Hartland, CT

Here is a map showing the protected open space in Hartland.  The vast majority of this land is owned by the Metropolitan District Commision (the land around the reservoir) and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (Tunxis State Forest).

Tunxis State Forest - DEEP does not seem to have a page for this forest other than a letterbox page. The following trails are within Tunxis State Forest.
CFPA Tunxis Trail (interactive map) - I'm not the biggest fan of the interactive map.  I do recommend using the CT Walkbook, but you almost need two - the 20th Edition printed in 2017 and the East and West books printed in 2005/6.  The detailed trail descriptions have been removed in the 2017 Edition.
Another resource for this area is OpenStreetMap.  Parking at the northern terminus of the trail is either in Massachusetts (according to CFPA) or you can park in a little lot at the end of the paved East Pell Road.  I do not recommend traveling by car on Pell Road.
There is also a campsite at Hurricane Brook.  Here is the page listing the campsites and how to apply for a permit.
CFPA Falls Brook Trail (see interactive map above) OpenStreetMap  - Steve Wood also offers a good description of his hike there.  More information on New England Waterfalls.

Horace Clark Woods maintained by the New England Forestry Foundation.  I recently (May 2020) went up to check these trails out.  Unfortunately, it does not look like they have been maintained.  I can see blazes on the trees, but no real trails.

Windsor, CT

This map from the University of Connecticut shows the protected open space in Windsor as of 2011.


Northwest Park (trail map) - Owned by the town of Windsor, this is a fabulous park with miles of hiking trails, a nature center, animal barn, playground, tobacco museum, and playing fields.  See also Friends of Northwest Park.

Matianuck Natural Area Preserve - See the OpenStreetMap of the area.  This place sounds fascinating.  Read David Reik's account of his visit.

Windsor Meadows State Park (trail map) - I think you can probably pass on this one.  See Steve Wood's post here.

Bloomfield, CT

This map from the University of Connecticut shows the protected open space in Bloomfield as of 2011.


Wintonbury Land Trust - Several trails listed. 
Speer Trail connects to MDC Trails and to the Metacomet Trail in Talcott Mountain State Park.
Hawk Hill White Trail offers fantastic views of Hartford and also connects to Bloomfield's LaSalette Open Space.
Stout Family Fields Trail leads into Penwood State Park.  These Trails are used during the annual Over The Mountain hike that Wintonbury Land Trust and Simsbury Land Trust do together.  On the Simsbury side, you come out on Tanager Hill.  You can view all the trails and how they connect on this OpenStreetMap.


Auerfarm State Park - at this point, there is no trail map, but it is pretty easy to figure out.  Here is the OpenStreetMap that shows the trails.  Park as indicated across from Cider Hill Road.  At the end of Cider Hill Road you may be able to see Hartford, depending on the growth.  There used to be some old cabins up there, but last time I was there, they had been removed.  This is from my visit before removal of cabins.

Marion K. Wilcox Park (connects to the Metacomet Trail and Simsbury Land Trust's James Property)

Talcott Mountain State Park (trail map)

Penwood State Park (trail map)

Metacomet (part of New England Trail)
CT NET Section 17
CT NET Section 18
CT NET Section 19

Farmington River Park - I can not find any trail maps for this park.  I last visited in 2013 and determined it was not a place I would hike alone.  Since then, David Reik has gone and explored much more extensively and even ventured into neighboring Windsor.  Here is the OpenStreetMap of the area which shows some of the trails.

Simsbury, CT

This map from the University of Connecticut shows the protected open space in Simsbury as of 2011.  In 2018, the Town of Simsbury created an updated map.  Both are useful for identifying hiking areas. 

Simsbury Land Trust - with the COVID-19 pandemic, SLT made their Walkbook available online.  I don't know if the link will stay active.  If not, individual maps for their properties can be found on their website.  Older version of Walkbook.  The Walkbooks also include maps for properties that are not SLT properties and may be listed separately, below.

McLean Game Refuge (trail map) - A larger scale trail map can be purchased from the gift shop in the McLean Home.  Most of the Refuge is located in Granby, but there are miles of trails located in Simsbury, as well.

Ethel Walker Woods Trail Map - A nice hike of over 5 miles can be made by parking at the SLT kiosk behind the Tulmeadow Farm store, taking the road over the fields, through the woodlot to Town Forest Park and, from there, entering Ethel Walker Woods.

Massacoe State Forest (Great Pond block trail map)  The trails at Great Pond can be combined with the trails at Simsbury Land Trust's Wagner Woods to make a nice 4 mile hike.

Stratton Brook State Park (trail map)

Talcott Mountain State Park (trail map)

Penwood State Park (trail map)

Metacomet Trail (part of New England Trail)
CT NET Section 17
CT NET Section 18

Onion Mountain Park