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Aldrich Park
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 65
Time, Minutes: 120
Difficulty: Easy to moderate. Some steep sections.
Features: Woodland trails with many outcroppings of ledge, bolder fields, glacial erratics and stone walls. The Orange Trail is an easy, short walk alongside a stream and wetlands.
Parking/Trail Entrance: At the southern end of the park on New Road, near the junction with Farmingville Road.
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Parking Area and Entrance to Aldrich Park
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Barrack Hill Refuge
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 9
Time, Minutes: 20
Difficulty: Easy
Features:. Mica, quartz and feldspar fragments can be found around the old Titicus Mica Quarry on the site
Parking/Trail Entrance: At the cul-de-sac at the end of Settler's Lane. Also trail access on Barrack Hill Road.
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Old Titicus Mica Quarry in Barrack Hill Refuge
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Bennett's Pond
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 440
Time, Minutes: 150 to 180
Difficulty: Easy in low section, steep grade in climb to Pine Mountain
Features: Beautiful large pond, wildlife, connects with Pine Mountain. The Bennett's Pond property is part of the Connecticut State Park system. It is also the southern terminus of the extensive Ives Trail system still under development
Parking/Trail Entrance: Large parking corral on north side of Bennett's Farm Road approximately 3/4 mile from Route 7.
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Looking Across Bennett's Pond from SW Side
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Bobby's Court/Topstone Preserve
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 34 (Bobby's) and 9 (Topstone)
Time, Minutes: 60(Bobby's) and 90 (Topstone)
Difficulty: Easy to moderate (Bobby's) and difficult (Topstone)
Features: Bobby's has a fairly steep, wooded trail to start, then becomes flat. Topstone has a low wetlands area followed by a steep, difficult slope to the top.
Parking/Trail Entrance: Park on the east side shoulder of Route 7 north of Topstone Road marked by a wooden sign at the trail entrance. There is another trail entrance on the left side of Topstone Road.
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Wooded Area of Bobby's Court
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Blacksmith Ridge
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 15
Time, Minutes: 80
Difficulty: Generally difficult
Features: Beautiful woodland pool at the south end. A variety of trees and wetlands throughout.
Parking/Trail Entrance: Three choices: 1) cul-de-sac on Blacksmith Ridge Road; 2) road shoulder on Woodcock Lane and 3) side of road at mailbox #184 on Peaceable Ridge Road
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Trail Entrance Near Woodcock Lane
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Brewster Farm/Jones Trail
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 103 Time, Minutes: 60 Difficulty: Easy in west section, Some short climbs in east section.
Features: Wetlands woods trail, views of farm area. The town of Ridgefield has a Conservation Easement on the Brewster Farm. Hikers must keep within the areas marked by the Jones Trail. The farm fields and buildings are not for public access.
Parking/Trail Entrance: Cul-de-sac at north end of Lounsbury Lane
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Trail Section: Unpaved Section of Lounsbury Lane
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Florida Refuge
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 63
Time, Minutes: 90
Difficulty: Moderate with some hills.
Features: Wetlands trails via bridges and walkways. Large boulders, overlooks, attractive picnicking sites.
Two Parking Choices: 1) Shoulder on west side of Florida Road near trail head and 2) shoulder on south side of Florida Hill Rd near mailbox #160 and trailhead.
Three Trail Entrances: 1) West Side of Florida Road near house no. 234, 2) entrance on south Side of Florida Hill Road near house #160 and 3) further down near house #216.
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Pond in Florida Refuge
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Great Pond Trail
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 20
Time, Minutes: 30
Difficulty: Moderate with some hills.
Features: The trail climbs the hill to the west of Great Pond with some impressive rock outcrops and views of the pond. And connects to a trail from Laurelwood.
Parking: Ample parking in the Martin Park parking lot on Great Pond Road.
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View from near the top of Great Pond Trail
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Hemlock Hills/Lake Windwing
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 421
Time, Minutes: 150
Difficulty: Easy to difficult
Features: Wide variety of trails with trees, bushes and wildflowers. Deep, picturesque gorge near Pine Mountain entrance
Parking/Trail Entrance: Ample parking on the property and trail entrances at North Shore Drive, Ned's Mountain Rd., South Shore Drive ball field, and Pine Mountain Road.
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Ravine in Near Pine Mountain Side of Hemlock Hills
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John Soluri Preserve
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 46
Time, Minutes: 45
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Former Outpost Nursery property has a wide variety of trees.
Parking/Trail Entrance: Dead end at Linden Road, parking for one car. Driveway for Aquarion Company pumping station off Norrans Ridge Drive has parking for two cars on shoulder (shown in the picture at the right). Feel free to walk, but do not drive beyond the wooden gate.
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Parking for Two Cars and Trail Entrance, Right
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Kiah's Brook Refuge/Titicus Preserve
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 43 (total)
Time, Minutes: 60 (combined system)
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Trail follows Titicus River with views of a swamp and brook. The northern end is mostly forest.
Parking/Trail Entrance: Park in the lot between Scotland and Barlow Mtn. Schools for access to the red and yellow trails there. Or park close to the Barlow Mtn. School play area to enter the other end of the trail system there. There's also access from Barlow Mtn. Road.
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Heading Toward Ledges Road on the Yellow Trail
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Levy Park
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 46
Time, Minutes: 40
Difficulty: Generally moderate except for the Settler's Lane segment, which is long and steep.
Features: Variety of terrain--meadow, woodland, wetland and stream.
Parking/Trail Entrance: Parking corral for two cars on Barrack Hill Road. Space on cul-de-sac at the end of Settler's Lane. Trail entrances near these parking areas.
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Rock Outcrop on Yellow Trail
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Mar-Joy Pond/Casey Lane
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 45
Time, Minutes: 45
Difficulty: Easy in Casey Lane section, difficult in Mar-Joy Pond section
Features: Pegmatite mine remains, mountain laurel, spring wildflowers and waterfall on trail to Marjoy Pond
Parking/Trail Entrance: Old quarry site at the end of Casey Lane
The Mar-Joy Pond area has no developed trails beyond access to the pond
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Looking South Across Mar-Joy Pond
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Norwalk River Environmental Study Area
Acres: 9
Time, Minutes: 30
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Picturesque Norwalk River pond, woodland and wetland trails.
Parking/Trail Entrance: East side of Route 7 just north of Simpaug Turnpike and on the north side of Simpaug Turnpike
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Wetlands Bounded by Stone Outcropping
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Old Spectacle Lane
Acres: 4
Time, Minutes: 40
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Features: Spring wildflowers and stone walls
Parking/Trail Entrance: Long, wide shoulder on Wilton Road West--eastern side. The trail entrance is at the southern end of this shoulder.
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Beginning of Trail Near Wilton Road West
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Peaceable Refuge
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 16
Time, Minutes: 30
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Ferns, birds and wildflowers
Parking/Trail Entrance Cul-de-sac on Revere Drive
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Looking South Toward Peaceable Street
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Peterson Gorge/Ridgebury Slope
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 16 (Peterson), 14 (Ridgebury)
Time, Minutes: 30 (each)
Difficulty: Fairly easy (both)
Features: These trails are connected. Between them they have streams, wetlands, and forested areas.
Parking/Trail Entrance: Park at the cul-de-sac at the end of Partridge Drive or Virginia Court. Second choice: Park in the Ridgebury School parking lot and walk to the south end of the school grasslands for entrance to the junction of these trails. Third choice: The north end of the school property has an entrance to the north end of the Peterson Gorge trail.
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Snake Lake Wetlands in Peterson Gorge
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Pine Mountain
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 368
Time, Minutes: 120
Difficulty: Difficult, with steep sections over rocks. Links with Hemlock Hills and Bennett's Pond to comprise an all-day hik.
Features: Mountain laurel, remains of Charles Ives' picnic fireplace, panoramic overlooks from his cottage site including a view of Long Island Sound.
Parking: Five-car area at the trail head at the end of Pine Mountain Road.
Trail Entrance: Across from the parking area.
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Scenic Overlook
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Prospect Ridge
Acres: 34
Time, Minutes: 30
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Woods and wetlands.
Parking: At the skating rink on Prospect Ridge.
Trail Entrance: Walk from the parking lot and along the southern edge of the outdoor field to arrive at the trail entrance.
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Open Woodland Section
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Pumping Station Road
Acres: 16
Time, Minutes: 30
Difficulty: Easy to moderately easy
Features: Wetlands sections and woods with a wide variety of vegetation and animals.
Parking/Trail Entrance: Parking and trail entrance at road shoulder which is about 200 feet north of the small bridge on Pumping Station Road.
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Trail Section with Woods and Wetlands
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Remington Woods
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 26
Time, Minutes: 30
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Meadow, wetlands, and forested area.
Parking: At the cul-de-sac at the end of Oak Knoll Road
Trail Entrance: On the left (west)side of the cul-de-sac or on the east side of the road just before the cul-de-sac
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Remington Woods near Barry Ave
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Richardson Park
Acres: 29
Time, Minutes: 40
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Easy paths and hiking trails; views of Lake Mamanasco; picnic facilities
Street Location: West Mountain Road across from Ridgefield High School
Parking: Large parking area at the end of the entrance driveway
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View of Lake Mamanasco from Richardson Park
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Sarah Bishop
(Click for printable map)
Acres: 39
Time, Minutes: 30
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Deserted railroad bed, wetlands
Parking: Left side of Sarah Bishop Road near trail sign or at the cul-de-sac at end of road
Trail Entrance: Road shoulder on Sarah Bishop Rd.
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Looking West on the Old Railroad Bed
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