Very nice park , there is a nice walking trail around the pond and the playground is very fun for…read morekids.

"In and around the lake" (Roundabout - Jon Anderson and…read moreSteve Howe) While walking roundabout the lake at Stanley Quarter Park I realized a few things. #1 - You can't blame a goose for being a goose. #2 - You can't blame a few hundred geese for doing what a few hundred geese leave behind, basically a lot of #2. #3 - As a result of #2, you can't blame me for docking this post for a fifth star. Pretty much across the street from the University of Central Connecticut College's campus you'll find this gorgeous park with a big lake, a multi-station fitness trail, and a nice and easy 0.6 mile looped walking path around the lake. The path took us over a few stone and wood bridges and gave us a great look at hundreds of geese and what looked like seagulls. The geese were everywhere - in the water, on the grassy hills, frolicking and flapping their wings in the lake, and honking so much they made us laugh. But the problem we encountered was the byproduct of those hundreds of geese and the ensuing mess they leave on the path around the lake. You'd better watch your step very carefully or you'll be walking into globs of goose shit. It was everywhere, and there was a shit ton of it. Now like I said, ya can't blame a goose for doing what a goose does, but I feel like someone at the municipal level has badly dropped the ball by not better maintaining things.

First time coming to this park, and it has a little bit of everything. There's a basketball court,…read morea pool for the summer, a children's playground, workout equipment, and a walking trail That goes around the pond. There are a few bridges and benches along the pond, as well as a beautiful waterfall midway through the trail Everything is paved and easily accessible minus the stairs going down to the waterfall. However, there is a parking spot on a lower level, where you can easily walk to it.

Very cute little park. They had a play scape area ,a soccer field ,walking trail ,pool , waterfall…read moreand many fun activities partake in . To include different work out stations. Dogs are allowed on leash here.

Cool area. lots of places to lay low and relax. Biking is not a problem. The water is nice feeling…read moredue to a cold spring as well.

If you need breathtaking views especially this time of the year where the trees change color, this…read moreis the spot for you. There is more than one trail and if you have a map you can decide which trail to follow. If you are interested in just a walk around the lake the red trail would be perfect but if you are more interested in the view of the lake from higher up, then the blue to the orange trail, blue and blue to the red trail will get you there. The entire hike got us was about 3 miles. A simple hike that is good enough for a beginner. It had a steep hill and I was so out of breath going up but when you get to the top at the lookout point it was all worth it. The lake wasn't the cleanest as the water was green but there were still people fishing. A lot of picnic tables to sit, eat or hang out and a big parking lot with adequate space.

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.

The Veteran's Memorial Park is a small park, located by Stop & Shop in Berlin. It is an interesting…read morelocation, but nonetheless a beautiful and well maintained park. This park is dedicated to the brave man and women who lost their lives in several wars. There are plaques, indicating a brief history of the wars and the number of lives lost. There is a small pond with a lovely fountain. There are a few tiny fish, no geese or ducks. There was a sign indicating not to feed the geese. I'm not sure what happened to them though. There are benches and a cute gazebo. This is a nice little park, to take your kids for a bike ride or let your dog out! They have dog poopy bags available for your convenience. This is a very nice local park that's very well maintained. Enjoy!

Family outing on this historical trail! Perfect for walking, running, biking or skating!…read more The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail is a scenic, easygoing path stretching over 80 miles through charming towns, peaceful woodlands, and historic canal routes. Perfect for biking, walking, or a relaxing day outdoors, it's one of New England's best hidden gems for all skill levels. The trail you see today has roots going back over 200 years. In the early 1800s, it began as the Farmington Canal construction, built to connect New Haven to inland towns and boost trade. Completed in 1828, the canal was used to transport goods like coal, timber, and farm products, but eventually shut down in the 1840's

I loved hiking at this trail it Stretches through scenic New England towns, the Farmington Canal…read moreHeritage Trail follows the path of a historic 1800s canal and railroad. Today it's a peaceful paved trail perfect for biking, walking, or forest views. Definitely a well traveled path.

We had a family gathering there,and the park is beautiful,clean,and very well kept. There are a lot…read moreof different activities for all ages,and we all had a wonderful time. The price we paid was also extremely reasonable for an 8 hour event..

$4 per person. The pool is clean and fairly large, we had no issues with crowding. The hours are…read morestrange - they force everyone out of the pool sometime in the afternoon and make you take a break. After that you have to pay again to keep swimming. We used a locker without a lock and had no issues.

Wolcott Park is a 28 acre park located in West Hartford, CT. There are tennis & pickle ball courts,…read morelittle league field, soccer & athletic fields, basketball courts, playground, splash pad, boardwalk, trails, picnic tables, and nature preserve. If you like being outdoors, this is the perfect spot to enjoy it. There are two parking lots. I parked by the playground and splash pad. There was a porta potty there. The playground had swings, a sandbox, and a playscape. There is a large pond and a short boardwalk that goes through a nature preserve. There is a short paved trail in the middle of the park. There were many picnic tables and benches throughout. I'm betting this is a great spot to go sledding during the winter since there are many hills there. Overall, a nice park and my family and I enjoyed it

What an unexpected treat! Wolcott Park sure exceeded my expectations…read more In the shadows of the Westfarms Mall and pretty much right next to the busy Corbins Corner shopping center, there it is. We pretty much had the whole place to ourselves today. We walked the park's paths that meander through its 28 acres and connect so many great entertainment and athletic options. We saw an amphitheater, six clay tennis courts, a lighted little league field, a soccer field, a Children's Forest, a huge playground, pickleball courts, a splash pad, a nice pond, hiking trails, pretty scenery, and a long boardwalk over wetlands. That's a ton of things for your enjoyment. I really didn't expect this park to be as awesome as it was, but I was thrilled to have underestimated it.

"It was hard times, needed somethin' to ease my troubled mind"…read more(The Temptations) Have you ever seen those internet slideshows with creepy images of old spooky abandoned and sad looking shopping malls? That's how I felt today as we walked the grounds of Batterson Pond Park. It gave me such an incredible sense of sadness, more so than for anything I've ever felt in my 10 years of writing and 2,900+ blog posts as a Yelper. Batterson Park was in such sad and deplorable shape, I left feeling sad, depressed, and a little bit frightened. It was opened in the 1920's as a summer refuge for Hartford area families to swim, hang out on the beach, have a picnic, and enjoy the outdoors. But over the decades it fell on hard times and was closed in  2015. Our walk through today was unsettling and a bit scary. It was like walking through a deserted and haunted ghost town. We saw half a dozen old decrepit buildings with rotted out roofs and floors. We saw one building that had been boarded up with plywood, but a big hunk of the plywood had been torn loose, making me wonder what kind of human forms had lurked or even scarier, may have been lurking inside. I saw hundreds of picnic tables and grills in complete disarray with plants growing up through the slats and the wood disintegrating and crumbling into rotted ruins before my eyes. I saw an old abandoned see-saw and a lifeguard platform tossed on the ground to rot and die. I saw a big storage building torched and burned to the ground. How the roof framing still stands is a miracle. Overgrown weeds and grass and a general state of neglect and disrepair are everywhere. Yes, the lake in the center of the property is beautiful, but it's just a footnote to the overall boarded up and crumbling deterioration of the park. I just did some quick research and learned that the cities of Hartford, New Britain and Farmington have a $7 million plan in place to refurbish the grounds and reopen it in mid-2023. I pray that takes place and this horridly heartbreaking eyesore returns to its former state of glory.

I have kayaked on Batterson Park Pond, approximately 80 acres of water, numerous times over the…read moreyears. There are other activities, such as shoreside fishing, other forms of boating (small sail, paddle craft & electric motors). Wildlife is plentiful; turtles, snapping, fish, and a wide variety of water foul, including those that migrate. The parking area is fairly safe and scenic for on lookers from a vehicle. Just be wary, lock your vehicle, and monitor your belongings. I personally have not experienced any negative activity, but safe is better.

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.