Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve — Attraction in Berlin

If you're looking to go for a mountainous hike, this is the place to do it. It's not called "Ragged Mountain" for nothing folks! It's a pretty difficult trek over tons of rocks, small foot paths that border large drops, trails that weave in and out of heavily wooded areas and wind up and down pretty drastically. That said, I bring my 3 year old along so it's more then doable for any adult in halfway decent (if that!) shape. The paths here are so clearly marked which I find is rare with a lot of trails. There is a map at the entrance & I've encountered at least one other map on a trail about 2 miles in. I personally prefer the trail that veers to the left as you enter the forest. The views from the top are breathtaking. I've encountered legitimate rock climbers while on this trail, so if rock climbing floats your boat that too is possible here. Although a word to the wise, there is a memorial at the top of the mountain on the edge of a huge cliff paying homage to an avid rock climber who unfortunately lost his life while climbing here...so be careful! Climb with others, or at least with a spotter, use safety gear etc. If you're looking for a challenging hike deep in the woods you're in...

While you might initially be off-put at the coke bottles, broken glass, and phallic-themed graffiti , keep going on the trail and you'll be rewarded by wild terrain and beautiful outlooks. You can take a variety of trails, ranging from more tame, wider roads to more narrow, rocky scrambles up cliffs; all winding through the forest. We saw a lot of interesting wildlife, including a four-foot-long eastern rat snake (don’t worry, he’s not venomous!) and some large birds of prey. Some of the trail heads seemed to have been ripped/vandalized, which is annoying, but the color-coded trail markers are pretty easy to spot and there's a good downloadable map to help. People also seemed to be taking advantage of nearby rock-climbing and cliff jumping off of...

This trap rock ridge is part of the north/south spine of central Connecticut. I have been hiking here for over 60 years. In the past ten this place has exploded in popularity, possibly due to the Internet. It used to be that you would never see another person when hiking. Be aware it is difficult to find a parking space on any weekend and not too easy even during a weekday afternoon in nice weather. Others have mentioned be sure to wear sturdy shoes as the trap rock is everywhere and sometimes loose. It's best feature are the great views on the east and west sides. In spring and after heavy rain be aware there are muddy/swampy areas. Best in the...