Quinnipiac River Marsh Wildlife Management Area
🏆 River Marsh — Tidal marsh on the Quinnipiac River — critical habitat in the heart of CT’s most urbanized
Ragged Rock Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Traprock Ridge — Unique traprock (basalt) ridge habitat supporting rare plant species found nowhere else in Connecticut Ragged Rock
Raymond Brook Marsh Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Inland Marsh — Freshwater marsh along Raymond Brook providing breeding habitat for marsh birds Raymond Brook Marsh Wildlife Management
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
🏆 CT’s Wildlife Classroom — 455-acre outdoor wildlife education center — CT DEEP’s flagship environmental education facility Sessions Woods Wildlife
Simsbury Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Farmington Valley — Wildlife habitat in Simsbury along the scenic Farmington River valley Simsbury Wildlife Management Area protects habitat
Skiff Mountain Coop Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Northwest Corner Summit — Cooperative WMA on Skiff Mountain in the Northwest Corner — CT’s most remote and beautiful
Stanley Works Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Corporate Conservation — WMA donated by Stanley Works — the iconic tool company based in New Britain, CT Stanley
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
🏆 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
Wangunk Meadows Wildlife Management Area
🏆 CT River Meadows — Floodplain meadows named for the Wangunk tribe — one of CT’s most important migratory bird
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
Birch Cooley Battle Field State Memorial Park
🏆 U.S.-Dakota War Memorial — Site of the decisive 1862 Battle of Birch Coulee — deadliest engagement in the U.S.-Dakota
Blufflands State Trail: Harmony-Preston Valley Segment
🏆 Blufflands Bike Trail — Scenic paved trail through the driftless blufflands of Southeast Minnesota connecting Harmony and Preston The
Camp Release State Memorial Wayside
🏆 Dakota Surrender Site — Where 269 Dakota people surrendered in 1862, ending the U.S.-Dakota War Camp Release State Memorial
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
🏆 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
🏆 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
🏆 Twin Cities Urban Trail — Popular 18-mile paved trail from St. Paul to Stillwater through suburban woodlands Gateway State
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
🏆 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’s Flagship Trail — 49-mile paved trail through the lake country and forests of the Brainerd Lakes region Heartland
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’s Most Famous View — Legendary hilltop panorama that inspired Sinclair Lewis — 360° view across the glacial prairie
Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area
🏆 Iron Range OHV Paradise — 3,500-acre off-road vehicle park on reclaimed mine land on the Mesabi Iron Range Iron
Joseph R. Brown State Wayside
🏆 Minnesota River Valley — Scenic wayside overlooking the Minnesota River Valley near New Ulm Joseph R. Brown State Wayside
Kadunce River State Wayside
🏆 North Shore Canyon — Dramatic slot canyon and waterfalls on the Kadunce River — one of the North Shore’s
Kaplan Woods State Park
🏆 Owatonna Forest — 98-acre urban forest park in Owatonna with mature hardwoods Kaplan Woods State Park protects 98 acres
Little Elbow Lake State Park
🏆 Prairie Lakes — 230-acre park on Little Elbow Lake in the prairie pothole region Little Elbow Lake State Park
Luce Line State Trail
🏆 Twin Cities to Prairie — 63-mile trail from the Twin Cities west through forests, prairies, and lake country to
Mill Towns State Trail
🏆 River Heritage Trail — Trail connecting historic mill towns along the Cannon River Mill Towns State Trail connects the
Minnesota River State Trail
🏆 Big River Trail — Multi-use trail along the Minnesota River through the broad glacial river valley Minnesota River State
Mississippi Blufflands State Trail
🏆 Great River Bluffs — Trail along the dramatic Mississippi River bluffs of southeast Minnesota Mississippi Blufflands State Trail winds
Douglas State Trail
🏆 Rochester Rail Trail — 12.5-mile paved trail from Rochester to Pine Island through farm country Douglas State Trail is
North Shore State Trail
🏆 Official Guide: C.J. Ramstad / North Shore State Trail — A 146-mile premier snowmobile corridor connecting Duluth to Grand
Old Crossing Treaty Historic Wayside
🏆 Ojibwe-U.S. Treaty Site — Site of the 1863 Old Crossing Treaty between the U.S. and Red Lake & Pembina