Open Space Hiking Trails

All Conservation Areas: Closed from Sunset to Sunrise.

The Commission has developed a comprehensive listing of all the Tolland Connecticut Hiking Trails. This document states the property name, acreage, and all of its trails. For each trail, there is information regarding its type (loop/linear/connector), marking color, mileage, difficulty rating, and features. This is a great overall reference for hiking in Tolland. Maybe you can hike all of the trails!

The letters on the map correspond to the list of properties that follow the map.  Please feel free to email us with questions or comments. 

A) Auperin Conservation Area

28 acres on westerly side of Weigold Road near Coventry town line. Trail access through the Weigold property. Benches provide views from a knoll. (GPS 41.83776,-72.36124)

B) Baxter Street Conservation Area

25 acres on easterly side of Baxter Street, just north of the Valley View Cemetery and a Public Works area. The 2.5 acres of wetlands that surround the brook will be left in its natural state. There is an old woods road, which is the trail, that runs across the property in an east/west direction. (GPS 41.839881,-72.335318)

C) Becker Conservation Area at River Park

28.5 acres along the Willimantic River just to the north of River Park. There is 1,200 feet of river frontage with a steep ridge paralleling the river at the northern section. Most of the land is covered by a mature White Pine forest mixed with some oaks. Near the southern end of the forested portion is an interesting natural amphitheater. (GPS 41.861779,-72.307724)

D) Campbell Peaceful Valley Conservation Area

70 acres on Hunter Road overlooking the “Peaceful Valley”. Trails connect with Stoppleworth property to the north. There are 1.5 miles of trails including a unique bluff and rock outcrop. The ridge trail gives views of the farm area with its open pasture and brook. The exposed ridge line is a remnant of a historic fault line. (GPS 41.90791,-72.38540)

E) Crystal Peat Conservation Area

30.5 acres at the northern part of Cook Road. The terrain of the land is very flat with wetlands. In the middle of the property, there is a pond surrounded by heavy undergrowth. Brooks Brook starts on this property and flows south, joining the Skungamaug River. This property was used many years ago to produce peat. There remains a tall shipping wall and two rectangular foundations. (GPS 41.913372,-72.356865)

F) King Riverside Conservation Area

173 acres with 30 acres of public access on Dimock Road (off of 195). There are 1.2 miles of trails following the riverbank of the Willimantic River. The northern section has a beautiful grove of mountain laurel. A newly-constructed bridge takes a hiker over Newcomb Brook and on to Fox Ridge Lane. (GPS 41.83767,-72.31231)

G) Knofla Conservation Area

138 acres on both the north and south sides of Bakos Road just east of Hunter Road. There are 2.6 miles of trails including a loop trail, a connector trail to Campbell, a short trail to a 15 acre bog, and a trail to a beautiful pond with dam. (GPS 41.90484,-72.38196)

H) C. W. Luce Conservation Area

83 acres accessed from Susan Drive. Hardwood forest mixed with white pine and including a wooded swamp, wetlands, and an area of outcrop ledges. Charter Brook, a tributary to the Skungamaug River, runs through the property. (GPS 41.88941,-72.35120)

I) Nedwied Conservation Area

15 acres off Fox Ridge Lane connecting with King to south.  Many stone walls and views of Newcomb Brook. (GPS 41.8501964,-72.3127154)

J) Palmer Kendall Mountain Conservation Area

74 acres off Kendall Mountain Road, between Sugar Hill Road and Cook Road. Contains the top of Kendall Mountain with sweeping views, a winding brook, a rock quarry and dense Mountain Laurel thickets. (GPS 41.91516,-72.36272)

K) John & Mary Parciak Conservation Area

60 acres with access from Bald Hill Road and Burbank Road. There are 2.8 miles of trails to a quartz rock and a meteor rock. It is the highest point in Tolland with great winter views to the south. (GPS 41.88740,-72.38012)

L) Sage Meadow Conservation Area

22 acres off Sage Meadow Drive, easement with Joshua’s Trust. No trails but can visit meadow anytime except spring nesting season. Most of the property is an open wetlands meadow divided by Clough Brook. (GPS 41.88197,-72.36326)

M) Schindler/Schmidt Conservation Area

123 acres off Sugar Hill Road just south of Bakos Road. There are 3.8 miles of trails including a ring trail, a ridge trail that scales a rocky outcrop, and a connector trail to Kendall Mountain Road which allows access to the Palmer property. It is the headwater to Charter Marsh and contains dense forest with bogs, caves, and rocky outcrops. (GPS 41.90340,-72.36973)

N) Shafran Conservation Area

65 acres off Eaton Road just west of Willie Circle. There are 1.4 miles of trails with 2 ponds. Property is bisected by Cemetery Brook. (GPS 41.89325,-72.40728)

O) Stoppleworth Conservation Area

55 acres off Hunter Road. Trails connect with Campbell property to the south. There are 1.2 miles of trails with many stream crossings. Mostly woodland with wetlands and uplands. Contains the historic Aborn Homestead cellar hole. (GPS 41.91097,-72.38338)

P) John H. Weigold Conservation Area

33 acres on westerly side of Weigold Road near Coventry town line. 1.0 miles of trail connects with Tobiassen Memorial Forest (Joshua’s Trust) and Summerwood Ridge. Contains remains of old mill pond with dam by the side of the road, a brook, vernal pools, and a ledge rising 70 feet above the brook. (GPS 41.83565,-72.35986)

Other Areas:

Venture Crew 422 has cleared and marked the trails at the Benton Homestead on Metcalf Road. 
The Parks and Recreation Department has hiking trails at Crandall Park on Cider Mill Road, Heron Cove Park on South River Road, and Cross Farms Recreation Area on Rhodes Road.
Joshua’s Trust preserves the Tobiassen Memorial Forest at the end of Noah Lane.

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