Morgan R. Chaney Sanctuary
Managed by Connecticut Audubon Society
224 acres2.4 mi of trail
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: User:Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 4.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Montville
12% of Montville’s land is conserved: 3,341 acres
The biggest trail networks: Morgan R. Chaney Sanctuary (2.4 mi), Fort Shantok Park (0.9 mi), City of Norwich Public Watershed Lands (0.8 mi). 425 acres are parks and preserves, 24 per 1,000 residents. 23 miles of mapped trail cross Montville, 0.5 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 65% of U.S. towns · #136 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
12%
3,341 acres · of 41.8 sq mi of land
Trails
23 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
425 ac
24 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
27%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
597 ft
Chapel Hill
Lakes & rivers
28
1 boat launch
What kind of outdoors town is Montville?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Montville have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Montville is ahead of 65% of U.S. towns, #136 of 155 in Connecticut. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Montville’s overall grade.
Conserved land12% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%A−Trails0.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (23 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4B+Park land24 acres of park per 1,000 residents (425 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home27% 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 65%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 12%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Montville’s 12% is ahead of 34% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 10% of them.
Water is 5% of Montville’s area (2 of 44 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 12%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B− 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 Morgan R. Chaney Sanctuary, with 2.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Fort Shantok Park
Managed by Mohegan Tribe
75 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
City of Norwich Public Watershed Lands
Managed by City of Norwich
408 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
City of New London Public Watershed Lands
Managed by City of New London Water Department
1,578 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Quaker Hill Road and Gun Club
Nature preserve
263 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 28 parks & preserves
Morgan R. Chaney Sanctuary224 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · Connecticut Audubon Society
DirectionsFort Shantok Park75 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Mohegan Tribe
DirectionsCity of Norwich Public Watershed Lands408 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · City of Norwich
City of New London Public Watershed Lands1,578 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of New London Water Department
DirectionsQuaker Hill Road and Gun Club263 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Hopemead State Park20 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsMilo Light Nature Preserve294 acres · The Nature Conservancy
Camp Oakdale Recreation Center169 acres · Town of Montville
DirectionsGlemboski-Ous56 acres · Avalonia Land Conservancy
Fair Oaks Conservation Center39 acres · Town of Montville
Oakdale Road Open Space33 acres · Town of Montville
Montville American Little League Complex28 acres · Montville Little League
DirectionsChesterfield Hills Estate Open Space22 acres · Town of Montville
Minson Tract19 acres · Waterford Land Trust
PTA Lane Open Space10 acres · Town of Montville
Grassy Hill Road Open Space9 acres · Town of Montville
Moxley Road Open Space6 acres · Town of Montville
White Oak Preserve6 acres · Waterford Land Trust
Norwich-Salem Turnpike Open Space4 acres · Town of Montville
Frances Street Open Space4 acres · Town of Montville
Forest Drive Open Space3 acres · Town of Montville
Nehantic Nature Preserve2 acres · East Lyme Land Trust
Avery Road Open Space2 acres · Town of Montville
Church Road Open Space2 acres · Town of Montville
Lynch Hill Road Open Space1 acres · Town of Montville
Richard Brown Drive Open Space1 acres · Town of Montville
Benway Court Open Space1 acres · Town of Montville
Bridge Street Open Space1 acres · Town of Montville
Who protects it
3,341 conserved acres
12% of Montville’s land. Water is left out: Montville has 41.8 square miles of land and 2.2 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Montville’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits305 ac
Town or city217 ac
Other state land145 ac
Private owners59 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)20 ac
State conservation4 ac
Not recorded2,758 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 2,004 acPrivate Conservation · 773 acLocal Conservation Area · 179 acUnknown Easement · 144 acState Recreation Area · 123 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 170 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 40 of 50 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 2,365 | Unknown |
| Milo Light Nature Preserve Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 294 | Unknown |
| Morgan R. Chaney Sanctuary Private Conservation | Not recorded | 220 | Unknown |
| Camp Oakdale Recreation Center Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 166 | Open |
| Gardner Lake State Recreation Area | Not recorded | 123 | Unknown |
| Stony Brook Reservoir Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 71 | Unknown |
| Fair Oaks Conservation Center Private Conservation | Private owners | 45 | Closed |
| Town Of Montville Open Space (Lots 29 & 29C) Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 16 | Open |
| Pta Lane Open Space Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 13 | Open |
| Porach Memorial Field (National Little League) Local Recreation Area | Private owners | 7 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
34 places to go in Montville
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Montville
Monty's Playground
DirectionsPlus 4 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Montville
Montville Boat Launch
DirectionsWaterfalls in Montville
Silver Falls
DirectionsScenic views in Montville
Lava Lookout
DirectionsPeaks in Montville
Chapel Hill597 ft elevation
DirectionsRaymond Hill558 ft elevation
DirectionsDolbeare Hill531 ft elevation
DirectionsSharp Hill489 ft elevation
DirectionsComstock Hill449 ft elevation
DirectionsCrandall Hill449 ft elevation
DirectionsRidge Hill440 ft elevation · In Morgan R. Chaney Sanctuary
DirectionsPequot Ledge394 ft elevation
Directions14 more peaks
Lynch Hill377 ft elevation
DirectionsPie Hill358 ft elevation
DirectionsMohegan Hill354 ft elevation
DirectionsNoble Hill354 ft elevation
DirectionsSchoolhouse Hill354 ft elevation
DirectionsUncas Hill348 ft elevation
DirectionsBeaverdam Hill344 ft elevation
DirectionsHaughton Mountain338 ft elevation
DirectionsBarnville Hill315 ft elevation
DirectionsCochegan Hill305 ft elevation
DirectionsCrow Hill223 ft elevation
DirectionsCochegan Rock210 ft elevation
DirectionsStoddard Hill141 ft elevation
DirectionsRed Rock3 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Montville
2 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Montville
Laurel Lock Campground
DirectionsPequot Ledge Campground
DirectionsTrails & water
28 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Amoeba PondBeckwith PondBogue Brook ReservoirreservoirCar PondpondDavis PondpondDeep Hollow Brook DamFire Street PondGardner LakelakeGay Cemetery PondreservoirMcAlpine Brook DamMohegan Brook DamNew London PondpondOakdale PondOxoboxo LakereservoirParis PondreservoirPicker PondreservoirRed Mill PondreservoirRockland PondreservoirScholfield PondSharp PondSideline PondStony Brook ReservoirreservoirTantaquidgeon PondlakeTrading CoveWedge PondWheeler PondreservoirOxoboxo RiverThames 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
20Tennis
13Baseball
3Football
3Lacrosse
2Soccer
2Basketball
1Beach volleyball
1Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →5 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Raymond-Bradford HomesteadBuilding · listed 1982
About itBridge No. 1860Structure · listed 1993
About itUncasville SchoolBuilding · listed 2001
About itNew England Hebrew Farmers of the Emanuel Society Synagogue and Creamery SiteSite · listed 2012
About itUncasville Mill Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2021
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Montville: 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 | 43 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.7 | 4.0 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 4.4 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Montville →
Next door
Montville and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Salem46 miLedyard45 miWaterford26 miPreston24 miMontville23 miNorwich18 miBozrah6.0 miOxoboxo River0.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montville | 12% | 0.5 | 24 | 27% | B+ |
| Norwich | 14% | 0.7 | 4 | 72% | B |
| Bozrah | 12% | 0.3 | 59 | 34% | B+ |
| Salem | 30% | 1.6 | 127 | 21% | A |
| Ledyard | 19% | 1.2 | 76 | 85% | A |
| Preston | 8% | 0.8 | 8 | 32% | B− |
| Oxoboxo River | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Waterford | 14% | 0.8 | 45 | 56% | A− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Montville
Where can I hike in Montville?
The longest trail networks: Morgan R. Chaney Sanctuary, 2.4 miles; Fort Shantok Park, 0.9 miles; City of Norwich Public Watershed Lands, 0.8 miles; City of New London Public Watershed Lands, 0.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Montville is conserved land?
12% 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 Montville’s trails?
Morgan R. Chaney Sanctuary and Fort Shantok Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Montville?
10,559 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Montville or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 425 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Montville have?
Ahead of 65% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #136 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 Montville 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 →