| Aldrich Park (Click for printable map) Acres: 65 Time, Minutes: 120 Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Some steep sections. Features: Woodland trails with many outcroppings of ledge, bolder fields, glacial erratics and stone walls. The Orange Trail is an easy, short walk alongside a stream and wetlands. Parking/Trail Entrance: At the southern end of the park on New Road, near the junction with Farmingville Road. Back To TOC |
Parking Area and Entrance to Aldrich Park |
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| Barrack Hill Refuge (Click for printable map) Acres: 9 Time, Minutes: 20 Difficulty: Easy Features:. Mica, quartz and feldspar fragments can be found around the old Titicus Mica Quarry on the site Parking/Trail Entrance: At the cul-de-sac at the end of Settler's Lane. Also trail access on Barrack Hill Road. Back To TOC |
Old Titicus Mica Quarry in Barrack Hill Refuge |
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| Bennett's Pond (Click for printable map) Acres: 440 Time, Minutes: 150 to 180 Difficulty: Easy in low section, steep grade in climb to Pine Mountain Features: Beautiful large pond, wildlife, connects with Pine Mountain. The Bennett's Pond property is part of the Connecticut State Park system. It is also the southern terminus of the extensive Ives Trail system still under development Parking/Trail Entrance: Large parking corral on north side of Bennett's Farm Road approximately 3/4 mile from Route 7. Back To TOC |
Looking Across Bennett's Pond from SW Side |
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| Bobby's Court/Topstone Preserve (Click for printable map) Acres: 34 (Bobby's) and 9 (Topstone) Time, Minutes: 60(Bobby's) and 90 (Topstone) Difficulty: Easy to moderate (Bobby's) and difficult (Topstone) Features: Bobby's has a fairly steep, wooded trail to start, then becomes flat. Topstone has a low wetlands area followed by a steep, difficult slope to the top. Parking/Trail Entrance: Park on the east side shoulder of Route 7 north of Topstone Road marked by a wooden sign at the trail entrance. There is another trail entrance on the left side of Topstone Road. Back To TOC |
Wooded Area of Bobby's Court |
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| Blacksmith Ridge (Click for printable map) Acres: 15 Time, Minutes: 80 Difficulty: Generally difficult Features: Beautiful woodland pool at the south end. A variety of trees and wetlands throughout. Parking/Trail Entrance: Three choices: 1) cul-de-sac on Blacksmith Ridge Road; 2) road shoulder on Woodcock Lane and 3) side of road at mailbox #184 on Peaceable Ridge Road Back To TOC |
Trail Entrance Near Woodcock Lane |
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Brewster Farm/Jones Trail (Click for printable map) Acres: 103 Time, Minutes: 60 Difficulty: Easy in west section, Some short climbs in east section. Features: Wetlands woods trail, views of farm area. The town of Ridgefield has a Conservation Easement on the Brewster Farm. Hikers must keep within the areas marked by the Jones Trail. The farm fields and buildings are not for public access. Parking/Trail Entrance: Cul-de-sac at north end of Lounsbury Lane Back To TOC |
Trail Section: Unpaved Section of Lounsbury Lane |
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| Florida Refuge (Click for printable map) Acres: 63 Time, Minutes: 90 Difficulty: Moderate with some hills. Features: Wetlands trails via bridges and walkways. Large boulders, overlooks, attractive picnicking sites. Two Parking Choices: 1) Shoulder on west side of Florida Road near trail head and 2) shoulder on south side of Florida Hill Rd near mailbox #160 and trailhead. Three Trail Entrances: 1) West Side of Florida Road near house no. 234, 2) entrance on south Side of Florida Hill Road near house #160 and 3) further down near house #216. Back To TOC |
Pond in Florida Refuge |
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| Hemlock Hills/Lake Windwing (Click for printable map) Acres: 421 Time, Minutes: 150 Difficulty: Easy to difficult Features: Wide variety of trails with trees, bushes and wildflowers. Deep, picturesque gorge near Pine Mountain entrance Parking/Trail Entrance: Ample parking on the property and trail entrances at North Shore Drive, Ned's Mountain Rd., South Shore Drive ball field, and Pine Mountain Road. Back To TOC |
Ravine in Near Pine Mountain Side of Hemlock Hills |
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| John Soluri Preserve (Click for printable map) Acres: 46 Time, Minutes: 45 Difficulty: Easy Features: Former Outpost Nursery property has a wide variety of trees. Parking/Trail Entrance: Dead end at Linden Road, parking for one car. Driveway for Aquarion Company pumping station off Norrans Ridge Drive has parking for two cars on shoulder (shown in the picture at the right). Feel free to walk, but do not drive beyond the wooden gate. Back To TOC |
Parking for Two Cars and Trail Entrance, Right |
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| Kiah's Brook Refuge/Titicus Preserve (Click for printable map) Acres: 43 (total) Time, Minutes: 60 (combined system) Difficulty: Easy Features: Trail follows Titicus River with views of a swamp and brook. The northern end is mostly forest. Parking/Trail Entrance: Park in the lot between Scotland and Barlow Mtn. Schools for access to the red and yellow trails there. Or park close to the Barlow Mtn. School play area to enter the other end of the trail system there. There's also access from Barlow Mtn. Road. Back To TOC |
Heading Toward Ledges Road on the Yellow Trail |
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| Levy Park (Click for printable map) Acres: 46 Time, Minutes: 40 Difficulty: Generally moderate except for the Settler's Lane segment, which is long and steep. Features: Variety of terrain--meadow, woodland, wetland and stream. Parking/Trail Entrance: Parking corral for two cars on Barrack Hill Road. Space on cul-de-sac at the end of Settler's Lane. Trail entrances near these parking areas. Back To TOC |
Rock Outcrop on Yellow Trail |
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| Mar-Joy Pond/Casey Lane (Click for printable map) Acres: 45 Time, Minutes: 45 Difficulty: Easy in Casey Lane section, difficult in Mar-Joy Pond section Features: Pegmatite mine remains, mountain laurel, spring wildflowers and waterfall on trail to Marjoy Pond Parking/Trail Entrance: Old quarry site at the end of Casey Lane The Mar-Joy Pond area has no developed trails beyond access to the pond Back To TOC |
Looking South Across Mar-Joy Pond |
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| Norwalk River Environmental Study Area Acres: 9 Time, Minutes: 30 Difficulty: Easy Features: Picturesque Norwalk River pond, woodland and wetland trails. Parking/Trail Entrance: East side of Route 7 just north of Simpaug Turnpike and on the north side of Simpaug Turnpike Back To TOC |
Wetlands Bounded by Stone Outcropping |
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| Old Spectacle Lane Acres: 4 Time, Minutes: 40 Difficulty: Easy to moderate Features: Spring wildflowers and stone walls Parking/Trail Entrance: Long, wide shoulder on Wilton Road West--eastern side. The trail entrance is at the southern end of this shoulder. Back To TOC |
Beginning of Trail Near Wilton Road West |
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| Peaceable Refuge (Click for printable map) Acres: 16 Time, Minutes: 30 Difficulty: Easy Features: Ferns, birds and wildflowers Parking/Trail Entrance Cul-de-sac on Revere Drive Back To TOC |
Looking South Toward Peaceable Street |
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| Peterson Gorge/Ridgebury Slope (Click for printable map) Acres: 16 (Peterson), 14 (Ridgebury) Time, Minutes: 30 (each) Difficulty: Fairly easy (both) Features: These trails are connected. Between them they have streams, wetlands, and forested areas. Parking/Trail Entrance: Park at the cul-de-sac at the end of Partridge Drive or Virginia Court. Second choice: Park in the Ridgebury School parking lot and walk to the south end of the school grasslands for entrance to the junction of these trails. Third choice: The north end of the school property has an entrance to the north end of the Peterson Gorge trail. Back To TOC |
Snake Lake Wetlands in Peterson Gorge |
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| Pine Mountain (Click for printable map) Acres: 368 Time, Minutes: 120 Difficulty: Difficult, with steep sections over rocks. Links with Hemlock Hills and Bennett's Pond to comprise an all-day hik. Features: Mountain laurel, remains of Charles Ives' picnic fireplace, panoramic overlooks from his cottage site including a view of Long Island Sound. Parking: Five-car area at the trail head at the end of Pine Mountain Road. Trail Entrance: Across from the parking area. Back To TOC |
Scenic Overlook |
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| Prospect Ridge Acres: 34 Time, Minutes: 30 Difficulty: Easy Features: Woods and wetlands. Parking: At the skating rink on Prospect Ridge. Trail Entrance: Walk from the parking lot and along the southern edge of the outdoor field to arrive at the trail entrance. Back To TOC |
Open Woodland Section |
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| Pumping Station Road Acres: 16 Time, Minutes: 30 Difficulty: Easy to moderately easy Features: Wetlands sections and woods with a wide variety of vegetation and animals. Parking/Trail Entrance: Parking and trail entrance at road shoulder which is about 200 feet north of the small bridge on Pumping Station Road. Back To TOC |
Trail Section with Woods and Wetlands |
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| Remington Woods (Click for printable map) Acres: 26 Time, Minutes: 30 Difficulty: Easy Features: Meadow, wetlands, and forested area. Parking: At the cul-de-sac at the end of Oak Knoll Road Trail Entrance: On the left (west)side of the cul-de-sac or on the east side of the road just before the cul-de-sac Back To TOC |
Remington Woods near Barry Ave |
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| Richardson Park Acres: 29 Time, Minutes: 40 Difficulty: Easy Features: Easy paths and hiking trails; views of Lake Mamanasco; picnic facilities Street Location: West Mountain Road across from Ridgefield High School Parking: Large parking area at the end of the entrance driveway Back To TOC |
View of Lake Mamanasco from Richardson Park |
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| Sarah Bishop (Click for printable map) Acres: 39 Time, Minutes: 30 Difficulty: Easy Features: Deserted railroad bed, wetlands Parking: Left side of Sarah Bishop Road near trail sign or at the cul-de-sac at end of road Trail Entrance: Road shoulder on Sarah Bishop Rd. Back To TOC |
Looking West on the Old Railroad Bed |
