Cockaponset State Forest
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
145 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Deep River Center
Few parks or trails are on the map in Deep River Center
The biggest trail networks: Cockaponset State Forest (2 mi). 9% of Deep River Center’s land is conserved, about 217 acres. 12 acres are parks and preserves, 4.9 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
9%
217 acres · of 3.8 sq mi of land
Trails
2.8 mi
0.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
12 ac
4.9 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
40%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
1.1 mi
Highest peak
308 ft
Orchard Hill
Lakes & rivers
7
1 boat launch
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 Cockaponset State Forest, with 2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Walter E. Mislick Memorial Preserve
Managed by Deep River Land Trust
46 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Connecticut Valley Railroad State Park Trail
Nature preserve
37 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Whittlesey Brook Preserve
Managed by Deep River Land Trust
18 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 9 parks & preserves
Cockaponset State Forest145 acres · 2 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsCanfield - Meadow Woods Nature Preserve2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Essex Land Trust
DirectionsWalter E. Mislick Memorial Preserve46 acres · Deep River Land Trust
Connecticut Valley Railroad State Park Trail37 acres
DirectionsWhittlesey Brook Preserve18 acres · Deep River Land Trust
Deep River Marina Conservation Easement9 acres · Deep River Land Trust
Union Street Preserve6 acres · Deep River Land Trust
Devitt Field6 acres
DirectionsPendleton-Grossman Preserve2 acres · Deep River Land Trust
Who protects it
217 conserved acres
9% of Deep River Center’s land. Who manages Deep River Center’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Not recorded217 ac
State Resource Management Area · 155 acState Other or Unknown · 25 acLocal Other or Unknown · 22 acPrivate Conservation · 10 acState Park · 6 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 12 of 12 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cockaponset State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 155 | Unknown |
| Unknown State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 45 | Unknown |
| Town Open Space (essex Street) Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 7 | Unknown |
| Connecticut Valley Railroad State Park Trail State Park | Not recorded | 6 | Unknown |
| Devitt Field Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 4 | Unknown |
Things to do
6 places to go in Deep River Center
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Deep River Center
2 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Deep River Center
Deep River Town Dock
DirectionsPeaks in Deep River Center
Orchard Hill308 ft elevation
DirectionsKelsey Hill262 ft elevation
DirectionsFountain Hill108 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
7 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
1.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
2Football
2Baseball
2Tennis
1Lacrosse
1Soccer
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Deep River Center: 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 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.1 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 38 | 41 | 48 | 59 | 69 | 78 | 83 | 82 | 75 | 64 | 53 | 43 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.5 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Deep River Center →
Next door
Deep River Center and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep River Center | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Deep River | 23% | 2.6 | 8 | 43% | B+ |
| Chester | 37% | 3.0 | 4 | 34% | B+ |
| Chester Center | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Lyme | 51% | 2.8 | 409 | 23% | A |
| Essex | 13% | 3.2 | 37 | 67% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Deep River Center
Where can I hike in Deep River Center?
The longest trail networks: Cockaponset State Forest, 2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Deep River Center’s trails?
Cockaponset State Forest and Walter E. Mislick Memorial Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Deep River Center?
1.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Deep River Center?
6,459 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Deep River Center or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 12 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Deep River Center 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 →