Explore East Haddam, CT

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
  • Town Beach Preserve – Map Link – Unexplored
  • 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