Topsmead State Forest

Quite possibly the most beautiful estate grounds in Connecticut. Lots of families and folks with dogs, as well as signs of horses on the trail. Some of the trails were overgrown, but they were still hike-able and runnable. I was there on a late Saturday evening and it was still busy. Overall I got about 3 miles of running by hitting most (if not all) of the trails.

Are you a nature lover? Then this place is for you. It is having scenic walking trails that wind through grassy fields, making it a great spot for picnics and immersing yourself in nature. The calm and peaceful vibe is perfect for unwinding. Grassy meadows will help you revive and also give you beautiful photos. Saw lines of cherry trees , must be a place to visit in cherry blossoms. Saw a lot of butterflies too.. Overall, a place for refreshment in the nature.. There were warning signs for wild bear. So, be-aware and go in groups.

Beautiful little park with well maintained trails. Great for small hikes with families as well as slightly longer hikes in the woods. Beautiful grounds and gardens. Dog friendly Park.

What a wonderful serene place to wander about and relax! This was a delightful gem. The hiking is easy even on the very hot day we were here.

Beautiful place. Great for family picnics, walking. You can bring your pets as long as they are on a leash. Awesome for picture taking, nature is your back drop

A quietly hidden little park with vast fields and groomed paths to enjoy long strolls!

Beautiful well kept place for a walk, picnic, pictures...or just to be outside w/nature

Beautiful place for photos and a picnic

A warm, English-Tudor style cottage built in the 1920s on the top of a meadow surrounded by gardens. Fields filled with birds, butterflies and dragonflies. I wish I could describe it better... I'm not going to, because I'm tired. I guess you can always just look at the photos. Unless you decide to actually go and experience it for yourself. Either way...

Since moving to CT, we discovered a great program that gives a little incentive for visiting a number of CT state parks, the DEEP Sky's The Limit Program. In 2017, Topsmead was among the parks listed, so we decided to go give it a visit. Winter was not the best time to visit, and it's hard to give it a really good/fair rating. The main farmhouse area was closed for the season, and the weather wasn't really great for hiking. It would be a great spot for cross country skiing in the winter, though. The outstanding negative at the time of our visit were the state of the toilets. They're pit toilets, which is fine, but they were not dug at all deeply, and if not for the freezing weather, I can imagine it would be rather unpleasantly fragrant. We'll definitely be visiting again and reevaluating at some point.

Really beautiful grounds and especially enjoyed the butterfly garden. The Chase estate is beautiful inside and outside and I appreciate that they give tours. However, I felt our tour guide was a little long winded. I had an episode where my blood sugar fell from standing too long and had to leave the tour early, but we were an hour in. The house isn't that big and I don't believe the tour should be longer than an hour. This is a great place for a picnic and I noticed someone having a photoshoot there as well. A very peaceful and scenic part of Litchfield that should be checked out.

This park is beautiful, a great place to walk my active dog AND break in my new Vivofit. There's lot of open space for picnics, and although it's a little damp with all the snow melting there were lots of trails to walk on. Even though there was always a person within our sights, it was very quiet and peaceful. My dog, who believes everyone wants to be and will be his friend, wore himself out trying to find them all. We found two porta-potties stocked with toilet paper, and supposedly there's a flush toilet somewhere but I saw no evidence of that. There are tours of the cute little cottage on site beginning in June on the second and fourth weekends of the month, which I am very excited for. It used to be someone's summer home, and it looks straight out of a fairy tale.

This is a hidden treasure in the heart of East Litchfield. Lots of walking traits and cross country skiing paths. Bring the dogs( on leashes) and a picnic for bird watching and stay for a beautiful sunset!