Cockaponset State Forest — Attraction in Haddam

The second largest state forest in the state with a lovely lake and trail all around it. A second body of water is the reservoir and well marked, no boaters allowed please.There are two sites for youth groups to camp by the lake and a lean to or two at each site. Many people come here to hike, swim, mountain bike, ride horses, run dog sleds, cross country ski, snowshoe and of course fish in the stocked lake and hunt mushrooms. It is regularly patrolled by park rangers. Many people just stay on the gravel roads in their activities. Others follow the blue trails mixed in. Spring time brings a glorious display of mountain laurel, the state flower so just enjoy. My husband travels through here every day and has for 25 years. He says it is his nirvana. Rangers and forestry students come in often to manage the forest and another area has been set up as a wild duck refuge where you just might see a blue heron. In the Fall hunting is allowed, bow and arrow, black powder and then shotgun if that's your thing. Turkey, deer, coyote, furever cats abound. No bears yet but a mouse was killed on the highway near it so they have arrived...

Had to take my daughter here this past winter to take some nature photos for one of her classes at school. It's a good thing I drive an AWD Subaru cause when we pulled in there was still snow and A LOT of mud on the main trail. I didn't see a parking area so we decided to drive in a little further then a little further and the trail started getting narrower and narrower with very deep mud and nowhere to turn around to go back. As we got deeper into the forest/park we didn't know if the trail lead out or not and by this point my car was completely covered in thick mud and our speed was only a slow crawl. After about 15 minutes or so we FINALLY came out the other end into civilization so I pulled over to try and clean my windshield and windows off and my daughter finally took her pictures and added a pic of my car completely covered in thick mud to her project which she ace'd btw! Lmao! What a day and what a drive! I plan to go back in the Summer to enjoy the park mud free. Definitely recommended for anyone who's into nature, hiking and especially MUD...

This is a really fun park to check out they have a big lake where you can swim in picnic camp walk it is great for the whole family. When I got here there was a guy sitting at the gate that just waved us through there is many many different trails here and you can also walk around the whole lake on a loop trail I would definitely give this place a five-star rating if not more there is plenty of room to run bicycle bring your family enjoy a cookout I would definitely recommend checking this place out if you have not already you will have an amazing time here if you...