Wapping Park
Managed by Town of South Windsor
193 acres2.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Ebenezer Grant House · Photo: –Grondemar · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in South Windsor
South Windsor has 30 miles of mapped trails, 1.1 for every square mile of land
12% of South Windsor’s land is conserved, about 2,115 acres. 981 acres are parks and preserves, 36 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Wapping Park (2.9 mi), Major Michael Donnelly Land Preserve (2.6 mi), Frank Niederwerfer Wildlife Sanctuary (2.6 mi).
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns · #31 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
12%
2,115 acres · of 28.1 sq mi of land
Trails
30 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
981 ac
36 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
90%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
3.7 mi
1.6 mi lanes · 1.6 mi paths
Highest peak
131 ft
Tudor Hill
Lakes & rivers
19
What kind of outdoors town is South Windsor?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does South Windsor have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, South Windsor is ahead of 91% of U.S. towns, #31 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 South Windsor’s overall grade.
Conserved land12% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (30 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land36 acres of park per 1,000 residents (981 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home90% 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 91%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 81%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so South Windsor’s 12% is ahead of 33% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 37% 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 Wapping Park, with 2.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Major Michael Donnelly Land Preserve
Managed by Town of South Windsor
135 acres2.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Frank Niederwerfer Wildlife Sanctuary
Managed by Town of South Windsor
114 acres2.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Sand Hill / Nevers Park
Managed by Town of South Windsor
134 acres2.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Blast & Cast Club
Managed by Five S Group
32 acres0.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 50 parks & preserves
Wapping Park193 acres · 2.9 mi of trail · Town of South Windsor
DirectionsMajor Michael Donnelly Land Preserve135 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · Town of South Windsor
DirectionsFrank Niederwerfer Wildlife Sanctuary114 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · Town of South Windsor
DirectionsSand Hill / Nevers Park134 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · Town of South Windsor
DirectionsBlast & Cast Club32 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Five S Group
Veteran's Memorial Park (Spring Pond)24 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of South Windsor
DirectionsPleasant Valley Homes Open Space29 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of South Windsor
Vibert Road Boat Launch14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of South Windsor
Hartford Audubon Society, Inc. (Main Street)9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Hartford Audubon Society
Rye Street Park139 acres · Town of South Windsor
DirectionsScantic River State Park96 acres
Windshire Abbe Open Space (2 Parcels)44 acres · Town of South Windsor
Country View Estates Open Space43 acres · Town of South Windsor
Morgan Farms Open Space30 acres · Town of South Windsor
Wood Pond Open Space28 acres · Town of South Windsor
Mountainview Estates Open Space27 acres
Tudor Hill Open Space23 acres · Town of South Windsor
South Ridge Open Space20 acres · Town of South Windsor
Blue Spruce Open Space18 acres · Town of South Windsor
Timber Knoll Open Space (3 Parcels)17 acres · Town of South Windsor
Savin Woods Open Space16 acres · Town of South Windsor
Wentworth Estates Open Space (2 Parcels)15 acres · Town of South Windsor
Larry Duprey Field14 acres · Town of South Windsor
DirectionsForest Village Open Space14 acres · Town of South Windsor
Skyview Open Space13 acres · Town of South Windsor
Avery Community Gardens12 acres · Town of South Windsor
Deming Street Community Gardens11 acres · Town of South Windsor
Green Ridge Open Space10 acres · Town of South Windsor
Lakewood Open Space9 acres · Town of South Windsor
Bridlewood Estates Open Space9 acres
Highgate Open Space9 acres · Town of South Windsor
DirectionsEvans Crossing Open Space7 acres · Town of South Windsor
Rye Park Homes Open Space6 acres · Town of South Windsor
Wentworth Open Space (2 Parcels)6 acres · Town of South Windsor
Strong Road Parcel5 acres · Town of South Windsor
Beechwood Farms Open Space5 acres · Town of South Windsor
Ridgefield Open Space4 acres · Town of South Windsor
Chapel Hill Open Space4 acres · Town of South Windsor
Valley View Farms Open Space4 acres · Town of South Windsor
Timber Ridge Open Space3 acres · Town of South Windsor
Pleasant Valley Estates Open Space3 acres · Town of South Windsor
Pine Knob Hill Open Space2 acres · Town of South Windsor
Woodland Acres Open Space2 acres · Town of South Windsor
Rainbow Hills Open Space2 acres · Town of South Windsor
Birch Hill Estates Open Space2 acres · Town of South Windsor
High Farms Open Space2 acres · Town of South Windsor
Paradise Lakes Open Space2 acres · Town of South Windsor
Community Hall (Former)1 acres
Rolling Park Open Space1 acres · Town of South Windsor
Stonefield Open Space1 acres · Town of South Windsor
Who protects it
2,115 conserved acres
12% of South Windsor’s land. Who manages South Windsor’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city571 ac
Other state land208 ac
State conservation75 ac
Not recorded1,456 ac
Local Other or Unknown · 1,121 acLocal Conservation Area · 399 acUnknown Easement · 284 acLocal Park · 159 acPrivate Conservation · 121 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 207 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 116 of 163 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 | 687 | Unknown |
| Pudim Property Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 120 | Open |
| Scantic River State Park State Park | Not recorded | 95 | Unknown |
| Avery Brook Flood Control Sites 1 and 2 Watershed Protection Area | Not recorded | 89 | Unknown |
| Wentworth Estates Open Space Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 86 | Unknown |
| Sand Hill/Nevers Park Local Park | Not recorded | 80 | Unknown |
| Windshire Abbe Open Space Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 77 | Unknown |
| Major Michael Donnelly Preserve Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 75 | Unknown |
| Priest Farm Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 75 | Unknown |
| Rye Street Park Local Park | Not recorded | 53 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
11 places to go in South Windsor
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in South Windsor
Boundless PlaygroundIn Sand Hill / Nevers Park
DirectionsPlus 6 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in South Windsor
South Windsor Bark ParkIn Sand Hill / Nevers Park
DirectionsScenic views in South Windsor
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in South Windsor
Tudor Hill131 ft elevation
DirectionsTrails & water
19 lakes & rivers
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
3.7 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.6 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
1.6 mi
off-road bike paths
0.5 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
18Tennis
8Pickleball
7Basketball
7Baseball
6Soccer
4Softball
3Football
3Multi-sport
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 3 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in South Windsor: 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 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 37 | 40 | 48 | 61 | 72 | 80 | 85 | 83 | 76 | 64 | 52 | 41 |
| Rain (in) | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.0 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 4.1 |
February is the driest month (2.9 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 4.5 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in South Windsor →
Next door
South Windsor and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Manchester101 miEllington43 miWindsor41 miVernon31 miSouth Windsor30 miHartford28 miEast Windsor14 miEast Hartford12 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Windsor | 12% | 1.1 | 36 | 90% | A |
| East Windsor | 11% | 0.5 | 32 | 50% | B+ |
| Manchester | 18% | 3.7 | 22 | 97% | A+ |
| Windsor | 11% | 1.4 | 50 | 94% | A |
| East Hartford | 6% | 0.7 | 6 | 96% | B+ |
| Vernon | 19% | 1.7 | 22 | 96% | A |
| Ellington | 18% | 1.2 | 5 | 34% | B |
| Hartford | 12% | 1.6 | 11 | 99%+ | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in South Windsor
Where can I hike in South Windsor?
The longest trail networks: Wapping Park, 2.9 miles; Major Michael Donnelly Land Preserve, 2.6 miles; Frank Niederwerfer Wildlife Sanctuary, 2.6 miles; Sand Hill / Nevers Park, 2.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of South Windsor 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 South Windsor’s trails?
Wapping Park and Major Michael Donnelly Land Preserve don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in South Windsor?
3.7 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.6 of painted or protected lanes, 1.6 of off-road paths and 0.5 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near South Windsor?
16,991 acres of parks and open public land lie inside South Windsor or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 981 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does South Windsor have?
Ahead of 91% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #31 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 South Windsor 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 →