Hop Brook Lake Recreation Area
Managed by United States Army Corps of Engineers
243 acres3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Nathaniel Richardson House · Photo: Bruce Clouette · Public domainAOutdoors
Outdoors in Middlebury
19% of Middlebury’s land is conserved: 2,207 acres
23 miles of mapped trail cross Middlebury, 1.3 per square mile of land. 652 acres are parks and preserves, 84 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Hop Brook Lake Recreation Area (3 mi), Larkin State Park Trail (1.8 mi), Juniper Hill (1.4 mi).
Ahead of 93% of U.S. towns · #20 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
19%
2,207 acres · of 17.8 sq mi of land
Trails
23 mi
1.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
652 ac
84 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
73%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
4.6 mi
4.6 mi paths
Highest peak
958 ft
Great Hill
Lakes & rivers
22
4 beaches
What kind of outdoors town is Middlebury?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Middlebury have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Middlebury is ahead of 93% of U.S. towns, #20 of 155 in Connecticut. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; conserved land ranks highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Middlebury’s overall grade.
Conserved land19% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.3 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (23 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4APark land84 acres of park per 1,000 residents (652 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13AParks close to home73% of residents within a half mile of a park · CT 57% · U.S. 72%B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 93%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 88%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Middlebury’s 19% is ahead of 66% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 47% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be 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 Hop Brook Lake Recreation Area, with 3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Larkin State Park Trail
Nature preserve
29 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Juniper Hill
Managed by Middlebury Land Trust
134 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hetzel Refuge
Managed by Flanders Nature Center
72 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lake Elise Preserve
Managed by Middlebury Land Trust
50 acres1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Robert Clark Tract
Managed by Middlebury Land Trust
28 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Fodder's Folly
Managed by Middlebury Land Trust
52 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Fairhaven Tract
Managed by Middlebury Land Trust
13 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 50 parks & preserves
Hop Brook Lake Recreation Area243 acres · 3 mi of trail · United States Army Corps of Engineers
DirectionsLarkin State Park Trail29 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsJuniper Hill134 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
DirectionsHetzel Refuge72 acres · 1.4 mi of trail · Flanders Nature Center
DirectionsLake Elise Preserve50 acres · 1 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
DirectionsRobert Clark Tract28 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
Fodder's Folly52 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
Fairhaven Tract13 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
Lavigne Easement8 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
Meadowview Park20 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of Middlebury
DirectionsMiriam's Camp Tract11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
Bristol Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of Middlebury
DirectionsNorth Shore Reserve Tract33 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
Town of Middlebury Open Space20 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Arnold-Grimes Tract13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
Griffith Tract10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
Lavigne Tract4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
Timex Tract1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Middlebury Land Trust
Truelove-McLean Tract72 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Tuttle Woods Preserve55 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
William & Mary Woods17 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Highpoint Tract14 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Camp Parcel13 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Matthews Tract12 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Bayberry Farms Tract12 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Woods Hill11 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Woodland Estates Tract10 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Turtle Pond8 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Sperry Easement8 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
DirectionsTranquillity Farm7 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Bronson Meadow6 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Fenn's Pond6 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Abbott Farm Tract6 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Kennerly Tract5 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Burbank Tract4 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Curtis Farms Tract4 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Whittemore Sanctuary3 acres · Flanders Nature Center
Middlebury Town Land3 acres
Theroux Tracts3 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Whittemore Glen State Park2 acres · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Whittemore Cottages2 acres · Flanders Nature Center
Laurel Crest Tracts2 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Largay Corner Tract2 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
DirectionsGilbert Tract2 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Seebach Tract2 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Sperry Tract2 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
DirectionsBaldrige Farm1 acres · Flanders Nature Center
Timex Easement1 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Peck Tract1 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Griffith Tract Addition1 acres · Middlebury Land Trust
Who protects it
2,207 conserved acres
19% of Middlebury’s land. Who manages Middlebury’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits377 ac
Town or city136 ac
Private owners63 ac
Not recorded1,825 ac
Private Conservation · 1,132 acLocal Conservation Area · 608 acLocal Other or Unknown · 368 acUnknown Easement · 231 acState Park · 30 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 231 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 108 of 115 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 | 982 | Unknown |
| Highfield Country Club Private Conservation | Not recorded | 456 | Unknown |
| Middlebury Land Trust, Inc. Local Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 164 | Open |
| Middlebury Land Trust, Inc. (Juniper Hill Area) Local Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 160 | Open |
| Town Of Middlebury (Water Co.) Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 136 | Open |
| The Donald Maclean - Thomas H. Truelove Land Pres* Private Conservation | Not recorded | 72 | Unknown |
| John Largay Memorial Preserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 49 | Unknown |
| Flanders Nature Center, Inc. Local Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 31 | Open |
| Larkin State Park Trail State Park | Not recorded | 28 | Unknown |
| Middlebury Land Trust, Inc. (William/Mary Preserve Local Conservation Area | Land trusts & nonprofits | 22 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
19 places to go in Middlebury
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Middlebury
4 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Middlebury
Long Meadow Elementary School Playground
DirectionsMeadowview Park PlaygroundIn Meadowview Park
DirectionsPlus 6 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Peaks in Middlebury
Great Hill958 ft elevation
DirectionsWoodruff Hill896 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Fair846 ft elevation
DirectionsBreakneck Hill827 ft elevation
DirectionsBedlam Hill804 ft elevation
DirectionsSandy Hill682 ft elevation
DirectionsPreston Hill673 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 22 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 1.8 miUnpaved · 7.8 mi
Blue Trail0.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Abbotts PondAtwood PondAvalon Farm PondreservoirBeetle Bung PondpondClay PondpondFenn PondLake EliseLake QuassapaugreservoirLarkin PondreservoirLittle Tracys PondpondLong Meadow PondMiry Dam PondreservoirMiry Pond No 2lakePakovitch Pond No 1pondPakovitch Pond No 2pondSandy Hill PondSperry PondpondStraw PondpondSummit PondpondTurtle PondYMCA PondpondShattuck Brook
Biking & sports
4.6 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
4.6 mi
off-road bike paths
Larkin State Park TrailBike route
1.8 miCourts & fields
18Tennis
3Basketball
2Soccer
2Pickleball
1Multi-sport
1Baseball
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →4 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Middlebury: 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) | 35 | 38 | 47 | 59 | 70 | 78 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 62 | 50 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.3 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.0 | 4.4 |
February is the driest month (3.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.9 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Middlebury →
Next door
Middlebury 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlebury | 19% | 1.3 | 84 | 73% | A |
| Southbury | 17% | 1.2 | 87 | 60% | A |
| Naugatuck | 11% | 1.5 | 13 | 74% | A− |
| Waterbury | 5% | 0.9 | 5 | 83% | B |
| Woodbury | 20% | 1.1 | 48 | 43% | A− |
| Watertown | 18% | 1.2 | 44 | 50% | A |
| Oxford | 15% | 1.6 | 38 | 20% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Middlebury
Where can I hike in Middlebury?
The longest trail networks: Hop Brook Lake Recreation Area, 3 miles; Larkin State Park Trail, 1.8 miles; Juniper Hill, 1.4 miles; Hetzel Refuge, 1.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Middlebury is conserved land?
19% 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 Middlebury’s trails?
Hop Brook Lake Recreation Area and Larkin State Park Trail don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Middlebury?
4.6 miles of bike routes are on the map: 4.6 of off-road paths. Named routes: Larkin State Park Trail.
Is there public land near Middlebury?
9,842 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Middlebury or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 652 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Middlebury have?
Ahead of 93% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #20 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 Middlebury 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 →