East Haddam

Town Parks

• Burnham Brook Preserve –★★– 2.2 miles – A loop hike through varied terrain that feels longer than it is, often overgrown
• Chapal Farm Preserve –★★– 1.3 miles – The eastern terminus of the Goodwin Trail with brook views and a paved path
• Davison Memorial Walking Park (Cave Hill) –★★– 0.77 miles – A short hike with a nice overlook and rocky ledges above Cave Hill.
• Dean Easement –★★– 2.25 miles – Mostly wide loop hike with connections to Hatch Lot
• Harris Reserve –★★– 3 miles – Bit of a wet woods hike with loop options, I missed the vista
• The Hatch Lot –★★– 5 miles – Great varied loop trails include an overlook, rolling terrain, rocky hollows, and mossy marshes with connections to Dean Easement
• Lena Reserve –★★– 4 miles – Newly expanded trails make full use of the property in a wide forest loop
• Nichols Field –★★– 2.15 miles – Hiking trails that intermix with a popular disc golf course
• Roaring Brook Reserve –★★– 1.6 miles – A double lasso loop offers brook views, old mill sites, and many black birches
• Rose Farm Preserve – Unexplored
• Sabine Reserve –★★– 2.6 miles – An trail system branching off an old road passes old foundations and a view of the Moodus Reservoir
• Shugrue Farm Reserve –★★– 2.2 miles – Trails climb to a pine filled summit loop
• Urbanik Reserve –★★– 1.2 miles – Inner and outer loops with a man-made pond view and nice wooded hike

Land Trust

• East Haddam Land Trust
  • Ayers Preserve – Unexplored
  • Ballahack Preserve – Unexplored
  • Duncan Preserve –★★– 1 mile – Packed into a short loop are the site of the town’s first church, a quarry, and views of the Connecticut River
  • Golet Farm Preserve – Unexplored
  • Hammond Mill Preserve – Unexplored
  • Hidden Valley Farm Preserve – Unexplored
  • Miller Farm Preserve –★★– 1.5 miles – A simple loop through now wooded old farm fields
  • Olde Field Preserve – Unexplored
  • PeGus’s Path Preserve –★★– 0.8 miles – Steep climbs along a wooded hill that can loop with a quiet dirt road walk
  • Sheepskin Hollow Preserve –★★★– 3 miles – Loop options with views of a small waterfall and pond
  • William Jezek Memorial Preserve –★★– 0.6 miles – Short out and backs to a view of the Moodus Reservoir

State Parks / Forest

• Babcock Pond WMA –★– 4 miles – Water access, hunting access, but not much for enjoyable hiking
• Brainard Homestead State Park –★– No trails – Open fields and old homestead foundations
• Devil’s Hopyard State Park –★★★★– 8.5 miles – A gem of the state with Chapman Falls, a covered bridge, an overlook, and several trail options
• Gillette Castle State Park –★★★★★– 2 miles – A must-see historical and architectural delight and trails on an small private railway
• Machimoodus State Park –★★– 4 miles – Popular easy walk to a view of the Salmon River
• Sunrise State Park –★★– 2 miles – A former resort, old buildings (or where they once stood) cover much of the park. And a boat launch to the Salmon River

Blue Blaze

• N/A

The Rest

• Audubon
  • Harlo N. Haagenson Preserve – Unexplored
• The Nature Conservancy
  • Chapman Pond Preserve –★★★– 3 miles – A deep woods loop with a Connecticut River campsite at the far end
• Richard H. Goodwin Trail –★★★– 13 miles – The eastern terminus of this long trail runs through the eastern woods

Coming soon!

• Moodus Mud Coffee

East Haddam is the 55th oldest town in the state incorporated as East Haddam (“Haddam East Society”) in May 1734 coming from the native american name, “Macki-moodus”.