Author name: America's State Parks Editorial Team

America's State Parks is an independent online guide to the state parks of the United States. Our editorial team compiles and reviews each park profile from official state park agency sources and other primary references, and follows a published editorial and review methodology (see /editorial-review-methodology/). We update profiles and correct errors on an ongoing basis.

Nathan Hale State Forest (Connecticut)

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 (Connecticut)

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 (Connecticut)

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 (Connecticut)

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 (Connecticut)

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 (Connecticut)

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”

Ragged Rock Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆🏆 Traprock Ridge — Unique traprock (basalt) ridge habitat supporting rare plant species found nowhere else in Connecticut Ragged Rock

Robbins Swamp Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆🏆🏆 Giant Calcareous Swamp — One of CT’s largest inland wetlands — a rare calcareous fen supporting unique bog plants

Roger Tory Peterson Wildlife Area

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Father of Field Guides — Wildlife area honoring Roger Tory Peterson — creator of the modern field guide, born

Roraback Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆🏆 Litchfield Hills Habitat — Upland forest and wetland in the scenic Litchfield Hills Roraback Wildlife Management Area protects upland

Rose Hill Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆 Rural Habitat — Upland forest and open field habitat Rose Hill Wildlife Management Area provides a mix of upland

Ross Marsh Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆🏆 Marsh Habitat — Freshwater marsh with open water and emergent vegetation Ross Marsh Wildlife Management Area protects a freshwater

Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area (Connecticut)

Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 CT’s Wildlife Classroom — 455-acre outdoor wildlife education center — CT DEEP’s flagship environmental education facility Sessions Woods Wildlife

Simsbury Wildlife Management Area (Connecticut)

Simsbury Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆🏆 Farmington Valley — Wildlife habitat in Simsbury along the scenic Farmington River valley Simsbury Wildlife Management Area protects habitat

Suffield Wildlife Management Area (Connecticut)

Suffield Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆🏆 CT River Tobacco Country — Wildlife habitat in Suffield — Connecticut’s historic tobacco farming region Suffield Wildlife Management Area

Talbot Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆 Coastal Habitat — Coastal wildlife habitat near Long Island Sound Talbot Wildlife Management Area protects coastal habitat near Long

Tankerhoosen Wildlife Management Area (Connecticut)

Tankerhoosen Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆🏆 Urban Greenway — Riparian habitat along the Tankerhoosen River in Vernon — suburban wildlife corridor Tankerhoosen Wildlife Management Area

Tunxis State Forest

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 CT’s Largest State Forest — 14,000+ acres spanning 6 towns — Connecticut’s largest state forest with Blue-Blazed trails Tunxis

Wopowog Wildlife Management Area (Connecticut)

Wopowog Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆🏆 Mixed Habitat — Diverse habitat with forest, field, and wetland in central Connecticut Wopowog Wildlife Management Area provides a

Wyantenock State Forest

🏆🏆🏆🏆 Appalachian Trail Forest — 2,100-acre state forest traversed by the Appalachian Trail in the Litchfield Hills Wyantenock State Forest

Zemko Pond Wildlife Management Area

🏆🏆🏆 Pond & Wetland — Pond-centered wetland habitat supporting waterfowl and amphibians Zemko Pond Wildlife Management Area protects pond and

Camp Ripley/Veterans State Trail (Minnesota)

Camp Ripley/Veterans State Trail

🏆🏆🏆 Military Heritage Trail — Multi-use trail connecting Camp Ripley military base to Brainerd Lakes area Camp Ripley/Veterans State Trail

Caribou Falls State Wayside (Minnesota)

Caribou Falls State Wayside

🏆🏆🏆🏆 North Shore Waterfall — Stunning 50-foot cascade on the Caribou River along Lake Superior’s North Shore Caribou Falls State

Casey Jones State Trail

🏆🏆🏆 Railroad Heritage Trail — Rail trail named for the legendary railroad engineer Casey Jones Casey Jones State Trail is

Central Lakes State Trail

🏆🏆🏆🏆 Minnesota’s Premier Rail Trail — 55-mile paved trail through the lake country of central Minnesota from Fergus Falls to

Des Moines River Valley State Trail

🏆🏆🏆 Prairie River Trail — Multi-use trail along the Des Moines River through southwestern Minnesota prairie Des Moines River Valley

Devils Track Falls State Wayside

🏆🏆🏆🏆 North Shore Hidden Gem — Dramatic cascade waterfall on Devils Track River — one of the North Shore’s most

Flood Bay State Wayside (Minnesota)

Flood Bay State Wayside

🏆🏆🏆 Lake Superior Beach — Sandy beach wayside on Lake Superior’s North Shore near Two Harbors Flood Bay State Wayside

Garvin Heights State Park

🏆🏆🏆🏆 Mississippi Bluff Views — 76-acre hilltop park with 500-foot bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River at Winona Garvin Heights State

Gateway State Trail (Minnesota)

Gateway State Trail

🏆🏆🏆🏆 Twin Cities Urban Trail — Popular 18-mile paved trail from St. Paul to Stillwater through suburban woodlands Gateway State

Gitchi-Gami State Trail (Minnesota)

Gitchi-Gami State Trail

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Lake Superior Shoreline Trail — Epic 89-mile paved trail along the North Shore from Two Harbors to Grand Marais

Goodhue Pioneer State Trail (Minnesota)

Goodhue Pioneer State Trail

🏆🏆🏆 Bluffland Pioneer Trail — Rail trail through the driftless blufflands of Goodhue County Goodhue Pioneer State Trail runs through

Great River Ridge State Trail

🏆🏆🏆 Bluffland Rail Trail — Scenic trail through the Mississippi River blufflands of Southeast Minnesota Great River Ridge State Trail

Heartland State Trail (Minnesota)

Heartland State Trail

🏆🏆🏆🏆 Minnesota’s Flagship Trail — 49-mile paved trail through the lake country and forests of the Brainerd Lakes region Heartland

Horace Austin State Park (Minnesota)

Horace Austin State Park

🏆🏆🏆 Austin City Park — Historic 44-acre park in Austin, home of SPAM and Hormel Horace Austin State Park is

Inspiration Peak State Wayside (Minnesota)

Inspiration Peak State Wayside

🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆 Minnesota’s Most Famous View — Legendary hilltop panorama that inspired Sinclair Lewis — 360° view across the glacial prairie

Scroll to Top