretime, you are rewarded with a serene nature experience, and relatively few fellow humans. It is dog friendly. From April to September the water is comfortable, with a pleasant sandy bottom. There seems to be a path all the way around the lake, but we've never gone that far. You are expected to carry your trash out to the parking lot, where you will find the only toilet facility in the form of a porta potty. Always a great place to lose the stress.

This was our first visit to Millers Pond, and we had a great experience. I printed the map from…read morethe DEEP web site first and checked out the comments and reviews on AllTrails app. We picked a route that would give us about a 3 mile walk and headed out. The parking lot wasn't very full when we arrived, but there are a lot of no parking signs on the road leading up to the park so I can only guess it must get really busy in the nicer months. We did a nice loop around the pond, there was mild terrain to navigate and with spring on its way, but the leaves not fully out yet the views were beautiful. We'll come visit again for sure, looks like there are a lot more trails to explore.

We are not regular visitors of this beach because its a bit of a drive for us but we like to enjoy…read moreit every now and then We visited the East side of the beach this time. Pretty far from the crowded side and no food shack because it was permanently closed. Bummer. Good thing I brought some food . My daughter had a school beach day programmed and I came along. Why not? Breezy day but everyone enjoyed their time.

It has been a washout Memorial Day weekend. It rained all day Sunday. Today, Monday, we wanted to…read moretake a walk on the beach in Hammonasett State park. This is a gorgeous naturally beautiful piece of land. To our shock they were already charging $22 for out of state fees. Normally the season starts July 4th. We were unaware of the change in policy. Then, as we walked along the beach, we talked to life guards- all teenagers. They said they were asked to come out & stay on the beach even on Saturday although it was raining all day. Who are the ppl in charge of the park? Who makes these unilateral decisions? We the ppl are charged to walk on the edge of the ocean that belongs to the human race, so they can pay life guards on a rainy day with no ppl on the beach. Clearly, the CT govmt is in trouble.

This preserve is not compliant with ADA laws. No handicapped parking, no access to the beach and…read morethe parking lot is all gravel and not handicap accessible. Pretty preserve but they need to trim the grass more on paths. Signs for ticks yet not trimming grass enough. Benches to sit but you cannot access the bench because of two foot grass. Huge pot holes on road to preserve, very neglected it's been like this for years. Spend the money and fix these things.

After an area winery visit and a quick drive through some local towns, we were ready to stretch our…read morelegs a bit before heading back to the 'burbs, and this hidden gem was a GREAT choice!! BEAUTIFUL trail to the water's edge, just a BIT hilly, but very manageable, and SUPER scenic. I love going to parks like this "off season," you just feel like you're the first person to have ever "discovered" it, and it's really just YOU (and in my case, my brother and S.I.L.) and NATURE at its finest.... We only had time to take the one tail to the water's edge, but even in semi-overcast, chilly late fall weather, it was slightly challenging, scenic, and DEFINITELY worth a detour, if you're in the area (and just MIGHT need to hike off a BIT of local wine and cheeeeeese!!)