Wendell State Forest
🏆 Off-Grid Forest — 7,566-acre forest in one of MA’s most remote towns — hippie communes, off-grid living, and old-growth
Weymouth Back River Reservation
🏆 South Shore Greenway — Tidal river reservation along the Back River in Weymouth Weymouth Back River Reservation protects tidal
Windsor State Forest
🏆 Windigo Falls! — 1,626-acre forest with the spectacular Windsor Jambs gorge — 80-foot cascade through a narrow granite chasm
Winthrop Shore Reservation
🏆 Boston Harbor Beach — 1.5-mile beachfront promenade in Winthrop with Boston skyline views across the harbor Winthrop Shore Reservation
Assekonk Swamp Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Eastern CT Wetland — 570-acre freshwater swamp habitat in the Connecticut woodlands Assekonk Swamp Wildlife Management Area protects 570
Barber Pond Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Wooded Wetland — Forested wetland habitat with pond and upland woodland in Stafford Barber Pond Wildlife Management Area encompasses
Bartlett Brook Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Rural Woodland — Upland forest and brook habitat in rural eastern Connecticut Bartlett Brook Wildlife Management Area protects upland
Bear Hill Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Upland Forest — Forested upland wildlife habitat in the Connecticut hills Bear Hill Wildlife Management Area protects upland hardwood
Becket Hill State Park Reserve
🏆 Undeveloped Reserve — State park reserve in Lyme protecting coastal forest and wetlands for future development Becket Hill State
Belding Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Farmington Valley Wetland — Wetland and upland habitat along the Farmington River corridor Belding Wildlife Management Area protects wetland
Bishops Swamp Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Coastal Swamp — Forested swamp in Connecticut’s coastal lowlands Bishops Swamp Wildlife Management Area protects a forested swamp in
Black Pond Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Forest Pond Habitat — Secluded woodland pond and surrounding forest in Meriden Black Pond Wildlife Management Area protects a
Burlington Trout Hatchery
🏆 Connecticut’s Trout Factory — State fish hatchery producing 500,000+ trout annually to stock Connecticut’s rivers and lakes Burlington Trout
Candlewood Hill Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Upland Woodland — Forested hillside wildlife habitat in New Fairfield near Candlewood Lake Candlewood Hill Wildlife Management Area protects
Cedar Swamp Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Ancient Swamp — Atlantic white cedar swamp — one of Connecticut’s rarest wetland types Cedar Swamp Wildlife Management Area
Charles E. Wheeler Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Long Island Sound Marsh — 800+ acre salt marsh on Long Island Sound — critical stopover for migratory shorebirds
Charter Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary
🏆 Freshwater Marsh — Freshwater marsh sanctuary along the Connecticut River Charter Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary protects a freshwater marsh system
Cromwell Meadows Wildlife Management Area
🏆 River Meadows — Floodplain meadows along the Connecticut River near Cromwell Cromwell Meadows Wildlife Management Area protects floodplain meadows
Durham Meadows Wildlife Management Area
🏆 River Meadows — Floodplain meadows along the Coginchaug River — important grassland bird habitat Durham Meadows Wildlife Management Area
East Swamp Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Freshwater Swamp — Forested swamp habitat in central Connecticut East Swamp Wildlife Management Area protects freshwater forested swamp in
Eightmile River Wildlife Management Area
🏆 National Wild & Scenic River — Pristine river corridor on the Eightmile River — one of only 2 National
Franklin Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Quiet Corner Woodland — Upland forest habitat in Connecticut’s rural northeastern hills Franklin Wildlife Management Area protects upland forest
Goshen Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Litchfield Hills Wetland — Upland swamp and forest in the scenic Litchfield Hills of northwest CT Goshen Wildlife Management
Great Harbor Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Coastal Wetland — Tidal wetland habitat on Long Island Sound Great Harbor Wildlife Management Area protects tidal wetland and
Higganum Meadows Wildlife Management Area
🏆 CT River Floodplain — Connecticut River floodplain meadows near Higganum with migratory waterfowl Higganum Meadows Wildlife Management Area protects
Housatonic River Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Major River Corridor Housatonic River Wildlife Management Area protects habitat along the Housatonic River — Connecticut’s second-longest river (149
James V. Spignesi Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Woodland Habitat James V. Spignesi Wildlife Management Area provides upland forest habitat for hunting and wildlife observation. The mixed
King’s Island Coop Wildlife Management Area
🏆 CT River Island King’s Island Coop Wildlife Management Area protects a Connecticut River island — one of the unique
Kollar Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Forest Habitat Kollar Wildlife Management Area protects forested upland in Connecticut, providing habitat for deer, turkey, and migratory songbirds.
Larson Lot Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Rural Woodland Larson Lot Wildlife Management Area provides upland forest habitat in Connecticut. These smaller WMAs are critical pieces
Lord’s Cove Wildlife Management Area
🏆 CT River Tidal Marsh Lord’s Cove Wildlife Management Area protects a major tidal marsh at the mouth of the
Maromas Coop Wildlife Management Area
🏆 River Floodplain Maromas Coop Wildlife Management Area protects floodplain habitat along the Connecticut River near Middletown. The cooperative WMA
Meadow Brook Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Brook Habitat — Riparian wetland and meadow along a meandering brook Meadow Brook Wildlife Management Area protects riparian wetland
Menunketesuck Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Shoreline Estuary — Tidal estuary on the Menunketesuck River emptying into Long Island Sound — prime salt marsh habitat
Messerschmidt Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Rural Habitat — Upland forest and wetland in rural Connecticut Messerschmidt Wildlife Management Area provides upland forest and wetland
Minnie Island State Park
🏆 CT River Island — State park on a Connecticut River island — accessible only by boat! Minnie Island State
Mohegan State Forest
🏆 Mohegan Tribal Land — State forest on ancestral Mohegan tribal territory in eastern Connecticut Mohegan State Forest covers ancestral
Moosup Valley State Park Trail
🏆 Rail Trail — 12-mile rail trail through the Moosup River valley in eastern CT’s Quiet Corner Moosup Valley State
Nathan Hale State Forest
🏆 America’s First Spy — State forest named for Captain Nathan Hale — America’s first spy, hanged by the British
Nathaniel Lyon Memorial State Park
🏆 First Union General Killed — Memorial to General Nathaniel Lyon — the first Union general killed in the Civil
Naugatuck State Forest
🏆 Industrial Valley Forest — 5,064-acre state forest spanning the Naugatuck River valley — CT’s industrial heartland turned recreation area
Nehantic State Forest
🏆 Coastal Forest — 6,000+ acre state forest near the Connecticut coast — one of CT’s largest protected areas Nehantic
Newgate Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Historic Mining — Wildlife area near Old Newgate Prison — America’s first copper mine (1707) and prison Newgate Wildlife
Nipmuck State Forest
🏆 Blue-Blazed Trail System — 9,000-acre state forest on the Nipmuck Trail — part of CT’s famous Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail
Nod Brook Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Brook Wetland — Wetland and riparian habitat along Nod Brook Nod Brook Wildlife Management Area protects wetland and riparian
Nott Island Wildlife Management Area
🏆 River Island Sanctuary — 70-acre island in the Connecticut River — critical nesting habitat for bald eagles and herons
Paugnut State Forest
🏆 Litchfield Hills Forest — Scenic state forest in the Litchfield Hills with hiking and fishing Paugnut State Forest covers
Pease Brook Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Brook Habitat — Riparian habitat along Pease Brook in Connecticut Pease Brook Wildlife Management Area protects riparian habitat along
Plum Bank Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Coastal Marsh — Salt marsh habitat along Long Island Sound’s shoreline Plum Bank Wildlife Management Area protects salt marsh
Quinebaug River Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Scenic River Corridor — Habitat along the Quinebaug River — a National Heritage Corridor called “The Last Green Valley”