Meshomasic State Forest
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
159 acres2.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: –Grondemar · CC BY-SA 3.0–Not graded
Outdoors in Lake Pocotopaug
Few parks or trails are on the map in Lake Pocotopaug
The biggest trail networks: Meshomasic State Forest (2.5 mi). 8% of Lake Pocotopaug’s land is conserved, about 287 acres. 23 acres are parks and preserves, 4.7 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
8%
287 acres · of 5.5 sq mi of land
Trails
4.3 mi
0.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
23 ac
4.7 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
24%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
791 ft
Clark Hill
Lakes & rivers
2
1 beach · 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 Meshomasic State Forest, with 2.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Town Open Space/Landfill
Nature preserve
20 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Loos Pond Conservation Area
Nature preserve
3 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
287 conserved acres
8% of Lake Pocotopaug’s land. Water is left out: Lake Pocotopaug has 5.5 square miles of land and 0.8 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Lake Pocotopaug’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Other state land78 ac
Town or city6 ac
Not recorded215 ac
State Resource Management Area · 154 acForest Stewardship Easement · 78 acLocal Other or Unknown · 34 acPrivate Conservation · 27 acLocal Park · 6 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 64 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 13 of 15 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meshomasic State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 154 | Unknown |
| Unknown Private Conservation | Not recorded | 50 | Unknown |
| Loos Pond Conservation Area Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 11 | Unknown |
| Sears Park/Tennis Courts Local Park | Town or city | 6 | Open |
Things to do
5 places to go in Lake Pocotopaug
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Lake Pocotopaug
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Lake Pocotopaug
1 playground without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Lake Pocotopaug
1 boat launch without a name on the map.
Peaks in Lake Pocotopaug
Clark Hill791 ft elevation
DirectionsBaker Hill669 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
2 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
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
6Tennis
2Baseball
1Soccer
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Lake Pocotopaug: 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) | 36 | 39 | 47 | 59 | 69 | 77 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 62 | 51 | 41 |
| Rain (in) | 3.7 | 3.1 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.8 | 4.1 | 4.6 |
February is the driest month (3.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.8 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Lake Pocotopaug →
Questions about parks and trails in Lake Pocotopaug
Where can I hike in Lake Pocotopaug?
The longest trail networks: Meshomasic State Forest, 2.5 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Lake Pocotopaug’s trails?
Meshomasic State Forest and Town Open Space/Landfill don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Lake Pocotopaug?
9,802 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lake Pocotopaug or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 23 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Lake Pocotopaug 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 →