Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve
Managed by Town of Berlin
612 acres9.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Kensington Soldier's Monument · Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Berlin
Berlin has 74 miles of mapped trails, 2.8 for every square mile of land
26% of Berlin’s land is conserved, about 4,391 acres. 1,653 acres are parks and preserves, 81 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve (9.8 mi), Blue Hills Conservation Area (9.7 mi), City of Meriden Watershed Reserve Land (8.6 mi).
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns · #5 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
26%
4,391 acres · of 26.3 sq mi of land
Trails
74 mi
2.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,653 ac
81 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
84%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
722 ft
South Mountain
Lakes & rivers
34
2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Berlin?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Berlin have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Berlin is ahead of 97% of U.S. towns, #5 of 155 in Connecticut. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Berlin’s overall grade.
Conserved land26% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%ATrails2.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (74 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land81 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,653 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13AParks close to home84% of residents within a half mile of a park · CT 57% · U.S. 72%B+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 97%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 97%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Berlin’s 26% is ahead of 81% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 90% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve, with 9.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Blue Hills Conservation Area
Managed by Town of Berlin
433 acres9.7 mi of trail
vague trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
City of Meriden Watershed Reserve Land
Managed by City of Meriden Water Department
1,015 acres8.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
City of New Britain Public Watershed Lands
Managed by City of New Britain Water Department
662 acres5.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Pistol Creek
Managed by Town of Berlin
96 acres3.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Bicentennial Park
Managed by Town of Berlin
191 acres3.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Timberlin Park
Managed by Town of Berlin
187 acres3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hungerford Park
Managed by City of New Britain
81 acres1.6 mi of trail
Yellow - Hungerford LoopRed - Birch BoulevardGreen - Pond Pass
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 37 parks & preserves
Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve612 acres · 9.8 mi of trail · Town of Berlin
DirectionsBlue Hills Conservation Area433 acres · 9.7 mi of trail · Town of Berlin
City of Meriden Watershed Reserve Land1,015 acres · 8.6 mi of trail · City of Meriden Water Department
DirectionsCity of New Britain Public Watershed Lands662 acres · 5.4 mi of trail · City of New Britain Water Department
DirectionsPistol Creek96 acres · 3.5 mi of trail · Town of Berlin
DirectionsBicentennial Park191 acres · 3.1 mi of trail · Town of Berlin
DirectionsTimberlin Park187 acres · 3 mi of trail · Town of Berlin
DirectionsHungerford Park81 acres · 1.6 mi of trail · City of New Britain
DirectionsSilver Lake State Access Area73 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · State of Connecticut
DirectionsSage Park65 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Willow Brook Park34 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of New Britain
DirectionsVeterans Memorial Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWilcox Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsLamentation Mountain State Park44 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Town Of Berlin (Water Tank - Wilbur Cross Hwy)25 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Paper Goods Pond Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWebster Park53 acres
Town Of Berlin (Water Tank - Woodlawn Road)52 acres
Kensington Atlantic State Fishing Hatchery41 acres · State of Connecticut
Well Site - Elton Road37 acres · Town Of Berlin
Town Of Berlin (Wildermere Road)32 acres
DirectionsAlice Fern Bruce Preserve26 acres · Berlin Land Trust
Town Of Berlin (Four Rod Road)26 acres
Dennehy Field10 acres
DirectionsTown Of Berlin (Canterbury Road)8 acres
Treasure Field6 acres · Town of Berlin
Community Grounds & Centurelli Field6 acres
DirectionsHubbard Park5 acres · City of Meriden
Town Of Berlin (Chestnut Lane)5 acres
Percival Field5 acres
DirectionsTown Of Berlin (Warner Road)3 acres
Carriage Drive Open Space3 acres · Town of Berlin
Newtown Street Open Space2 acres · Town of Berlin
Pine Tree Rifle Club2 acres · Pine Tree Rifle Club
Murray Heights Playground2 acres
France Street Open Space1 acres · Town of Rocky Hill
Ragged Mountain Parcel1 acres · Berlin Land Trust
Who protects it
4,391 conserved acres
26% of Berlin’s land. Who manages Berlin’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city507 ac
State conservation194 ac
Other state land43 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)41 ac
Not recorded3,810 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 2,668 acWatershed Protection Area · 527 acLocal Park · 388 acLocal Recreation Area · 214 acPrivate Conservation · 183 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 42 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 164 of 186 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 2,034 | Unknown |
| Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 586 | Unknown |
| Hallmere Reservoir Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 317 | Unknown |
| Bicentennial Park Local Park | Town or city | 192 | Open |
| Hart Ponds Local Recreation Area | Not recorded | 167 | Unknown |
| Silver Lake State Recreation Area | Not recorded | 141 | Unknown |
| Lions Fairgrounds Private Conservation | Not recorded | 113 | Unknown |
| Kenmere Reservoir Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 97 | Unknown |
| Sage Park Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 78 | Open |
| Hungerford Park Local Park | Not recorded | 70 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
35 places to go in Berlin
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Berlin
Berlin Public Swimming Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Berlin
Little People’s Playground
DirectionsPlus 10 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Berlin
Silver Lake Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Waterfalls in Berlin
Intermittent CascadeIn Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve
DirectionsScenic views in Berlin
11 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Berlin
South Mountain722 ft elevation · In City of Meriden Watershed Reserve Land
DirectionsRagged Mountain712 ft elevation · In Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve
DirectionsShort Mountain459 ft elevation · In Timberlin Park
DirectionsTurkey Hill331 ft elevation
DirectionsSavage Hill190 ft elevation
DirectionsWolf Pit Hill115 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Berlin
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Berlin
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
6 named trails and 34 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 5.2 mi
vague trail1.0 mi
Yellow - Hungerford Loop0.9 mi
Berlin Branch0.8 mi
Old Metacomet0.4 mi
Red - Birch Boulevard0.1 mi
Green - Pond Pass0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Beckley PondpondBroff PondlakeBumper BoatsCamp Meribrite Swimming HolepondCarbo PondlakeClark PondCrooked Brook PondDonnlys PondlakeElmere ReservoirreservoirGills PondGirl Scout PondHallmere ReservoirreservoirHolmes PondpondJunkyard PondKenmere ReservoirreservoirLower Hart PondreservoirMarks DampondMason PondreservoirMerimere ReservoirMerwins PondlakeNorth Brook PondNorton PondPaper Goods PondreservoirPark Drive PondpondPecks PondPond #35pondRailroad PondlakeSage PondpondSilver LakelakeSpruce Brook Road Pond SouthStiles PondlakeSwede PondpondUpper Hart PondreservoirMattabesset River
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
12Baseball
9Soccer
8Basketball
7Tennis
7Tracks
6Pickleball
4Football
2Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →5 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Ezekiel Kelsey HouseBuilding · listed 1977
About itHenry Hooker HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itWorthington Ridge Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1989
About itKensington Grammar School-Jean E. Hooker High SchoolBuilding · listed 2012
About itKensington Soldier's MonumentObject · listed 2013
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Berlin: April to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.5 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 37 | 39 | 48 | 60 | 71 | 79 | 85 | 83 | 75 | 63 | 52 | 41 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 4.0 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (3.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 5.0 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Berlin →
Next door
Berlin and its neighbors
Berlin has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Middletown82 miBerlin74 miSouthington69 miMeriden44 miCromwell27 miNew Britain16 miNewington11 miKensington3.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin | 26% | 2.8 | 81 | 84% | A+ |
| Cromwell | 16% | 2.2 | 25 | 65% | A |
| Southington | 9% | 1.9 | 11 | 36% | B+ |
| Meriden | 14% | 1.9 | 28 | 87% | A |
| New Britain | 7% | 1.2 | 8 | 89% | A− |
| Kensington | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Middletown | 13% | 2.0 | 19 | 62% | A− |
| Newington | 5% | 0.8 | 9 | 82% | B+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Berlin
Where can I hike in Berlin?
The longest trail networks: Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve, 9.8 miles; Blue Hills Conservation Area, 9.7 miles; City of Meriden Watershed Reserve Land, 8.6 miles; City of New Britain Public Watershed Lands, 5.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Berlin is conserved land?
26% of its land, against a typical 15% for a Connecticut town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Berlin’s trails?
Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve and Blue Hills Conservation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Berlin?
19,949 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Berlin or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,653 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Berlin have?
Ahead of 97% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #5 of 155 in Connecticut. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Berlin neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →