Connecticut
Nature

The One Place In Connecticut That Must Be Seen To Be Believed

West Rock Ridge in Connecticut offers inspiring rock formations and popular hiking trails.

Published Feb 28, 2017

Written by 

Taylor Ellis

Connecticut may not have giant craters or massive canyons, but that doesn't mean there are no rock formations to be found. In fact, the incredibly cool West Rock Ridge is right here at home! It crosses through New Haven, Hamden and Woodbridge, making for an inspiring sight. This popular recreation spot is a must visit!

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Wikimedia Commons

West Rock Ridge is made of trap rock, and is 7 miles long. With a high point of 700 feet, there are plenty of great views. It's known for its microclimate ecosystem, which allows for a collection of rare plants.

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Wikimedia Commons

There's a network of beginner friendly trails here, but the Regicides Trail is the fan favorite. Take this path and discover Judges' Cave, named for the men who signed the death warrant of Charles I of England.

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Robot Brainz/Flickr

The 1,600-acre park is a great place for a picnic and field games, and hiking the ridge is a great way to spend the day. At a mile wide, it's a pretty safe ridge...as long as you stay away from the edge.

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Wikimedia Commons

Plus, check out the incredible view of New Haven! There's just no other place like this.

West Rock Ridge State Park is located at 1134 Wintergreen Ave, New Haven, CT 06514.

Looking for more awesome trails to explore? Check out Connecticut's collection of Hikes Under 5 Miles.

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Nature

Here Are The Best Times And Places To View Connecticut’s Fall Foliage In 2024

Connecticut's fall foliage is beautifully mapped for 2024, helping residents and visitors plan their autumn activities.

Updated Sep 4, 2024

Written by 

Lisa Sammons

From the foods to the festivals, there's nothing like fall in Connecticut. One of the most appealing aspects of autumn is the fall foliage. As soon as the air starts to get crisp and pumpkin spice starts appearing on the menu, many of us wonder "when do the leaves change color in Connecticut?"

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Fortunately, we've got a Connecticut fall foliage map 2024 from Smoky Mountains that will make predicting prime peeping time a little easier. Whether you're looking to take a beautiful autumn hike or want to go on a fall foliage road trip through the Nutmeg State, this interactive map is sure to help you time your travels.

It goes without saying that there's no guarantee of how Mother Nature will play out. If you've lived in Connecticut very long, you're well-aware of how unpredictable our weather can be! Even so, this great fall foliage predictor can help estimate an answer to "when do leaves change in Connecticut?"

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Photo by Bryan Bzdula/Moment/Getty Images

By late September, it's expected that much of the state will have partial fall foliage.

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Shobeir Ansari/Moment/Getty Images

Come late September, we'll be approaching peak hues in most of the state.

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Enzo Figueres/Moment/Getty Images

The northern half of Connecticut tends to hit peak colors about a week before the southern half, so if you're closer to the shore, you might have to wait a bit longer.

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VisionsofAmerica/Joe Sohm/DigitalVision/Getty Images

Reds, yellows, and orange leaves all combine to make such a magical scene. It's easy to take such beauty for granted, but this is truly an annual miracle.

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DennisTangney/E+/Getty Images

Sadly, as we all know, nothing gold can stay. By Halloween, it's expected that leaves will be past-peak.

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Michael Levine-Clark/Flickr

Where's your favorite spot to catch a glimpse of the magical scenery of fall in Connecticut? Share your favorite places in the comments!

You can check out the full Connecticut fall foliage map 2024. at the Smoky Mountains website.

Personally, I love visiting a trail when fall hits - there's nothing better than taking a walk out in nature and enjoying the beautiful weather and colorful leaves. If you are also a fan of fall hiking in Connecticut, consider signing up for a free trial of Alltrails+. You'll get to enjoy all kinds of fun benefits, like downloadable trail maps and more.

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Nature

9 Abandoned Places In Connecticut That Nature Is Reclaiming

Explore nine abandoned places in Connecticut where nature is reclaiming its land.

Updated May 31, 2024

Written by 

Taylor Ellis

Nature is always reclaiming its land.  Try as we might to conquer the great beast that is Earth, our towers tumble and our ground splits open.  But luckily it happens pretty slowly and no one gets hurt.  In this case, there are some spots around the state that have been left alone for too long, and now nature has come back for them.  Check out these photos and see if you can visualize the former human glory of these nine abandoned places in Connecticut.

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1. A small abandoned house in the woods.

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Matthew Hester/Flickr

Looks like nature went for the foundation first, and is now growing in the cracks as well.

2. This Fairfield Hills home.

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Evan ScAlper/Flickr

When I see cute houses like this left behind, I have to wonder what made them leave. Seems suspicious for some reason.

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3. The hills of Holy Land.

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Tiffany Harkleroad/Flickr

Holy Land USA is an abandoned Christian theme park. Eventually the ground will swallow this place whole.

4. The greenest green house ever.

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CJ Oliver/Flickr

If you abandon a greenhouse the plants inside will not stop growing. On the contrary, they will take over.

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5. Pleasure Beach.

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Bill/Flickr

The green has just started to climb the walls of these houses, but with no plans to stop them it won't be long before this place looks like ruins.

6. These stairs to the stands.

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Matthew Hester/Flickr

What were once the steps up to the bleachers on a small baseball field in Stratford are now food for the trees. These vines have had their way.

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7. Abandoned train tracks in Shelton.

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Trenten Kelley/Flickr

I find this one to be quite lovely. Nature was there first after all.

8. No more mini golf here.

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Trenten Kelley/Flickr

Now I'm mostly left wondering what golf balls are made of. And how a mini gold place could be abandoned. I love mini golf.

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9. A hospital in Norwich.

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Pixel/Flickr

This place used to house the criminally insane, but now it's home to a lot of bushes. It's one of the creepiest abandoned places in CT.

What did you think at the sight of nature reclaiming these abandoned places in Connecticut? Pretty cool, right?

If you're looking for something to do, take our abandoned road trip in Connecticut, and make sure to check out our Ultimate Road Trip Packing List before you go.

If you prefer to explore places that are not abandoned, check out this OnlyInYourState video on Northwest Connecticut:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yobzNRb-jyo

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