Collis P. Huntington State Park
Nature preserve
576 acres14 mi of trail
BlueWhiteRedGreen
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Aab254 · CC BY-SA 4.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Redding
Redding has 71 miles of mapped trails, 2.3 for every square mile of land
30% of Redding’s land is conserved, about 6,030 acres. 1,348 acres are parks and preserves, 154 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Collis P. Huntington State Park (14 mi), Saugatuck Falls Natural Area (5.6 mi), Limekiln Natural Area (5.6 mi).
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns · #11 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
30%
6,030 acres · of 31.5 sq mi of land
Trails
71 mi
2.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,348 ac
154 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
66%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
1.6 mi
Highest peak
830 ft
Sunset Hill
Lakes & rivers
38
1 beach
What kind of outdoors town is Redding?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
A trail town2.3 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, more than 95% of U.S. towns.Land that stays wild30% of the land is conserved; a typical Connecticut town, 15%.Room to roam154 acres of park per 1,000 residents; the typical U.S. town has 13.History along the way6 places on the National Register.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Redding have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Redding is ahead of 96% of U.S. towns, #11 of 155 in Connecticut. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, the share of residents near a park lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Redding’s overall grade.
Conserved land30% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%ATrails2.3 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (71 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4APark land154 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,348 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13AParks close to home66% 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 96%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 94%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Redding’s 30% is ahead of 92% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 81% 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 Collis P. Huntington State Park, with 14 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Saugatuck Falls Natural Area
Nature preserve
314 acres5.6 mi of trail
Hardwood TrailFalls TrailOld FieldPower Line Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Limekiln Natural Area
Managed by Redding Land Trust
188 acres5.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Topstone Park
Nature preserve
266 acres3.4 mi of trail
Saddleback TrailLong View TrailTopledgeBoulder Top Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
New Pond Farm Educational Center
Nature preserve
103 acres3.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Stormfield
Nature preserve
162 acres3.2 mi of trail
Captain's TrailSandy's TrailHarp TrailHalo Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Mary Evelyn Scott Preserve
Managed by Redding Land Trust
121 acres3 mi of trail
Munro TrailJoan's Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Putnam Memorial State Park
Nature preserve
192 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
All 46 parks & preserves
Collis P. Huntington State Park576 acres · 14 mi of trail
DirectionsSaugatuck Falls Natural Area314 acres · 5.6 mi of trail
DirectionsLimekiln Natural Area188 acres · 5.6 mi of trail · Redding Land Trust
DirectionsTopstone Park266 acres · 3.4 mi of trail
DirectionsNew Pond Farm Educational Center103 acres · 3.3 mi of trail
DirectionsStormfield162 acres · 3.2 mi of trail
DirectionsMary Evelyn Scott Preserve121 acres · 3 mi of trail · Redding Land Trust
DirectionsPutnam Memorial State Park192 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsGallows Hill Natural Area121 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Town of Redding
DirectionsDevils Den148 acres · 1.5 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
DirectionsCouch Hill Preserve60 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Town of Redding
DirectionsThe Rock Lot98 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
Bogus Brook Preserve39 acres · 1 mi of trail · Redding Land Trust
Dayton Tract46 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Joan Plishner Wildlife Preserve15 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Redding Land Trust
Yovan Preserve15 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Redding Land Trust
Lonetown Marsh Sanctuary11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsArcher's Lane Setaside3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Redding
A. F. Brinckerhoff Nature Preserve91 acres · Redding Land Trust
Samuel E. Hill Little River Preserve87 acres
Ground Pine Sanctuary45 acres
Packer Brook Knolls24 acres · Redding Land Trust
Tax Lien (2 Parcels)13 acres
Tax Lien8 acres
R. Storm7 acres · Redding Land Trust
Miller-Setaside7 acres
Sanford/Boughton6 acres · Redding Land Trust
Little River Estates-Setaside6 acres
Herman-Setaside6 acres
Plymouth Realty-Setaside5 acres
Dinapoli4 acres · Redding Land Trust
Marjorie Rickel3 acres · Redding Land Trust
Steiner-Setaside3 acres
Caroline Adams Davidson3 acres · Redding Land Trust
Little River North-Setaside2 acres
Joan B.Arnold2 acres · Redding Land Trust
S.P. Kurpiewski2 acres · Redding Land Trust
Sanford Setaside2 acres
Kauppinen-Setaside2 acres
The Corner2 acres
Dalessio1 acres · Redding Land Trust
Rickel Easement1 acres · Reading Land Trust
Pirone-Setaside1 acres
Davenport Easement1 acres
Glendinning Easement1 acres · Redding Land Trust
DirectionsRoli Easement1 acres
Who protects it
6,030 conserved acres
30% of Redding’s land. Who manages Redding’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits5,315 ac
State conservation338 ac
Town or city265 ac
Other state land184 ac
Not recorded2,880 ac
Conservation Easement · 4,850 acPrivate Conservation · 1,840 acLocal Other or Unknown · 637 acLocal Conservation Area · 567 acState Park · 367 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 2,461 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 198 of 228 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 | 641 | Unknown |
| Devil's Den/Saugatuck Forest Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 409 | Closed |
| Saugatuck Falls Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Not recorded | 315 | Unknown |
| Topstone Park Local Park | Town or city | 265 | Open |
| Limekiln Natural Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 187 | Unknown |
| Prospect Hill State Park | Other state land | 184 | Open |
| Putnam Memorial State Park State Park | Not recorded | 183 | Unknown |
| Boy Scouts of America Private Conservation | Not recorded | 171 | Unknown |
| Stormfield Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 161 | Unknown |
| Mary Evelyn Scott Preserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 115 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
34 places to go in Redding
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Redding
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Redding
7 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Waterfalls in Redding
Poverty Hollow Falls
DirectionsSaugatuck FallsIn Saugatuck Falls Natural Area
DirectionsPlus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Redding
7 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Redding
Sunset Hill830 ft elevation · In Couch Hill Preserve
DirectionsPicketts Ridge725 ft elevation
DirectionsWindy Hill722 ft elevation
DirectionsRedding Ridge702 ft elevation
DirectionsGoodsell Hill692 ft elevation
DirectionsFire Hill689 ft elevation
DirectionsHuckleberry Hill669 ft elevation
DirectionsMeekers Hill666 ft elevation
Directions5 more peaks
Topstone Mountain666 ft elevation · In Topstone Park
DirectionsProspect Hill646 ft elevation · In Putnam Memorial State Park
DirectionsUmpawaug Hill640 ft elevation
DirectionsDiamond Hill610 ft elevation · In Stormfield
DirectionsGilbert Hill610 ft elevation
DirectionsCampgrounds in Redding
Youth Camp IIn Putnam Memorial State Park
DirectionsYouth Camp IIIn Putnam Memorial State Park
DirectionsYouth Camp IIIIn Putnam Memorial State Park
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 38 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 14.1 miHorses · 8.1 miUnpaved · 43.6 mi
Blue2.8 mi
White2.0 mi
Munro Trail1.6 mi
Joan's Trail1.6 mi
Red1.2 mi
Hardwood Trail1.2 mi
Firehouse Trail1.1 mi
Saddleback Trail0.9 mi
Captain's Trail0.9 mi
Norwalk River Valley Trail Redding0.8 mi
15 more trails
Falls Trail
0.7 miOld Field
0.7 miBruzelius Trail
0.6 miSandy's Trail
0.6 miCedar Cliff Trail
0.6 miPower Line Trail
0.5 miHarp Trail
0.5 miGreen
0.5 miPinchbeck Trail
0.5 miHalo Trail
0.5 miBurn Trail
0.5 miLong View Trail
0.4 miOak Trail
0.4 miTopledge
0.3 miBoulder Top Trail
0.3 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Barlow PondBranchville Brook DamChestnut Pond (Redding)Crescent PondCrown PondpondDiamond Hill PondEast LagoonEdge PondFactory PondFalls PondHawley PondHazen PondHedmons PondHegmans PondpondHuntington PondLake McDougallpondLimekiln PondLittle PondLower Black PondLower Park PondMirror LakeMoffitts Brook PondMoffitts PondMountain PondMountain Road PondPecks PondPickett Ridge PondPine Tree PondPutnam Park PondSanford PondSouth PondSteichen's PondreservoirTopstone PondUmpawaug PondWest LagoonAspetuck RiverLittle RiverSaugatuck River
Biking & sports
1.6 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.6 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
12Tennis
4Baseball
1Football
1Soccer
1Basketball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 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.
Putnam Memorial State ParkSite · listed 1970
About itAaron Barlow HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itGeorgetown Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1987
About itUmpawaug District SchoolBuilding · listed 1988
About itRedding Center Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1992
About itDaniel and Esther Bartlett HouseBuilding · listed 1993
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Redding: 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) | 36 | 39 | 47 | 60 | 70 | 78 | 83 | 81 | 74 | 63 | 51 | 41 |
| Rain (in) | 3.5 | 3.0 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 4.3 |
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 Redding →
Next door
Redding and its neighbors
Redding has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Redding71 miRidgefield57 miWilton41 miEaston34 miWeston33 miBethel27 miTopstone0.2 miRoute 7 Gateway0.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redding | 30% | 2.3 | 154 | 66% | A+ |
| Easton | 20% | 1.3 | 24 | 35% | A− |
| Ridgefield | 18% | 1.6 | 93 | 97% | A+ |
| Bethel | 14% | 1.6 | 10 | 62% | A− |
| Weston | 13% | 1.7 | 19 | 66% | A− |
| Wilton | 8% | 1.5 | 11 | 40% | B+ |
| Topstone | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Route 7 Gateway | — 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 Redding
Where can I hike in Redding?
The longest trail networks: Collis P. Huntington State Park, 14 miles; Saugatuck Falls Natural Area, 5.6 miles; Limekiln Natural Area, 5.6 miles; Topstone Park, 3.4 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Redding is conserved land?
30% 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 Redding’s trails?
Collis P. Huntington State Park and Saugatuck Falls Natural Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Redding?
1.6 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.6 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Redding?
20,448 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Redding or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,348 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Redding have?
Ahead of 96% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #11 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 Redding 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 →