Roy & Margot Larsen Sanctuary
Managed by Connecticut Audubon Society
155 acres5.9 mi of trail
Dear Meadow LoopEdna Strub Chiboucas Special Use TrailDirty Swamp TrailChipmunk Run+1
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
–Not graded
Outdoors in Murray
Few parks or trails are on the map in Murray
The biggest trail networks: Roy & Margot Larsen Sanctuary (5.9 mi), Ernest Hillman Jr. Nature Preserve (0.5 mi). 4% of Murray’s land is conserved, about 36 acres. 6.8 miles of mapped trail cross Murray, 4.6 per square mile of land.
Conserved land
4%
36 acres · of 1.5 sq mi of land
Trails
6.8 mi
4.6 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
394 ft
Pavement Hill
Lakes & rivers
4
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 Roy & Margot Larsen Sanctuary, with 5.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Ernest Hillman Jr. Nature Preserve
Managed by Aspetuck Land Trust
10 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Lobdell Calf Pond Preserve
Managed by Aspetuck Land Trust
3 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Audubon Center at Fairfield
Managed by Audubon
2 acres0.1 mi of trail
Dogs usually not allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
All 5 parks & preserves
Roy & Margot Larsen Sanctuary155 acres · 5.9 mi of trail · Connecticut Audubon Society
DirectionsErnest Hillman Jr. Nature Preserve10 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Aspetuck Land Trust
Audubon Center at Fairfield2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Audubon
DirectionsLobdell Calf Pond Preserve3 acres · Aspetuck Land Trust
Congress Place1 acres
Who protects it
36 conserved acres
4% of Murray’s land. Who manages Murray’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Not recorded36 ac
Private Conservation · 36 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 2 of 2 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Private Conservation | Not recorded | 36 | Unknown |
Things to do
3 places to go in Murray
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Murray
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Murray
1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Peaks in Murray
Pavement Hill394 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
18 named trails and 4 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Dear Meadow Loop0.8 mi
Edna Strub Chiboucas Special Use Trail0.7 mi
Dirty Swamp Trail0.5 mi
Saint Timothy's Loop0.3 mi
Chipmunk Run0.3 mi
Muskrat Hollow0.3 mi
West Woods Trail0.3 mi
Ox Cart Trail0.2 mi
Sturges Pond Trail0.2 mi
Rock Ledge Trail0.2 mi
8 more trails
Dear Meadow Trail
0.2 miFragrance Loop
0.2 miAzalea Trail
0.2 miStreamside Trail
0.1 miTrillium Trail
0.1 miCottontail Cutoff
0.1 miOld Farm Trail
0.1 miSturges End Trail
0.1 miLakes & 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
1Soccer
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
When to get out
The best walking months in Murray: 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 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.1 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 38 | 41 | 48 | 60 | 70 | 79 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 64 | 53 | 43 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.8 | 4.4 |
February is the driest month (3.1 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.5 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Murray →
Questions about parks and trails in Murray
Where can I hike in Murray?
The longest trail networks: Roy & Margot Larsen Sanctuary, 5.9 miles; Ernest Hillman Jr. Nature Preserve, 0.5 miles; Audubon Center at Fairfield, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Murray’s trails?
Roy & Margot Larsen Sanctuary and Ernest Hillman Jr. Nature Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Murray?
7,500 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Murray or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), almost none of it inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Murray 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 →