Penwood State Park
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
585 acres9.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Capt. Oliver Filley House · Photo: Sphilbrick · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Bloomfield
Bloomfield has 66 miles of mapped trails, 2.5 for every square mile of land
13% of Bloomfield’s land is conserved, about 2,241 acres. 827 acres are parks and preserves, 38 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Penwood State Park (9.3 mi), Reservoir 6 Recreation Area (8.1 mi), Marion K Wilcox Park (4.6 mi).
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns · #16 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
13%
2,241 acres · of 26.1 sq mi of land
Trails
66 mi
2.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
827 ac
38 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
86%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
2.8 mi
0.2 mi lanes · 2.3 mi paths
Highest peak
289 ft
Grant Hill
Lakes & rivers
24
1 beach · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Bloomfield?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Bloomfield have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Bloomfield is ahead of 94% of U.S. towns, #16 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 Bloomfield’s overall grade.
Conserved land13% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%A−Trails2.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (66 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land38 acres of park per 1,000 residents (827 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home86% 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 94%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 90%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Bloomfield’s 13% is ahead of 41% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 86% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be 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 Penwood State Park, with 9.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Reservoir 6 Recreation Area
Managed by Metropolitan District
675 acres8.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Marion K Wilcox Park
Nature preserve
194 acres4.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Farmington River Park
Nature preserve
47 acres2.2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Evans Family Meadows
Managed by Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy
21 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Auerfarm State Park Scenic Reserve
Park
43 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Filley Park
Nature preserve
19 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Van Otterloo Preserve
Nature preserve
9 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 27 parks & preserves
Penwood State Park585 acres · 9.3 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsReservoir 6 Recreation Area675 acres · 8.1 mi of trail · Metropolitan District
DirectionsMarion K Wilcox Park194 acres · 4.6 mi of trail
DirectionsFarmington River Park47 acres · 2.2 mi of trail
DirectionsEvans Family Meadows21 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy
DirectionsAuerfarm State Park Scenic Reserve43 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsFilley Park19 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsVan Otterloo Preserve9 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSpeer Reserve13 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Wintonbury Land Trust
DirectionsTown of Simsbury Gersten Property6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Talcott Mountain State Park122 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsBlue Hills Neighborhood Center14 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsUniversity of Hartford Open Space125 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · University of Hartford
DirectionsBloomfield Town Green1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Bloomfield
DirectionsWest Eggleston Street Tot Lot1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Maplewood West Open Space Area (2 Parcels)28 acres
Tobacco Valley Open Space Area21 acres
Woodland Manor Open Space Area (2 Parcels)12 acres
Colonial Lane Open Space (2 Parcels)10 acres
North Branch State Access Area8 acres · State of Connecticut
Linwood Drive Open Space7 acres
Plymouth Drive Open Space6 acres
Pershing Park Playground3 acres
Gully Green2 acres
Brewer Drive Tot Lot2 acres
Wintonbury Hills Playground1 acres
DirectionsRoberts Green1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,241 conserved acres
13% of Bloomfield’s land. Who manages Bloomfield’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city668 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)68 ac
State conservation50 ac
Other state land40 ac
Not recorded1,421 ac
State Other or Unknown · 1,252 acLocal Park · 705 acState Conservation Area · 88 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 63 acAgricultural Easement · 55 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 65 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 19 of 40 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Branch Park River Flood Control Site 3 State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 395 | Unknown |
| North Branch Park River Flood Control Site 2 State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 387 | Unknown |
| North Branch Park River Flood Control Site 1 State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 284 | Unknown |
| Marion K. Wilcox Park Local Park | Town or city | 202 | Open |
| North Branch Park River Flood Control Site 9 State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 186 | Unknown |
| La Sallette Park Local Park | Town or city | 142 | Open |
| Samuel Wheeler Reed Park Local Park | Town or city | 83 | Open |
| Unknown Park Local Park | Town or city | 72 | Open |
| High Hill Open Space Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 63 | Unknown |
| Farmington River Park Local Park | Town or city | 50 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
36 places to go in Bloomfield
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Bloomfield
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Bloomfield
Bloomfield Municipal Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Bloomfield
16 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Bloomfield
1 dog park without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Bloomfield
3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Bloomfield
1 fishing spot without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Bloomfield
4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Bloomfield
Grant Hill289 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Bloomfield
8 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
1 named trail and 24 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 3.2 miHorses · 2.8 miUnpaved · 19.9 mi
Mushroom Trail0.4 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Barber PondBloomfield ReservoirreservoirBloomfield Site 3AreservoirBlue Hills Flood Water Retention ReservoirreservoirCase PondFilley PondpondGale PondHartford Reservoir Number 6reservoirHartman Tobacco Co PondHolcomb PondLake LouiselakeLongs PondpondMead PondPenwood PondlakeSerbin DamlakeSewards PondTobacco Pond No 2Tumblebrook Country Club PondsWadhams PondlakeWash Brook PondWintonbury ReservoirreservoirFarmington RiverNorth Branch Park RiverWash Brook
Biking & sports
2.8 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.2 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
2.3 mi
off-road bike paths
0.3 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
30Tennis
7Basketball
6Baseball
4Pickleball
1Soccer
1Softball
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →7 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 5 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Old Farm SchoolhouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itFrancis Gillette HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itHeublein TowerBuilding · listed 1983
About itBeardsley-Mix HouseBuilding · listed 1986
About itSouthwest District SchoolBuilding · listed 1992
About itCapt. Oliver Filley HouseBuilding · listed 2007
About itConnecticut General Life Insurance Company HeadquartersBuilding · listed 2010
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Bloomfield: 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 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 36 | 39 | 48 | 61 | 72 | 80 | 85 | 83 | 76 | 63 | 52 | 41 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 3.9 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (3.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 5.1 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Bloomfield →
Next door
Bloomfield and its neighbors
Bloomfield has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Simsbury103 miBloomfield66 miAvon66 miWest Hartford56 miWindsor41 miEast Granby39 miHartford28 miBlue Hills0.8 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomfield | 13% | 2.5 | 38 | 86% | A |
| East Granby | 21% | 2.2 | 32 | 29% | A− |
| Simsbury | 29% | 3.0 | 81 | 72% | A+ |
| Windsor | 11% | 1.4 | 50 | 94% | A |
| West Hartford | 23% | 2.6 | 43 | 91% | A+ |
| Blue Hills | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Hartford | 12% | 1.6 | 11 | 99%+ | A |
| Avon | 19% | 2.8 | 71 | 77% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Bloomfield
Where can I hike in Bloomfield?
The longest trail networks: Penwood State Park, 9.3 miles; Reservoir 6 Recreation Area, 8.1 miles; Marion K Wilcox Park, 4.6 miles; Farmington River Park, 2.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Bloomfield is conserved land?
13% 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 Bloomfield’s trails?
Penwood State Park and Reservoir 6 Recreation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Bloomfield?
2.8 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.2 of painted or protected lanes, 2.3 of off-road paths and 0.3 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Bloomfield?
18,775 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Bloomfield or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 827 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Bloomfield have?
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #16 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 Bloomfield 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 →