Porter Howard Watershed Land
Managed by Town of Manchester
563 acres15.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Manchester
Manchester has 101 miles of mapped trails, 3.7 for every square mile of land
18% of Manchester’s land is conserved, about 3,092 acres. 97% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Porter Howard Watershed Land (15.9 mi), Case Mountain Recreational Area (13 mi), Buckingham Reservoir Watershed (10.1 mi).
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns · #8 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
18%
3,092 acres · of 27.4 sq mi of land
Trails
101 mi
3.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,332 ac
22 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
97%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
23 mi
1.1 mi lanes · 22 mi paths
Highest peak
778 ft
Lookout Mountain
Lakes & rivers
29
5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Manchester?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Manchester have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Manchester is ahead of 96% of U.S. towns, #8 of 155 in Connecticut. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Manchester’s overall grade.
Conserved land18% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%ATrails3.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (101 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land22 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,332 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home97% of residents within a half mile of a park · CT 57% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 96%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 95%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Manchester’s 18% is ahead of 58% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 99% 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 Porter Howard Watershed Land, with 15.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Case Mountain Recreational Area
Managed by Town of Manchester
398 acres13 mi of trail
Carriage PathBlack Mamba
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Buckingham Reservoir Watershed
Managed by Town of Manchester Water Department
508 acres10.1 mi of trail
Black MambaCornholio
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lydall Watershed Land
Managed by Town of Manchester
222 acres4.2 mi of trail
Lake Street to Lydall TrailDiversion/TrailGas Line Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lombardo Farm
Managed by Manchester Land Conservation Trust
99 acres2.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Oak Grove Nature Center
Managed by Town of Manchester
53 acres1.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Bush Hill Farm
Managed by Manchester Land Conservation Trust
57 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Northwest Park
Managed by Town of Manchester
28 acres1.2 mi of trail
Union Pond Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 51 parks & preserves
Porter Howard Watershed Land563 acres · 15.9 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
DirectionsCase Mountain Recreational Area398 acres · 13 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
DirectionsBuckingham Reservoir Watershed508 acres · 10.1 mi of trail · Town of Manchester Water Department
DirectionsLydall Watershed Land222 acres · 4.2 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
DirectionsLombardo Farm99 acres · 2.9 mi of trail · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsOak Grove Nature Center53 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
DirectionsBush Hill Farm57 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsNorthwest Park28 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
Wickham Park Bird Sanctuary16 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsManning–Ferris Park14 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Salter's Pond13 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsLydall Woods34 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsPurdy Nature Park13 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsPath to Wellness Preserve12 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsHillstown Veterans Memorial Park54 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
DirectionsCharter Oak Park43 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
DirectionsRobertson Park11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
DirectionsMount Nebo Park42 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
DirectionsAlba Pavan Preserve21 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Virginia and Charles House Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsCenter Spring Pond Park55 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSteele Farm Drive Open Space7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
Center Park7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Manchester
DirectionsBryan Drive Parklet4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Meadowbrook Drive Open Space46 acres · Town of Manchester
Finguera Preserve26 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Redwood Road Parklet23 acres · Town of Manchester
Hop River State Park Trail17 acres
DirectionsBuckland Pond13 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Riverside Drive Open Space13 acres · Town of Manchester
Cheney Rail Trail10 acres · Town of Manchester
DirectionsKennedy Road Soccer Complex10 acres · Town of Manchester
DirectionsBishop Drive Parklet6 acres
DirectionsFairway Park5 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
South Manchester Railroad Trail5 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsMalcolm and Susan Barlow Park4 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Meadowbrook Play Area3 acres · Town of Manchester
Manchester Open Space3 acres · Town of Manchester
Andrew Ansaldi Park3 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Hayden Griswold Park2 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Yules Family Park2 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Parker Village Play Area2 acres
Marsh Pond2 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Baldwin Park2 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Linares Preserve1 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
Bernie Daley Memorial Field1 acres · Town of Manchester
DirectionsSchool Street Open Space1 acres · Town of Manchester
Spruce Street Community Garden1 acres · Town of Manchester
DirectionsMunro Park1 acres · Town of Manchester
DirectionsScott Drive Parklet1 acres · Town of Manchester
Case Parklet1 acres · Manchester Land Conservation Trust
DirectionsWho protects it
3,092 conserved acres
18% of Manchester’s land. Who manages Manchester’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city310 ac
State conservation162 ac
Other state land16 ac
Not recorded2,811 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 2,375 acPrivate Conservation · 329 acUnknown Easement · 178 acLocal Park · 164 acLocal Recreation Area · 136 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 45 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 89 of 123 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 | 1,716 | Unknown |
| Manchester Golf Course Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 704 | Unknown |
| Wickham Park Private Conservation | Not recorded | 157 | Unknown |
| Laurel Lake Local Recreation Area | Not recorded | 62 | Unknown |
| Center Springs Park Local Park | Town or city | 56 | Open |
| Oak Grove Nature Center Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 52 | Unknown |
| Case Mountain Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 41 | Unknown |
| Nike Site-Manchester Rec. Center Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 40 | Open |
| Northwest Park Local Park | Town or city | 27 | Open |
| Globe Hollow/Camp Kennedy Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 26 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
54 places to go in Manchester
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Manchester
5 public pools without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Manchester
Wickham Park Hickory Grove 1
DirectionsPlus 27 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Dog parks in Manchester
Manchester Dog ParkIn Mount Nebo Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Manchester
5 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Manchester
Case FallsIn Case Mountain Recreational Area
DirectionsCenter Springs FallsIn Center Spring Pond Park
DirectionsWyllys Falls
DirectionsScenic views in Manchester
1 scenic view without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Manchester
Lookout Mountain778 ft elevation · In Case Mountain Recreational Area
DirectionsBirch Mountain764 ft elevation · In Case Mountain Recreational Area
DirectionsCase Mountain705 ft elevation · In Case Mountain Recreational Area
DirectionsGreen Hill509 ft elevation · In Porter Howard Watershed Land
DirectionsBush Hill318 ft elevation · In Bush Hill Farm
DirectionsAcademy Hill266 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Nebo249 ft elevation
DirectionsToby Hill131 ft elevation
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Manchester
Beech Grove 5
DirectionsCamp Merrie-WoodGirl Scouts of Connecticut
DirectionsTrails & water
22 named trails and 29 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.9 miUnpaved · 34.1 mi
New State Road Trail3.7 mi
Carriage Path3.1 mi
Oakland Trail2.1 mi
Laurel Marsh Trail2.0 mi
Black Mamba1.7 mi
Adams Mill Trail1.5 mi
Hockanum River Linear Park - Union Pond Trail1.0 mi
Verplanck Trail0.9 mi
Laurel Marsh Trail (Gravel Loop)0.8 mi
Lake Street to Lydall Trail0.7 mi
12 more trails
Fitness Trail
0.7 miCornholio
0.6 miUnion Pond Trail
0.6 miLaurel Marsh Trail Reroute
0.5 miSwamp Trail
0.4 miPitkin Trail
0.4 miVerplank Trail
0.3 miDiversion/Trail
0.3 miGas Line Path
0.2 miLaurel Marsh Connector Trail
0.2 miHockanum River Linear Park - Oakland Trail
0.1 miHilliard Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Buckland PondpondCaiglo PondpondCases Machine Shop PondCenter Spring Park PondDog PondpondFolly PondpondGlobe HollowGlobe Hollow ReservoirHoward ReservoirKeeney Street PondLydall Brook DamLydall Street Reservoir No 1reservoirLydall Street Reservoir No 2reservoirManchester Country Club PondParker Street DamPhoenix DamlakePorter ReservoirRed Gates PondpondRoger's PondreservoirSalter's PondreservoirUlrich PondlakeUnion PondUpper Case PondWetherell PondBigelow BrookBirch Mountain BrookHockanum RiverHop BrookSouth Fork Hockanum River
Biking & sports
23 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
22 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
23Tennis
15Basketball
11Baseball
9Soccer
7Softball
4Beach volleyball
1Pickleball
1Football
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →8 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
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.
Edward L. Burnham FarmBuilding · listed 1982
About itUS Post Office-Manchester MainBuilding · listed 1986
About itMain Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1996
About itWoodbridge FarmsteadBuilding · listed 1999
About itManchester Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2000
About itUnion Village Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2002
About itCase Brothers Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2009
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Manchester: 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 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 63 | 52 | 41 |
| Rain (in) | 3.3 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.6 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.2 | 4.6 | 3.7 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (2.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.6 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Manchester →
Next door
Manchester and its neighbors
Manchester has the second most mapped trails of the 6 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 18% | 3.7 | 22 | 97% | A+ |
| Glastonbury | 29% | 3.4 | 72 | 99%+ | A+ |
| Bolton | 12% | 2.6 | 115 | 47% | A |
| East Hartford | 6% | 0.7 | 6 | 96% | B+ |
| South Windsor | 12% | 1.1 | 36 | 90% | A |
| Vernon | 19% | 1.7 | 22 | 96% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Manchester
Where can I hike in Manchester?
The longest trail networks: Porter Howard Watershed Land, 15.9 miles; Case Mountain Recreational Area, 13 miles; Buckingham Reservoir Watershed, 10.1 miles; Lydall Watershed Land, 4.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Manchester is conserved land?
18% 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 Manchester’s trails?
Porter Howard Watershed Land and Case Mountain Recreational Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Manchester?
23 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.1 of painted or protected lanes and 22 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Manchester?
14,859 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Manchester or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,332 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Manchester have?
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #8 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 Manchester 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 →