The playground fits into the park perfectly...a tree house and more…read more... Provided by Premier Park & Play from Newton, MA

"Sunrise, sunrise I see we made it through another day"…read more(Norah Jones) A definite 5-Star experience. Sunrise Park is beautiful. It has 134-acres of woods and trails circling gorgeous White Pond. Besides the hiking trail around the lake, we saw a playscape, canoeing/kayaking facilities, fishing areas, a beach with a lifeguard chair, a volleyball court, horseshoe pits, benches, dozens of grills and picnic tables, a pavilion, a clubhouse, and two swimming areas - one for people and one for dogs. How's that for recreational variety? Our walk around the lake was scenic and tranquil, with one gorgeous view after another. The terrain is mostly flat and clear, with the occasional tree root or rock and a muddy patch here and there. It was a totally enjoyable way to kick off a Friday morning.

Being new to the hobby of paddle boarding I was very intimated at first however after coming across…read moreValley paddle board, I decided to give it a shot. There were numerous packages available in the planning phase and I ultimately went with the 2 hour group paddle board session with instructor guidance and equipment rental. Not to mention included in the cost was a (2) drink voucher for refreshments at a local brewery post paddle board session (which was a welcomed bonus). The location Christine chose for this session was perfect especially for someone just starting off like myself. We started off in a small shallow beach just sitting on our boards and getting a feel for the water. With Christine's concise, easy to follow direction, I upgraded to a kneeled position and finally to a standing, balancing and confident position within a half a hour. When the sun started to go down Christine advised that the group paddle out to a small island in the middle of the lake that was full of wild flowers, to relax and enjoyed the rest of the sunset. At this time we well exceeded the 2 hour mark but Christine was happy to do so for a wonderful experience. Once the weather gets a bit warmer I will definitely be reaching out to Christine for another session!!

We had the best time! Christine at Valley Paddleboard took our family on a trip down the Farmington…read moreRiver. it was so beautiful. She made sure the kids in our group were safe and having fun. She even taught us some paddleboard yoga moves. Can't wait to go back next summer!

When looking for a place for a quick walk and a picnic, we were excited to check out Filley Park…read more Although the park is quite small, it was really enjoyable to walk around the wooded trail before walking around the pond and gardens. The wooded loop trail is probably about half a mile and the walk through the garden is probably another ~.15-.25 miles; both are mostly flat. There are tons of benches and a few picnic tables to enjoy the scenery and do some birdwatching. We visited on a Sunday afternoon and the park wasn't too busy. We were able to find a picnic table, that was pretty clean, and enjoy a picnic lunch. All-in-all, we really enjoyed our time and we will definitely be back on a regular basis as it's conveniently located in between all of our errands.

Tremendous progress has been made in the reclamation and renovation of Filley Park…read more When I first visited and posted in 2013, the place was a mess. The Pond was full of silt, and needed to be excavated and restored. Massive populations of ducks and geese had done their things and fouled up the area. When I next visited in 2018 a lot of progress had been made. I saw all sorts of construction activity, heavy equipment, and big piles of dirt and gravel. Improvements to sidewalks, landscaping, and lighting were underway, as was the dredging and refilling of the Pond. And when I visited yesterday, I saw much more! The sidewalks and benches and seating areas are finished. The Pond looks great, The ducks and geese are mostly gone, and a few straggles were clustered way off to the side. There's still some construction equipment on site, and excavation continues, but the overall progress is quite remarkable. We walked around the Pond as far as we could and took a stroll on some of their hiking trails.

Cute little park. Very easy walking trails, well maintained. The bridge is great for scenic…read morephotos. Small pond with a beach. Restrooms fairly clean.

Stratton Brook State Park was established in 1949 and is on 145 acres. It's located in Simsbury and…read morehas a huge parking lot; there's even an accessible parking lot. When I parked my vehicle, the first thing I noticed was the lovely red covered foot bridge and pond. There was a huge structure that has a fireplace and picnic tables; it's called the Massaco Forest Pavilion, it is historic and built in 1935. There is a boardwalk near the small beach and more picnic tables. Dogs are not allowed on the beach. Restrooms are available; a porta potty and in a small building (not sure if it's open). There were easy trails throughout; I walked on a short one and it was peaceful; quite a few people walking, dog walking, and a couple of them were fishing. I have a feeling this place gets busy in the summer and on weekends. I went on a Spring weekday, so it was nice and quiet.

Spacious lovely open green space in the heart of downtown Hartford with the Capital building as the…read moreback drop. Very clean and simple park and a variety of events are held here throughout the year. We enjoyed the festivities and fireworks (2 shows) to ring in 2025. We much enjoyed walking the park on the paved walkways during the day, and it is great to read the information posted throughout about the history of the park. Take a ride on the old fashioned caraseul. Parking located around the park.

I have been here a few times recently. My son had an appointment at CCMC, so we decided to go…read morebefore hands. It gives a mini NYC park vibe. There are food trucks, lots of walking space, a playground, a carousel, and lots to look at! There is a lot of space to sit and relax or have a picnic. I would love to see a little more love with the landscape. I'm bummed that the carousel was closed too.

I'm amazed by the beauty of this place!…read more MDC operates the water treatment plants located at this reservoir. This is a privately owned area and not a public park. There was MDC Police that patrolled the area when I was there. Parking was plentiful when we went on a beautiful spring weekday. There were clean porta potties onsite. There were trails in the woods and out in the open; the trails were paved and gravel. It is opened daily from sunrise to sunset and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. There were two trails; 3.4-mile loop red trail and 2.0-mile loop yellow trail. We started off with the gravel yellow trail that has a slight incline. Then we got onto part of the red loop which was near the bridge overlooking the water. We saw a couple of deer in the woods, geese, and turtles in the water. This is where we walked on pavement. Some of the trees were marked by type. The trail was busy with walkers and bikers. Overall, I really enjoyed the hike/walk and can't wait to go back.

The WH Reservoir has been my peaceful playground and refuge since the '70's…read more Hard to believe that State Connecticut had a planned to construct ring highway through the hills beside the Reservoir. Following public protest and legal battle(s) the project was shelved indefinitely back in the 70's. This was also about the time, vehicle traffic was barred on many of the back MDC roadways. What was left, beautiful network of paved and foot beaten paths. Everyday day of the week, the public are welcome to walk, jog, saunter, bicycle these mapped trails. Mountain biking has been throttled down significantly due to excessive wear and tear on the wooded areas. Biking still remains popular long designated routes and in a one-way pattern (for everyones safety). Pedestrians: Please mind the painted walking path, eyes on drifting into the bike path - that way ALL will enjoy. Kilkenny rock has been one of my favorite destinations (refer to an MDC map) this is a nice overlook of the Hartford sky scape. Trails also connect from the Farmington Avenue entrance across to Route 44 passing over Avon Mountain. GPS and one of my favorite apps "All Trails" are helpful even to a season chap like me.

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 is a great park located in West Hartford. There were parking available when we went. There is…read morea pond with a ton of geese. The playground was in good shape and big. There's a big kids playscape with climbing and ladders. The little kids playground had a sandbox, swings, slides, tunnels, etc. There were benches and picnic tables as well. The pool and splash pad is adjacent and fenced in; to enter the pool, there is a fee. The splash pad has benches and a grassy area to put your stuff down. The restrooms were clean and there was a Little Free Library right near there. What I loved about the park was the ample amount of shade. Definitely a fun place to take the kids in the summer.

"I'm gonna hang out in the park, hang out after dark I'm…read moregonna be with the gang tonight" (The Ramones) West Hartford's Fernridge Park has so many nice features! We had a very enjoyable time strolling on their trails and taking in the pretty scenery around its big pond. We saw a ton of features on the park grounds - a wood bridge over the water and a splash pad, playground and playscape where the kids were having a blast. We saw families hanging out at their grills and picnic tables, plus a Little League field, basketball, volleyball, tennis courts and a big swimming pool. The leisure and entertainment opportunities here are fantastic. What a great place to relax and enjoy!

My husband and I went to Wickham Park on Mother's Day . We haven't been there for years! It was…read morewonderful! Everyone else seems to know about it because there were many people there. The Chinese , English and Scottish and Irish gardens greet you as a first stop. We went to the aviary which had many exotic pheasants from Tibet, Burma so many far off places. The Aviary is home to injured birds who can't fend for themselves in nature anymore. We stopped at the sensory garden which was very informative with each area having a short talk to listen to explaining how our senses work and the related plants. We loved it. We drive around after two hours of walking because it started to rain. There are great picnic spots and a playground for kids ! It's a great family weekend spot or anytime to feel one with nature. It's a beautiful serene spot to relax in and enjoy a natural environment! Worth the $10 weekend fee and $7.00 weekday fee! So much to see there . You can walk in for free.

This was my first time coming to Wickham Park. Autumn is my favorite season. Such a perfect time to…read morevisit. They have many wonderful gardens. Photographer's dream location. So many native plants, flowers and trees. They rescue handicap birds and create a habitat for them to live in for generations Small fee of $7. Well worth it.

Completed a three day, 37 mile loop trail hike with Mat. The Taconic crest loop. Mat had all of the…read morebases covered, provisions, itinerary, safety and comfort. He knew all of the trails in the surrounding area and would often recommend an applicable trail or hike when I asked him about some kind of hike I was interested in. He's very personable and accommodating. I would highly recommend Reach Your Summit to anyone interested in a great experience. A+ in my book.

Matt has been our hiking guide for an annual hiking excursion I take every fall in the Berkshires…read more He is extremely good at what he does! He is so good, I wanted to introduce my love of hiking to my family and thought he would be the best person to guide us on a post-Xmas hike. We hiked up Alander Mountain, which was slightly challenging but very doable for my husband and son who are relatively new to hiking. Matt's knowledge about hiking in general, as well as hiking in the northeast, is extensive. He is thoroughly prepared and carefully tailors the trip to suit the skill and fitness level of the group. To top it off, he supplied us with the most delicious homemade dried bananas, as well as hot chocolate once we reached the spectacular summit. I highly recommend Matt to anyone who loves to hike, and even to those new to hiking who want to have a safe and informative introduction. I can't imagine a better hiking guide than Matt!