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Salmon River State Forest

4.8 (5 reviews)

Salmon River State Forest Photos

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Dawn M.

We found this place through Yelp and are so glad we did. My teen daughter and I brought our dog and hiked most of the north loop. It had inclines and some areas with lots of roots, so I'd rate it as moderate. On the way back down, we stopped and went down to the bank of the river to dip our feet in the cool water. There were a couple of neighborhood dogs running up and down the trail and taking little forays into the water, but they were friendly, so we didn't mind. The trail and the river were all clean and well taken care of. There is an amazing covered bridge that visitors cross over from the parking lot to get to the trailhead. We saw individual and small groups of hikers, including some younger kids, so this is definitely family-friendly. We will definitely be back to try one of the other trails.

In the river!

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4 years ago

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

Helpful 1
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Love this 2
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8 years ago

Helpful 5
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Love this 5
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17 years ago

Helpful 5
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Love this 7
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9 years ago

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10 years ago

Helpful 3
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Machimoodus State Park

Machimoodus State Park

4.1(7 reviews)
4.1 mi

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!

Photos
Machimoodus State Park - At the summit

At the summit

Machimoodus State Park - Don't step on the orange fungi

Don't step on the orange fungi

Machimoodus State Park

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Lake Chaubunagungamaug - Ski season has begun

Lake Chaubunagungamaug

4.3(17 reviews)
46.2 mi

I really really love the lake it is so cool i go. Sking and I am very excited to get back there to…read morego swing sking and tubing their

Yes, it's purportedly the largest natural lake in southern New England, but that's not saying much!…read moreMeasuring in at a modest 2.3 square miles, it pales in comparison to its large lake neighbors to the north like Moosehead Lake (117 sq. miles) Lake Winnipesaukee (72 sq. miles), or the gigantic Lake Champlain (490 sq. miles). That said, Lake Webster is well maintained, and offers sufficient area for skiing, tubing, sailing, or swimming. On a hot day, it's a great spot to cool off with a dip, and it has three restaurants, all with accessible docks on the lake. Samuel Slater's Restaurant is the best restaurant on the lake and offers great views from their deck. It's located on a small beach at Indian Ranch. Indian Ranch is an RV park and entertainment venue and owns a small paddlewheel boat called the Indian Princess that offers sunset cruises during the summer months. There is a nice beach on the lake, at least two boat launches, three marinas, kayak rentals and unfortunately only one recently closed gas station. Considering the modest size, it may surprise fellow Yelpers that the lake boasts one of the longest names in the world, Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagoggchaubunagungamaugg. Some say the actual name isn't the 45-letter behemoth above, that it's really Lake Chaubunagungamaug. Regardless, since I can now pronounce the long version, I'm sticking with that one!

Photos
Lake Chaubunagungamaug - Dog days of

Dog days of

Lake Chaubunagungamaug - Warm and

Warm and

Lake Chaubunagungamaug - Indian Princess morning cruise

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Indian Princess morning cruise

Salmon River State Forest - parks - Updated June 2026

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