Mansfield

Explore Mansfield and Storrs, CT

(Part of Tolland County)


If you’re looking for the best hiking trails in Mansfield or in the Storrs area near UCONN this is the complete guide to all the overlooks, waterfalls, and riverways it has to offer.

There are 29 hiking locations within the town for over 63 miles of trails.  There are boating/fishing options at Mansfield Hollow and along the Mt. Hope and Willimantic Rivers as well as mountain biking and rock climbing dotted around town.


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Town Parks

  • Baxter Road Open Space –★★★– 1.25 miles – Surprisingly well traveled double loop
  • Coney Rock★★★– 5 miles – Steep climbs to a couple ridgeline overlooks
  • Dorwart Preserve / Lions Memorial Park★★– 1.25 miles – Old cart paths that connect to Mansfield Hollow trail network
  • Dunhamtown Forest★★– 4 miles – Hike that passes local history amidst varied environments
  • Eagleville Preserve★★– 1 mile – Invasive species guided walk along the Willimantic River
  • Fifty Foot Cliff Preserve★★★– 1.5 miles – Short hike on the Nipmuck trail through rocky terrain to a nice overlook
  • Merrow Meadow★★– 1 mile – Popular town park with a paved walking path and rougher trails along the river
  • Moss Sanctuary★★★– 2 miles – Secluded park next to UCONN with good short loops around a pond and a waterfall
  • Mt. Hope Park★★– 1 mile – Skirt the edges of fields, rivers, and beaver ponds in a short easy loop
  • River Park / Lynch Landing★– 1 mile – Boat launch for the Willimantic River and start point of the Willi River hiking trail
  • Sawmill Brook Preserve★★– 3 miles – Starting point of the Nipmuck West, excellent bird viewing platform with access to Wolf Rock
  • Schoolhouse Brook Park★★★– 8.5 miles — Large park with a variety of trails plus swimming, fishing, and mountain biking
  • Shelter Falls Park★★★– 2 miles – Easy trail to a tiny waterfall and sheltering rock, rough trails elsewhere
  • Simpson-Wood Preserve★★–  2 miles – Mansfield’s newest park is still under construction, but will soon be a great short hike
  • Southworth Preserve★– 1 mile – This tiny preserve now has a short trail that connects to Mansfield Hollow trail network
  • Torrey Preserve★★– 1 mile – A short loop trail just off the Nipmuck trail that follows a field edge and up a slope

Land Trust (All Joshua’s Trust)

  • Babcock Preserve★– .25 miles – I have not been able to locate the short trail here on any of my visits to Schoolhouse Brook
  • Bradley-Buchanan Woods★★– .5 miles – A short hike through a very rare geologic area in Connecticut called a kame terrace with connections to Mansfield Hollow
  • Coney Rock Preserve★★★– 5 miles – Steep climbs to a couple ridgeline overlooks
  • Dunham Woods★★– 1 mile – A short hike with seasonal views of Dunham Pond and connections to the town-owned Dunhamtown Woods
  • Goodwin Reserve★– .6 miles – A  unmaintained short hike that passes an interesting rock outcrop
  • Holt-Kinney Woods★★– .7 miles – A nice short addition to Schoolhouse Brook Park with a mysterious double stone wall
  • Knowlton Hill Preserve★★★– 2.5 miles – A glacial drumlin, majestic trees, and loop hike options
  • Lof Woodlands★★– .5 miles – Simple loop hike
  • Mason’s Mill Site★★– No trails – The site of a grist and saw mill that operated from at least 1778 to 1935
  • Owen’s Mere★★– .2 miles – A simple tiny loop around a man-made pond that beautiful in the fall
  • Pond Lot★– .25 miles – A shorty entryway to Echo Woods and Mansfield Hollow 
  • Whetten Woods★★★– 2.5 miles – A quiet hiking trail right next to Storrs UCONN
  • Wolf Rock Nature Preserve★★★★– A great overlook with a large glacial erratic with options for loop hikes or the Nipmuck trail in either direction

State Parks / Forest

  • Mansfield Hollow State Park★★★★★– 15 miles – A varied park that is popular for boating, picnics, and easy walks. There are long loop trails, nice views, and many sections to explore

Blue Blaze – Nipmuck Trail in Mansfield

  • Nipmuck Trail East Terminus★★★– 4 miles – This eastern section of Mansfield Hollow is much quieter yet has 2.28 miles of Nipmuck and plenty of trails with interesting features to discover including rare views along the lake
  • Nipmuck Trail West Terminus★★– 3 miles – An unassuming start at Sawmill Brook that has a short loop and connections to Wolf Rock
  • Fenton Tract★★★– 6 miles – Within easy distance of UCONN. From the slope of Horsebarn Hill explore down to the Fenton River and Nipmuck Trail
  • Nipmuck Trail Section Rt. 89★★– 3 miles – Iron bridges built in 1901 over the Fenton River with connections to other parks
  • Fifty Foot Cliff Preserve★★★– 1.5 miles – A steep climb from either direction of the Nipmuck trail to a great overlook or an easy walk from the Manchester Historical Society

The Rest

  • Codfish Falls★★– No trails – A small waterfall with an 8ft drop that bends through a small ravine (this area is private property)
  • UCONN HEEP★– 2.25 miles – A short gravel road with interpretive signs and overgrown forest trails of just over a mile with a great marsh viewing platform in this education park across from Shelter Falls
  • Hiking on the Willimantic River Trail [/expand]

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Mansfield, settled 1686; set off from Windham and incorporated Oct., 1702; named from Major Moses Mansfield. Originally called Ponde-town. Indian name, “Noubesetuck.”

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Now go out and explore Mansfield Storrs CT!

Baxter Road Open Space

★★☆☆☆

239 Baxter Rd, Storrs, CT 06268

Baxter Road Open Space Mansfield Town Park 54.54 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: Shoulder parking near 239 Baxter Rd, Storrs, CT Trail Map      Trails: 1.25…

Goodwin Reserve

★☆☆☆☆

41.763936, -72.236929

Dorothy Goodwin Reserve Joshua’s Trust 16 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: Shoulder parking near 27 89.5, Storrs, CT Trail Map       Trails: Less than a mile …

Bradley-Buchanan Woods

★★☆☆☆

41.768867, -72.192557

Bradley-Buchanan Woods / Pond Lot Joshua’s Trust 39 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: For Bradley-Buchanan: Shoulder parking past 14 Edgewood Ln Exd, Mansfield, Connecticut For Pond Lot:…

Owen’s Mere

★☆☆☆☆

41.795372, -72.258364

Owen’s Mere Joshua’s Trust 9 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: Shoulder parking near 220 S Eagleville Rd Storrs, CT Trail Map          Trails: 0.2…

Dunham Woods

★★☆☆☆

41.794244, -72.259767

Dunham Woods Joshua’s Trust 17 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: Shoulder parking near 255 S Eagleville Rd Storrs, CT Trail Map           Trails: Less…

Whetten Woods

★★☆☆☆

41.807737, -72.239070

Nate and Theora Whetten Woods Joshua’s Trust Property 37 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: At the Hope Lutheran Church near 62 Dog Ln, Storrs, CT Small lot… Read more…

Nipmuck: Chaffeeville Silk Mill

★★☆☆☆

41.806279, -72.216923

Nipmuck Trail: Chaffeeville Silk Mill Connecticut Blue Blaze Trail in Mansfield, CT Parking: North end – Shoulder parking near Gurleyville Gristmill or along Stonemill Rd, Storrs, CT… Read more…

Wolf Rock

★★★☆☆

41.758975, -72.213081

Wolf Rock Nature Preserve Joshua’s Trust 108.3 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: Shoulder parking near 62 Crane Hill Rd Storrs, CT Trail Map         …

Holt Kinney Woods

★★☆☆☆

41.764099, -72.206821

Holt-Kinney Woods Joshua’s Trust 21 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: Shoulder parking at 76 Browns Rd, Storrs, CT or from Schoolhouse Brook Park Trail Map     …

Knowlton Hill Preserve

★★☆☆☆

81 Knowlton Hill Rd, Storrs, CT 06268

Knowlton Hill Preserve Joshua’s Trust Land Trust 127 acres in Mansfield and Ashford, CT Parking: Small lot for three cars at 81 Knowlton Hill Rd, Storrs, CT Trail… Read more…