Devil's Hopyard State Park
Managed by State of Connecticut
883 acres13.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: Carol M. Highsmith · Public domainAOutdoors
Outdoors in East Haddam
East Haddam has 120 miles of mapped trails, 2.2 for every square mile of land
27% of East Haddam’s land is conserved, about 9,327 acres. 1,128 acres are parks and preserves, 126 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Devil's Hopyard State Park (13.7 mi), Playground Trails (7.1 mi), Machimoodus State Park (5.9 mi).
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns · #42 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
27%
9,327 acres · of 54.3 sq mi of land
Trails
120 mi
2.2 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,128 ac
126 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
34%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
587 ft
Tater Hill
Lakes & rivers
40
3 beaches · 6 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is East Haddam?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
A trail town2.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 95% of U.S. towns.Land that stays wild27% of the land is conserved; a typical Connecticut town, 15%.Room to roam126 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.History along the way13 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does East Haddam have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, East Haddam is ahead of 90% of U.S. towns, #42 of 155 in Connecticut. Trail miles hold the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of East Haddam’s overall grade.
Conserved land27% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%ATrails2.2 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (120 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4APark land126 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,128 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13AParks close to home34% of residents within a half mile of a park · CT 57% · U.S. 72%C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 90%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 73%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so East Haddam’s 27% is ahead of 85% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 80% 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 Devil's Hopyard State Park, with 13.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Playground Trails
Managed by Town of East Haddam
164 acres7.1 mi of trail
SuspensionLunch Lady LandTaco TuesdayPrincipal's Office+1
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Machimoodus State Park
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
298 acres5.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Hatch Lot Reserve
Nature preserve
235 acres4.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Gillette Castle State Park
Nature preserve
167 acres3.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Chapman Pond Preserve
Managed by The Nature Conservancy;East Haddam Land Trust
510 acres3.5 mi of trail
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
Sunrise State Park
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
145 acres3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Harris Reserve
Nature preserve
132 acres3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 62 parks & preserves
Devil's Hopyard State Park883 acres · 13.7 mi of trail · State of Connecticut
DirectionsPlayground Trails164 acres · 7.1 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
Machimoodus State Park298 acres · 5.9 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsHatch Lot Reserve235 acres · 4.5 mi of trail
DirectionsGillette Castle State Park167 acres · 3.9 mi of trail
DirectionsChapman Pond Preserve510 acres · 3.5 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy;East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsSunrise State Park145 acres · 3 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsHarris Reserve132 acres · 3 mi of trail
DirectionsBurnham Brook Preserve813 acres · 2.8 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
DirectionsDean Easement272 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
DirectionsShugrue Farm Reserve235 acres · 2.7 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
DirectionsSheepskin Hollow Preserve97 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsEightmile River Wildlife Management Area253 acres · 2.5 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsRoaring Brook Reserve96 acres · 2.5 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
DirectionsSabine Preserve74 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
DirectionsChapal Farm Preserve100 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsBabcock Pond State Wildlife Management Area645 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · State of Connecticut
DirectionsLena Reserve205 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
DirectionsMiller Farm Preserve87 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsRose Farm Homestead67 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsEdith Lefebvre Preserve112 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
DirectionsUrbanik Reserve91 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
DirectionsMonica's Woods44 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsHidden Valley Conservation Easement43 acres · 1 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsGolet Farm Preserve31 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsTown Beach Preserve49 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
DirectionsDuncan Preseve19 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsPeGus's Path Preserve12 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
Salmon River State Forest68 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
William Jezek Memorial Preserve19 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsDavison Memorial Walking Park15 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsRobbie Road Reserve29 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
Gelston Easement47 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
Ballahack Preserve11 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsBloch Preserve12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsSnell-Talbot Preserve12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsOlde Field Preserve9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Connecticut Sportsmen's Association142 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsBernstein Preserve35 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsBanningwood Preserve5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Lyme Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsHammond Mill Preserve8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsNichols Field5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of East Haddam
DirectionsEast Haddam Town Beach4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHidden Valley Farm Preserve1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsSilvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge48 acres · United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Lord Wellington Preserve28 acres · Town of East Haddam
Brainard Homestead State Park22 acres · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsMerrow Preserve11 acres · East Haddam Land Trust
Wagner Wildlife Sanctuary10 acres · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Kashanski Easement10 acres · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsDombroski-Meadow Brook Preserve9 acres · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsRich Island8 acres · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Moodus Sportsmen's Club7 acres
DirectionsTown Open Space (Route 149)5 acres
Ayers Preserve4 acres · East Haddam Land Trust
Lord Island3 acres · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Whispering Woods Preserve2 acres · Colchester Land Trust
Captain George Comer Memorial State Park2 acres
DirectionsClarke Preserve2 acres · East Haddam Land Trust
Axelrod Preserve2 acres · East Haddam Land Trust
DirectionsDarling Road Preserve1 acres · Salem Land Trust
Red Mill Preserve1 acres · East Haddam Land Trust
Who protects it
9,327 conserved acres
27% of East Haddam’s land. Who manages East Haddam’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits2,061 ac
Other state land563 ac
State conservation216 ac
Town or city14 ac
Not recorded7,070 ac
Private Conservation · 4,396 acState Other or Unknown · 1,055 acState Park · 942 acUnknown Easement · 754 acConservation Easement · 693 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 861 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 139 of 158 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Haddam Fish and Game Club Private Conservation | Not recorded | 2,403 | Unknown |
| Unknown State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 2,153 | Unknown |
| Burnham Brook Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 904 | Unknown |
| Babcock Pond Wildlife Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 639 | Unknown |
| Devils Hopyard State Park State Park | Not recorded | 630 | Unknown |
| Moodus Reservoir Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 485 | Unknown |
| Chapman Pond Easement Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 344 | Unknown |
| Gillette Castle State Park State Park | Not recorded | 145 | Unknown |
| Machimoodus State Park State Park | Not recorded | 143 | Unknown |
| Transfer Station Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 119 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
50 places to go in East Haddam
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in East Haddam
3 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in East Haddam
4 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in East Haddam
East Haddam Dog ParkIn East Haddam Town Beach
DirectionsBoat launches in East Haddam
Bashan Lake Boat Launch
DirectionsLake Hayward Boat Launch
DirectionsLower Moodus Reservoir Boat Launch
DirectionsSalmon River Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in East Haddam
CascadeIn Chapman Pond Preserve
DirectionsCascadeIn Sheepskin Hollow Preserve
DirectionsCascadeIn Sheepskin Hollow Preserve
DirectionsCascadeIn Devil's Hopyard State Park
DirectionsChapman FallsIn Devil's Hopyard State Park
DirectionsMoodus FallsIn Bernstein Preserve
DirectionsSuccor Brook Falls
DirectionsSuccor Brook Falls
DirectionsPlus 1 waterfall without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in East Haddam
Tablet Rock VistaIn Devil's Hopyard State Park
DirectionsPlus 8 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in East Haddam
Tater Hill587 ft elevation
DirectionsLong Hill574 ft elevation · In Shugrue Farm Reserve
DirectionsBald Hill548 ft elevation
DirectionsDolbia Hill440 ft elevation · In Burnham Brook Preserve
DirectionsCave Hill341 ft elevation · In Davison Memorial Walking Park
DirectionsPoplar Hill338 ft elevation · In Chapman Pond Preserve
DirectionsMount Tom312 ft elevation · In Machimoodus State Park
DirectionsHoney Hill282 ft elevation
Directions1 more peak
Landing Hill282 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in East Haddam
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in East Haddam
Camp Chomeish of New England
DirectionsDevil's Hopyard State Park CampgroundIn Devil's Hopyard State Park
DirectionsGrandview Camping & Cottages
DirectionsWolf's Den Family Campground
DirectionsYouth Site 1In Devil's Hopyard State Park
DirectionsYouth Site 2In Devil's Hopyard State Park
DirectionsPlus 1 campground without a name on the map.
Community gardens in East Haddam
1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
17 named trails and 40 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 8.5 miHorses · 14.8 miUnpaved · 37.3 mi
Suspension1.1 mi
Lunch Lady Land0.9 mi
Taco Tuesday0.6 mi
Principal's Office0.5 mi
Boyscout Loop0.5 mi
Noises0.4 mi
Hall Pass0.4 mi
Nurse's Office0.4 mi
Field View0.4 mi
Summer Vacation0.4 mi
7 more trails
Algonquin Trail
0.3 miTater Hill Road No 1
0.3 miFire Drill
0.3 miDetention
0.2 miFinal Exam
0.2 miClimbing Out of Suspension
0.2 mi2 Kool 4 Skool
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Alantic PondpondAlexander PondBashan LakeBerlin Fish and Game PondreservoirBrownell Inc Pond No 2Chapman PondCone PondDogwood PondFish & Game Dam No 1Hedlund PondJ.B. Taylor DamJohnson MillpondKellems PondKlar Crest PondLake HaywardreservoirLeesville PondreservoirLions Club Skating PondMartin PondMazer PondMontes PondMoodus ReservoirreservoirMoodus Sportsmens PondNarwid PondNumber One PondParker PondreservoirPecks Meadow PondPizzini PondpondPost PondreservoirRiver Road DamRoaring Brook Fish & Gam Club DamSmall PondpondSportsmans PondTrouble PondUrban PondUrbanik PondWill Cone PondreservoirWilliam Buckler DamConnecticut RiverEightmile RiverSalmon 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
8Baseball
6Tennis
3Soccer
2Equestrian
2Softball
2Basketball
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →13 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 6 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Goodspeed Opera HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itAmasa Day HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itEast Haddam Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1983
About itSeventh SisterBuilding · listed 1986
About itWarner HouseBuilding · listed 1987
About itHadlyme North Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1988
About itBridge No. 1603Structure · listed 1993
About itBridge No. 1604Structure · listed 1993
About itBridge No. 1605Structure · listed 1993
About itWorking Girls' Vacation Society Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1994
About itMillington Green Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1996
About itWickham Road Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1996
About it1 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in East Haddam: May 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 | 40 | 47 | 59 | 69 | 77 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 63 | 52 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.8 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.6 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in East Haddam →
Next door
East Haddam and its neighbors
East Haddam has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Haddam | 27% | 2.2 | 126 | 34% | A |
| Haddam | 30% | 2.3 | 132 | 35% | A |
| East Hampton | 24% | 2.1 | 83 | 43% | A |
| Colchester | 20% | 1.4 | 25 | 33% | A− |
| Lyme | 51% | 2.8 | 409 | 23% | A |
| Chester | 37% | 3.0 | 4 | 34% | B+ |
| Salem | 30% | 1.6 | 127 | 21% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in East Haddam
Where can I hike in East Haddam?
The longest trail networks: Devil's Hopyard State Park, 13.7 miles; Playground Trails, 7.1 miles; Machimoodus State Park, 5.9 miles; Hatch Lot Reserve, 4.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of East Haddam is conserved land?
27% 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 East Haddam’s trails?
Devil's Hopyard State Park and Playground Trails don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near East Haddam?
10,629 acres of parks and open public land lie inside East Haddam or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,130 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does East Haddam have?
Ahead of 90% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #42 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 East Haddam 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 →