Hemlock Hills
Nature preserve
348 acres6.5 mi of trail
Ski LoopBlue Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: ajay_suresh · CC BY 2.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Ridgefield
Ridgefield has 57 miles of mapped trails, 1.6 for every square mile of land
18% of Ridgefield’s land is conserved, about 3,960 acres. 2,340 acres are parks and preserves, 93 per 1,000 residents. 97% of residents live within a half mile of a park.
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns · #2 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
18%
3,960 acres · of 34.5 sq mi of land
Trails
57 mi
1.6 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,340 ac
93 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
97%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
27 mi
Highest peak
997 ft
Pine Mountain
Lakes & rivers
44
4 beaches · 3 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Ridgefield?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Ridgefield have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Ridgefield is ahead of 98% of U.S. towns, #2 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 Ridgefield’s overall grade.
Conserved land18% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%ATrails1.6 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (57 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4APark land93 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,340 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13AParks close to home97% of residents within a half mile of a park · CT 57% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 98%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)#2 of 155
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Ridgefield’s 18% is ahead of 59% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 64% 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 Hemlock Hills, with 6.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Bennett's Pond State Park
Park
444 acres6.3 mi of trail
Green TrailWhite TrailPurple TrailBlue Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve
Nature preserve
307 acres5.8 mi of trail
Red TrailWhite TrailBlue TrailYellow Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Pine Mountain
Nature preserve
296 acres3.8 mi of trail
Ives TrailRed Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lake Windwing
Nature preserve
142 acres3.4 mi of trail
Ski Loop
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Florida Refuge
Nature preserve
61 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Spectacle Swamp
Nature preserve
93 acres1.1 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Old Sib Preserve
Nature preserve
28 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 127 parks & preserves
Hemlock Hills348 acres · 6.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBennett's Pond State Park444 acres · 6.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSeth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve307 acres · 5.8 mi of trail
DirectionsPine Mountain296 acres · 3.8 mi of trail
DirectionsLake Windwing142 acres · 3.4 mi of trail
DirectionsFlorida Refuge61 acres · 1.7 mi of trail
Spectacle Swamp93 acres · 1.1 mi of trail
DirectionsOld Sib Preserve28 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
Weir Farm National Historic Site27 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsLevy Park45 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Sarah Bishop43 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
West Mountain Refuge (Mcmanus Section)42 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsBobby's Court (2 Parcels)33 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Liebowitz-Knapp Open Space31 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Sturges Park45 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsLeibowitz Section28 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Beechwood16 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsTopstone Preserve10 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWest Mountain Refuge (Reed Section)24 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBeers Lane20 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsBallard Park4 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsLimestone Preserve (3 Parcels)81 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Casey Lane Reserve (2 Parcels)40 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Barrack Hill Refuge11 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Kiah's Brook Refuge50 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWillow Court30 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsTown Open Space (Craigmoor Road)10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsRidgefield Recreation Center45 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRichardson Park30 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLand Conservancy of Ridgefield (Ned's Mountain Road) 4 Parcels23 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Land Conservancy of Ridgefield
Governor Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsNod Hill Road Open Space2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Ridgefield
DirectionsWeir Farm2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTown Open Space (Shadow Lake Road)61 acres
DirectionsLand Cons. Of Ridgefield (W. Mt. Road) 3 Parcels59 acres
Ridgefield Open Space45 acres · Land Cons. Of Ridgefield
Scodon39 acres
Aldrich Park & Field36 acres
John R. Eustis Preserve32 acres · Land Conservation of Ridgefield
Ridgebury Farms (2 Parcels)26 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Hillcrest Court)22 acres
East Ridge Fields22 acres
DirectionsLand Cons. Of Ridgefield (Shadow Lake Road)20 acres
Colonial Heights19 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (North Street)18 acres
Sherwood Refuge18 acres
Ridgefield Brook17 acres
Comstock Court Open Space17 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Spring Valley Road)17 acres
Town Open Space (New Road)16 acres
Indian Cave Road Open Space16 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Peaceable Refuge15 acres
Town Open Space (Keeler Drive)15 acres
DirectionsBranchville Road Open Space14 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Ridgebury Slope14 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Ledges Road)14 acres
Table Rock14 acres
Silvermine Ridge14 acres
Peterson Gorge13 acres
DirectionsMartin Park Beach12 acres
Round Pond Preserve12 acres
Town Open Space (Ivy Hill Road)10 acres
Blacksmith Ridge9 acres
The Knolls9 acres
Marjoy Pond9 acres
Town Open Space (North Street, Rear)9 acres
High Pastures9 acres
Perry Road Open Space9 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Lakeview Road Open Space8 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Silver Spring Road Open Space8 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Town Open Space (Lakeside Drive)8 acres
Town Open Space (Hull Place) 2 Parcels8 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Limestone Road)8 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Barlow Mountain Road)7 acres
Berthier Equestrian Trail6 acres
Fieldcrest Drive Open Space6 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Town Open Space (North Valley Road)6 acres
Woodcock Acres6 acres
Remington Ridge6 acres
Town Open Space (Chipmunk Lane)5 acres
Old Spectacle Lane5 acres
East Ridge Preserve5 acres
DirectionsMamanasco Cliffs5 acres
DirectionsMcKeon Open Space5 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Ridgebury Road)5 acres
Town Open Space (Watersedge Lane) 2 Parcels5 acres
Town Open Space (Nursery Road)4 acres
Town Open Space (Hermit Lane)4 acres
Town Open Space (North Street4 acres
Town Open Space (Limestone Road)4 acres
Town Open Space (Kimberly Ct)4 acres
Town Open Space (Taporneck Court, Rear)4 acres
Town Open Space (Ned's Mountain Road)4 acres
Town Open Space (Lee Road)4 acres
Town Open Space (Farmingville Road)4 acres
Sachem Park & Field4 acres
Town Open Space (Lounsbury Road)4 acres
Whipstick Road Open Space4 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Town Open Space (Downsbury Court)3 acres
Town Open Space (Chestnut Hill Road)3 acres
Town Open Space (West Oscaleta Road, Rear)3 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Ethan Allen Highway)3 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Pine Mountain Road)3 acres
South Salem Road Open Space3 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Danbury Road)3 acres
DirectionsTown Open Space (Old Stagecoach Road)2 acres
Town Open Space (North Street At Tannery Hill Dr.)2 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Bennetts Farm Road)2 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Regan Road)2 acres
Town Open Space (Lost Mine Place)2 acres
Town Open Space (Mamanasco Road)2 acres
Land Cons. Of Ridgefield (Florida Hill Road)2 acres
Lewis Drive Open Space2 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Town Open Space (Kellogg Street)2 acres
Town Open Space (Beaver Brook Road)2 acres
Town Open Space (Bennett's Farm Road)2 acres
Hayes Lane Open Space2 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Town Open Space (Ridgebury Road)2 acres
Town Open Space (Limestone Terrace)2 acres
Town Open Space (Tanton Hill Road)1 acres
Town Open Space (Lakeview Drive)1 acres
Town Open Space (Briar Ridge Road, Rear)1 acres
Town Open Space (Ridgewood Road)1 acres
East Wilton Road Open Space1 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Middlebrook Lane Open Space1 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Old Branchville Road Open Space1 acres · Town of Ridgefield
Town Open Space (East Farm Lane)1 acres
Who protects it
3,960 conserved acres
18% of Ridgefield’s land. Who manages Ridgefield’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation760 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits423 ac
Town or city214 ac
County90 ac
National Park Service36 ac
Not recorded2,608 ac
Local Park · 1,673 acState Park · 760 acState Other or Unknown · 567 acLocal Conservation Area · 507 acConservation Easement · 334 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 334 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 155 of 175 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wooster Mountain State Park Scenic Reserve State Park | State conservation | 452 | Open |
| Norwalk River Flood Control Site 2 State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 381 | Unknown |
| Hemlock Hills Local Park | Not recorded | 348 | Unknown |
| Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Scenic Reserve State Park | State conservation | 308 | Open |
| Pine Mountain Local Conservation Area | Not recorded | 291 | Unknown |
| Ridgefield Golf Course Local Park | Not recorded | 167 | Unknown |
| Norwalk River Flood Control Site 3 State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 128 | Unknown |
| Limestone Preserve (3 Parcels) Local Park | Not recorded | 81 | Unknown |
| Norwalk River Flood Control Site 7B State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 58 | Unknown |
| Sarah Bishop/chestnut Hill Local Park | Not recorded | 51 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
46 places to go in Ridgefield
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Ridgefield
Plus 1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Ridgefield
Barlow Mountain Pool
DirectionsMimosa Community Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Ridgefield
Pre-School and Kindergarden Area
DirectionsThe Imagination Station at Ballad ParkIn Ballard Park
DirectionsPlus 17 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Ridgefield
Bark Park Dog Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Ridgefield
Mamanasco Lake Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 2 boat launches without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Ridgefield
Charles Ives cottage siteIn Pine Mountain
DirectionsPlus 1 scenic view without a name on the map.
Peaks in Ridgefield
Pine Mountain997 ft elevation · In Pine Mountain
DirectionsBarlow Mountain951 ft elevation · In Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve
DirectionsWest Mountain935 ft elevation
DirectionsNed Mountain932 ft elevation
DirectionsSeth Low Mountain928 ft elevation
DirectionsIvy Hill768 ft elevation
DirectionsProspect Hill748 ft elevation · In Governor Park
DirectionsBranchville Hill738 ft elevation
Directions7 more peaks
Biddle Hill732 ft elevation
DirectionsCains Hill699 ft elevation
DirectionsNod Hill653 ft elevation
DirectionsNod HIll646 ft elevation
DirectionsCedar Mountain627 ft elevation
DirectionsFlorida Hill620 ft elevation
DirectionsRound Mountain620 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
18 named trails and 44 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 12.3 miHorses · 7.6 miUnpaved · 33.3 mi
Red Trail3.0 mi
White Trail2.7 mi
Green Trail2.7 mi
Ridgefield Rail Trail2.3 mi
Ridegfield High School Cross Country Trail1.6 mi
Blue Trail1.0 mi
Knapp Trail0.8 mi
Yellow Trail0.8 mi
Norwalk River Environment Study Trail0.5 mi
Ives Court0.5 mi
8 more trails
Ives Trail
0.3 miPurple Trail
0.3 miOrange & White Trail
0.2 miOld Trolley Path
0.2 miSki Loop
0.2 miPierrepont Park Trail
0.1 miconnector
0.1 miBlue & White Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Bennett's PondBennetts PondlakeCandees PondDeer Run PondpondEutro PondreservoirField PondFlorida Hill PondFlorida PondpondFox Hill LakeFreemans PondGallaghers PondGolf Lane PondGreat PondreservoirGreater PondHidden PondreservoirHighway PondreservoirJohns PondLake NaranekareservoirLake WindwingreservoirLittle PondLounsebury PondpondMamanasco PondreservoirMarjoy PondpondMillers PondMountain PondNoroneke LakeNorth Street PondOutpost Inn PondPointer PondRidge PondRidgebury Mountain PondRound PondShadow LakereservoirSilver Springs Swamp DamSlim PondSouthern PondpondTaylors PondTiticus PondTwin LakesValley PondWashington PondreservoirWataba LakeWeir PondRidgefield Brook
Biking & sports
27 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
27 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
26Tennis
15Baseball
7Basketball
7Pickleball
7Soccer
3Football
3Softball
1Skate park
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →13 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 5 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Phineas Chapman Lounsbury HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itKeeler TavernBuilding · listed 1982
About itBranchville Railroad TenementBuilding · listed 1982
About itJ. Alden Weir Farm Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1984
About itLewis June HouseBuilding · listed 1984
About itThomas Hyatt HouseBuilding · listed 1984
About itWest Mountain Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1984
About itRidgebury Congregational ChurchBuilding · listed 1984
About itRidgefield Center Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1984
About itBenedict House and ShopBuilding · listed 1998
About itMarch Route of Rochambeau's Army: Ridgebury RoadDistrict · listed 2003
About it1 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Ridgefield: 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 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 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 Ridgefield →
Next door
Ridgefield and its neighbors
Ridgefield has the second most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Redding71 miRidgefield57 miDanbury48 miLewisboro44 miWilton41 miNorth Salem39 miRidgebury4.5 miWest Mountain1.8 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ridgefield | 18% | 1.6 | 93 | 97% | A+ |
| Wilton | 8% | 1.5 | 11 | 40% | B+ |
| Redding | 30% | 2.3 | 154 | 66% | A+ |
| Danbury | 15% | 1.1 | 15 | 69% | A− |
| Ridgebury | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| West Mountain | — 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 Ridgefield
Where can I hike in Ridgefield?
The longest trail networks: Hemlock Hills, 6.5 miles; Bennett's Pond State Park, 6.3 miles; Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve, 5.8 miles; Pine Mountain, 3.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Ridgefield is conserved land?
18% 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 Ridgefield’s trails?
Hemlock Hills and Bennett's Pond State Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Ridgefield?
27 miles of bike routes are on the map: 27 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Ridgefield?
24,782 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Ridgefield or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,340 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Ridgefield have?
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #2 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 Ridgefield 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 →