Mansfield Hollow State Park
Managed by State of Connecticut
1,500 acres22.3 mi of trail
Yellow TrailSunset TrailOld Route 89Flood Levee Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Mansfield Historical Society · CC BY 2.5AOutdoors
Outdoors in Mansfield
Mansfield has 127 miles of mapped trails, 2.8 for every square mile of land
29% of Mansfield’s land is conserved, about 8,153 acres. The biggest trail networks: Mansfield Hollow State Park (22.3 mi), UConn Forest Fenton Tract (11.1 mi), Schoolhouse Brook Park (10.3 mi). 658 acres are parks and preserves, 26 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns · #51 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
29%
8,153 acres · of 44.6 sq mi of land
Trails
127 mi
2.8 per sq mi of land
Park land
658 ac
26 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
47%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
13 mi
1.6 mi lanes · 6.6 mi paths
Highest peak
702 ft
Horsebarn Hill
Lakes & rivers
33
1 beach · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Mansfield?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Mansfield have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Mansfield is ahead of 88% of U.S. towns, #51 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 Mansfield’s overall grade.
Conserved land29% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%ATrails2.8 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (127 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4A+Park land26 acres of park per 1,000 residents (658 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home47% 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 88%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 68%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Mansfield’s 29% is ahead of 88% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 92% 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 Mansfield Hollow State Park, with 22.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
UConn Forest Fenton Tract
Managed by University of Connecticut
579 acres11.1 mi of trail
Nipmuck Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Schoolhouse Brook Park
Managed by Mansfield Parks & Recreation
521 acres10.3 mi of trail
Stone Bridge TrailGraveyard MBTSchoolhouse Rock MBTTamarack Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
UConn Forest Spring Hill Tract
Managed by University of Connecticut
496 acres5.7 mi of trail
Tractor Supply MBTUpper Beech MBTLower Beech MBTSlash Dash MBT+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Fifty-Foot Cliff Preserve
Mansfield Hollow Lake Recreation Area
Managed by United States Army Corps of Engineers
282 acres4.9 mi of trail
Pipeline MBTShakedown Street MBT
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Dunhamtown Forest
Managed by Town of Mansfield
262 acres3.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
UConn Spring Manor Farm
Managed by University of Connecticut
370 acres3.1 mi of trail
Spring Meadow Greenway Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Hillside Environmental Education Park
Managed by University of Connecticut
149 acres3.1 mi of trail
Water Line Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 99 parks & preserves
Mansfield Hollow State Park1,500 acres · 22.3 mi of trail · State of Connecticut
DirectionsUConn Forest Fenton Tract579 acres · 11.1 mi of trail · University of Connecticut
DirectionsSchoolhouse Brook Park521 acres · 10.3 mi of trail · Mansfield Parks & Recreation
DirectionsUConn Forest Spring Hill Tract496 acres · 5.7 mi of trail · University of Connecticut
DirectionsMansfield Hollow Lake Recreation Area282 acres · 4.9 mi of trail · United States Army Corps of Engineers
DirectionsDunhamtown Forest262 acres · 3.6 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsUConn Spring Manor Farm370 acres · 3.1 mi of trail · University of Connecticut
Hillside Environmental Education Park149 acres · 3.1 mi of trail · University of Connecticut
DirectionsSawmill Brook Preserve192 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsAlbert E. Moss Sanctuary138 acres · 2.2 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsDavid Storrs Chapin Coney Rock Preserve113 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsWolf Rock Nature Preserve107 acres · 2 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsSimpson–Wood Preserve114 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Mansfield Parks & Recreation
Fifty-Foot Cliff Preserve104 acres · 1.9 mi of trail · Mansfield Parks & Recreation
DirectionsKnowlton Hill Preserve76 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Joshua's Trust
DirectionsUConn Forest North Eagleville Tract134 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · University of Connecticut
DirectionsShelter Falls Park124 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsBaxter Road Open Space78 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
Coney Rock Preserve68 acres · 1.7 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsMount Hope Park35 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Mansfield Parks & Recreation
Southworth Preserve60 acres · 1 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
Torrey Preserve31 acres · 1 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsDorwart Preserve60 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsNatchaug River Water Access24 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · State of Connecticut
Eagleville Preserve24 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
Holt–Kinney Woods41 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
Nate and Theora Whetten Woods36 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsBradley–Buchanan Woods24 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Joshua's Trust
Dunham Woods Preserve18 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsDorothy C. Goodwin Reserve17 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
John Löf Woodlands18 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsMerrow Meadow Park17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsEagleville Pond Launch38 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsWhetten Woods Protected Open Space25 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsChurch Farm Preserve11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
Four Arrows Adventure Course6 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · University of Connecticut
DirectionsPond Lot11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsHarriet E. Babcock Preserve10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
Owen's Mere8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsCrane Hill Road Open Space13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsRiver Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsKaya Lane Open Space9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
Homestead Drive Open Space6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
Spring Hill Fields6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsGurleyville Grist Mill4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsStone Mill Road Open Space3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsMansfield City Open Space89 acres · Town of Mansfield
Rollin Corner68 acres · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
Stearns Road Open Space55 acres · Town of Mansfield
UConn Forest Willimantic Tract55 acres · University of Connecticut
Jonathan Lane Open Space29 acres · Town of Mansfield
Proposal Rock Preserve23 acres · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsSheffield Drive Open Space18 acres · Town of Mansfield
Monticello Open Space18 acres · Town of Mansfield
Deerfield Lane Open Space17 acres · Town of Mansfield
Stafford Road Open Space17 acres · Town of Mansfield
Bassetts Bridge Road Open Space16 acres · Town of Mansfield
Storrs Road Open Space13 acres · Town of Mansfield
Stafford Road–Depot Road Open Space11 acres · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsMichael's Preserve9 acres · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsCedar Swamp Open Space8 acres · Town of Mansfield
North Eagleville Road Open Space8 acres · Town of Mansfield
Haberman Haven7 acres · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
Elizabeth Road Open Space7 acres · Town of Mansfield
Southeast Park7 acres · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsBoulder Lane Open Space6 acres · Town of Mansfield
Philip Drive Open Space6 acres · Town of Mansfield
Thomas Drive Open Space5 acres · Town of Mansfield
Aurora Estates Open Space4 acres · Town of Mansfield
Penner Property4 acres · Town of Mansfield
Bone Mill Open Space3 acres · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsGurley–Mason Mill Site3 acres · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsEllise Road Open Space3 acres · Town of Mansfield
Hillyndale Road Open Space3 acres · Town of Mansfield
Willimantic Reservoir2 acres · Town of Windham
Harvey Preserve2 acres · Joshua's Trust
Jerauld A. Manter Tract2 acres · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsSunny Acres Park2 acres · Town of Mansfield
Farmstead Road Open Space2 acres · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsLorraine Drive Open Space2 acres · Town of Mansfield
Little Lane Open Space2 acres · Town of Mansfield
Scottron Open Space2 acres · Town of Mansfield
Davis Road Open Space2 acres · Town of Mansfield
Riverview Trail Park1 acres · Town of Coventry
DirectionsSchmid Overlook1 acres · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
Alex Caisse Park1 acres · Town of Windham
Middle Turnpike Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
Russett Lane Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
Center Meadow1 acres · Joshuas Tract Cons. & Historic Trust
DirectionsHanks Corner Preserve1 acres · Town of Mansfield
Cheney Drive Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsGurleyville Road Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
DirectionsWarrenville Road Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
Fellen Road Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
Birchwood Heights Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
Westgate Lane Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
Costello Circle Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
Thornbush Road Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
Riverview Road Open Space1 acres · Town of Mansfield
Who protects it
8,153 conserved acres
29% of Mansfield’s land. Who manages Mansfield’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Private owners1,295 ac
Other state land989 ac
Town or city669 ac
State conservation233 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)132 ac
Not recorded6,389 ac
State Other or Unknown · 2,181 acLocal Other or Unknown · 1,716 acState Conservation Area · 1,579 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 1,228 acUnknown Easement · 1,191 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 463 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 152 of 190 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Conservation Easement | Not recorded | 5,475 | Unknown |
| Mansfield Hollow Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 1,523 | Unknown |
| Willimantic River Water Access State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 133 | Unknown |
| Thomas Barrows Park Addition to Schoolhouse Brook* Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 131 | Unknown |
| Town Open Space (Dunham Road) Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 124 | Open |
| Mansfield Recreation Park Inc. Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 70 | Unknown |
| Joshuas Tract Wildlife Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 56 | Unknown |
| Town Open Space (Maple Road) Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 56 | Open |
| Eagleville Lake State Recreation Area | Not recorded | 52 | Unknown |
| Conservation Easement Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 44 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
34 places to go in Mansfield
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Mansfield
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Mansfield
7 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Mansfield
Canoe Launch PointIn River Park
DirectionsMansfield Hollow Lake Boat LaunchIn Mansfield Hollow State Park
DirectionsMansfield Hollow Lake Boat LaunchIn Mansfield Hollow State Park
DirectionsFishing spots in Mansfield
1 fishing spot without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Mansfield
CascadesIn Shelter Falls Park
DirectionsCascadesIn Shelter Falls Park
DirectionsCodfish Falls
DirectionsPlus 2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Mansfield
9 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Mansfield
Horsebarn Hill702 ft elevation
DirectionsWormwood Hill696 ft elevation
DirectionsBall Hill643 ft elevation
DirectionsChestnut Hill604 ft elevation
DirectionsWolf RockIn Wolf Rock Nature Preserve
DirectionsPicnic areas in Mansfield
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Mansfield
Mansfield Community Garden
DirectionsMansfield Community Garden
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 33 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 38.8 mi
Yellow Trail3.3 mi
Nipmuck Trail2.5 mi
Sunset Trail1.5 mi
Upper Beech MBT1.0 mi
Tractor Supply MBT0.9 mi
Old Route 890.8 mi
Stone Bridge Trail0.8 mi
Graveyard MBT0.7 mi
Lower Beech MBT0.7 mi
Water Line Trail0.7 mi
15 more trails
Flood Levee Trail
0.6 miSchoolhouse Rock MBT
0.6 miCyr's Ridge MBT
0.6 miTamarack Trail
0.5 miGel Flask MBT
0.5 miSlash Dash MBT
0.4 miPipeline MBT
0.4 miSpring Meadow Greenway Trail
0.3 miPine Ridge Trail
0.3 miShakedown Street MBT
0.3 miLa Vuelta Switchback MBT
0.2 miHall Trail
0.2 miOwen's Mere Trail
0.2 miIndian Trail
0.2 miBarrows Trail
0.2 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Baldwin PondpondBarrows PondlakeBicentennial PondlakeChapin PondlakeCrane Hill Road PondlakeDunham PondlakeEagleville LakereservoirEaton PondlakeEcho LakeGariner Road PondHanks Hill PondpondHansens PondlakeJohnson PondLower Storrs Pumping Station PondlakeMansfield Hollow LakereservoirMasons Mill PondMcLaughlin PondreservoirMirror LakelakeNova PondlakeOdd PondOwen's MerelakePerkins Corner PondSawmill PondSpring Road PondSwamp Brook PondlakeSwan LakeTift PondlakeTraining Dam No 1Varga PondFenton RiverMount Hope RiverNatchaug RiverWillimantic River
Biking & sports
13 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.6 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
6.6 mi
off-road bike paths
4.9 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
17Basketball
14Tennis
12Baseball
12Beach volleyball
11Soccer
10Tracks
8Pickleball
6Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →10 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 8 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Eleazer Williams HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itMansfield Center Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1972
About itGurleyville Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1975
About itMansfield Hollow Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979
About itSpring Hill Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979
About itMansfield Training School and HospitalDistrict · listed 1987
About itUniversity of Connecticut Historic District-Connecticut Agricultural SchoolDistrict · listed 1989
About itMansfield Center CemeterySite · listed 1992
About itFarwell BarnBuilding · listed 2001
About itMansfield Hollow DamStructure · listed 2003
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Mansfield: 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 | 70 | 77 | 82 | 81 | 74 | 62 | 51 | 41 |
| Rain (in) | 3.7 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.5 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 82 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Mansfield →
Next door
Mansfield and its neighbors
Mansfield has the most mapped trails of the 7 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Mansfield127 miWindham45 miWillington35 miCoventry30 miChaplin30 miMansfield Center19 miWillimantic14 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mansfield | 29% | 2.8 | 26 | 47% | A |
| Coventry | 18% | 0.8 | 13 | 33% | B+ |
| Windham | 15% | 1.7 | 22 | 79% | A |
| Willimantic | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Willington | 11% | 1.1 | 77 | 29% | A− |
| Chaplin | 38% | 1.5 | 141 | 49% | A |
| Mansfield Center | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Mansfield
Where can I hike in Mansfield?
The longest trail networks: Mansfield Hollow State Park, 22.3 miles; UConn Forest Fenton Tract, 11.1 miles; Schoolhouse Brook Park, 10.3 miles; UConn Forest Spring Hill Tract, 5.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Mansfield is conserved land?
29% 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 Mansfield’s trails?
Mansfield Hollow State Park and UConn Forest Fenton Tract don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Mansfield?
13 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.6 of painted or protected lanes, 6.6 of off-road paths and 4.9 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Mansfield?
8,500 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Mansfield or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 681 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Mansfield have?
Ahead of 88% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #51 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 Mansfield 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 →