Tyler Mill Preserve
Managed by Town of Wallingford
841 acres25.5 mi of trail
Weed Pile
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
John Barker House · Photo: UDChE89 · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Wallingford
Wallingford has 59 miles of mapped trails, 1.5 for every square mile of land
15% of Wallingford’s land is conserved, about 3,677 acres. 2,484 acres are parks and preserves, 56 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Tyler Mill Preserve (25.5 mi), William D. Bertini Park (2.4 mi), Orchard And Spruce Glen (2.3 mi).
Ahead of 93% of U.S. towns · #19 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
15%
3,677 acres · of 39.2 sq mi of land
Trails
59 mi
1.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,484 ac
56 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
82%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
2.1 mi
2.1 mi paths
Highest peak
755 ft
Fowler Mountain
Lakes & rivers
24
2 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Wallingford?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Wallingford have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Wallingford is ahead of 93% of U.S. towns, #19 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 Wallingford’s overall grade.
Conserved land15% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (59 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4APark land56 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,484 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home82% 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 93%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 88%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Wallingford’s 15% is ahead of 51% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 57% 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 Tyler Mill Preserve, with 25.5 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
William D. Bertini Park
Managed by Town of Wallingford
138 acres2.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Orchard And Spruce Glen
Managed by Wallingford Land Trust
70 acres2.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Marcus Cooke Memorial Park
Park
46 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Pistapaug Pond Open Space
Managed by Town of Wallingford
371 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Community Lake
Nature preserve
192 acres0.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Wharton Brook Natural Area Preserve
Nature preserve
23 acres0.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Tri-Mountain State Park
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
106 acres0.5 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 45 parks & preserves
Tyler Mill Preserve841 acres · 25.5 mi of trail · Town of Wallingford
DirectionsWilliam D. Bertini Park138 acres · 2.4 mi of trail · Town of Wallingford
DirectionsOrchard And Spruce Glen70 acres · 2.3 mi of trail · Wallingford Land Trust
DirectionsMarcus Cooke Memorial Park46 acres · 1.3 mi of trail
DirectionsPistapaug Pond Open Space371 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Town of Wallingford
DirectionsCommunity Lake192 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsWharton Brook Natural Area Preserve23 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Tri-Mountain State Park106 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Wharton Brook State Park18 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsVietnam Veteran's Memorial Park39 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Town of Wallingford
DirectionsWest Dayton Hill33 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Wallingford Land Trust
DirectionsPrageman Park21 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsDoolittle Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWoodhouse Fields9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Wallingford
DirectionsCommunity Pool7 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPat Wall Field6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Wallingford
DirectionsTown Open Space (Sunrise Circle)3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Quinnipiac River State Park44 acres
DirectionsLufbery Park44 acres
DirectionsMeriden Rod and Gun Club30 acres
Turnpike Road Open Space21 acres · Town of Wallingford
Town Open Space (Donat Drive)20 acres
Sleeping Giant State Park17 acres · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsHarrison Park16 acres
DirectionsGaylord Fields11 acres
Lakeside Park9 acres
DirectionsWest Side Park9 acres
Town Open Space (Grieb Road)7 acres
Kendrick Park6 acres
PNA Park6 acres · Polish National Alliance Lodge 513 of Wallingford
Watrous Woods6 acres · Wallingford Land Trust
Briar Ridge5 acres · Wallingford Land Trust
Town Open Space (Jenna Road)5 acres
Town Open Space (Gaylord F. & Shoebox)4 acres
Town Open Space (Ridgeknoll Road & Gaye Lane)4 acres
Town Open Space (Lynn Drive & Mohican Lane)4 acres
Pond Hill Park4 acres
Town Open Space (Reskin & Field Drives)3 acres
Town Open Space (Mariot Circle & Cardinal Drive)3 acres
Town Open Space (Schoolhouse Rd.& Algonquin Drive)2 acres
Town Open Space (Kondracki Lane)2 acres
Wallace Park1 acres
Harriet Wallace Park1 acres
Grand & Washington Streets Park1 acres
DirectionsTriangular Park1 acres
Who protects it
3,677 conserved acres
15% of Wallingford’s land. Who manages Wallingford’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation458 ac
Other state land205 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits198 ac
Not recorded3,001 ac
Local Park · 2,095 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 620 acConservation Easement · 403 acUnknown Easement · 364 acState Park · 181 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 676 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 81 of 83 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyler Mill (town Open Space) Local Park | Not recorded | 1,110 | Unknown |
| Tistapaug Pond (town Open Space) Local Park | Not recorded | 485 | Unknown |
| Community Lake Local Park | Not recorded | 200 | Unknown |
| Trimountain State Park Scenic Reserve State Park | Not recorded | 136 | Unknown |
| Pond Hollow Homeowners Association Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 107 | Unknown |
| Homeowners Association (Pilgrim'S Harbor)2 Parcels Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 74 | Unknown |
| Meadowbrook Homeowners Association Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 74 | Unknown |
| North Farms Reservoir State Recreation Area | Not recorded | 60 | Unknown |
| Homeowners Association (hallmark Hill) 2 Parcels Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 56 | Unknown |
| Marcus Cook Memorial Park Local Park | Not recorded | 46 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
35 places to go in Wallingford
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Wallingford
14 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Dog parks in Wallingford
Wallingford Dog Park
DirectionsBoat launches in Wallingford
North Farms Reservoir Boat LaunchIn North Farms Reservoir Boat Launch
DirectionsPlus 1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Waterfalls in Wallingford
Spruce Glen FallsIn Orchard And Spruce Glen
DirectionsPlus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Wallingford
Moss RockIn Tyler Mill Preserve
DirectionsPlus 7 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Wallingford
Fowler Mountain755 ft elevation · In Tri-Mountain State Park
DirectionsCook Hill387 ft elevation
DirectionsMount Tom358 ft elevation
DirectionsPond Hill354 ft elevation
DirectionsSpice Hill69 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Wallingford
1 picnic area without a name on the map.
Disc golf in Wallingford
Flying Ace 18 Hole Disc Golf CourseIn Lufbery Park
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Wallingford
Wallingford Community GardenIn Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Park
DirectionsTrails & water
1 named trail and 24 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 34.2 mi
Weed Pile0.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Community LakepondDayton PondpondFarms PondpondFarnums PondpondFergusons PondHatchery DamLucky PondpondMacKenzie ReservoirreservoirMansion Road DamMason DamNorth Farms ReservoirreservoirPine LakepondPistapaug PondreservoirRec PondScards PondreservoirScience Center PondpondSpring Brook ReservoirreservoirSpring LakelakeSun DamWallace PondWan's PondWilliam J Ulbrich ReservoirreservoirMuddy RiverQuinnipiac River
Biking & sports
2.1 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
2.1 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
36Baseball
35Tennis
15Soccer
14Pickleball
10Basketball
2Football
1Multi-sport
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →10 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 6 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
John Barker HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itSamuel Parsons HouseBuilding · listed 1982
About itSamuel Simpson HouseBuilding · listed 1986
About itTheophilus Jones HouseBuilding · listed 1992
About itWallingford Railroad StationBuilding · listed 1993
About itWallingford Center Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1993
About itCenter Street CemeterySite · listed 1997
About itJoseph Blakeslee HouseBuilding · listed 1998
About itNehemiah Royce HouseBuilding · listed 1998
About itFranklin Johnson HouseBuilding · listed 1998
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Wallingford: 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 | 9.2 |
| High (°F) | 37 | 40 | 48 | 60 | 70 | 79 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 64 | 52 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 3.9 | 4.2 |
February is the driest month (3.2 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 4.7 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Wallingford →
Next door
Wallingford and its neighbors
Wallingford has the most mapped trails of the 8 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Wallingford59 miNorth Branford56 miDurham49 miCheshire49 miMeriden44 miNorth Haven29 miWallingford Center9.4 miNorthford7.0 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wallingford | 15% | 1.5 | 56 | 82% | A |
| North Haven | 7% | 1.4 | 15 | 65% | A− |
| Wallingford Center | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Northford | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| North Branford | 39% | 2.3 | 13 | 42% | A− |
| Cheshire | 12% | 1.5 | 15 | 67% | A− |
| Meriden | 14% | 1.9 | 28 | 87% | A |
| Durham | 24% | 2.1 | 104 | 51% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Wallingford
Where can I hike in Wallingford?
The longest trail networks: Tyler Mill Preserve, 25.5 miles; William D. Bertini Park, 2.4 miles; Orchard And Spruce Glen, 2.3 miles; Marcus Cooke Memorial Park, 1.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Wallingford is conserved land?
15% 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 Wallingford’s trails?
Tyler Mill Preserve and William D. Bertini Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Wallingford?
2.1 miles of bike routes are on the map: 2.1 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Wallingford?
16,849 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Wallingford or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,484 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Wallingford have?
Ahead of 93% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #19 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 Wallingford 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 →