Cloutier Memorial Forest
Managed by Wolf Den Land Trust
94 acres2 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Doug Kerr from Albany, NY, United States · CC BY-SA 2.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Windham
Windham has 45 miles of mapped trails, 1.7 for every square mile of land
15% of Windham’s land is conserved, about 2,534 acres. The biggest trail networks: Cloutier Memorial Forest (2 mi), Willimantic Reservoir (1.8 mi), Natchaug State Forest (1.8 mi). 528 acres are parks and preserves, 22 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns · #43 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
15%
2,534 acres · of 26.8 sq mi of land
Trails
45 mi
1.7 per sq mi of land
Park land
528 ac
22 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
79%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
9.9 mi
0.3 mi lanes · 5.9 mi paths
Highest peak
607 ft
Obwebetuck Hill
Lakes & rivers
18
1 beach · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Windham?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Windham have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Windham is ahead of 89% of U.S. towns, #43 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 Windham’s overall grade.
Conserved land15% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%A−Trails1.7 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (45 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4APark land22 acres of park per 1,000 residents (528 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home79% 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 89%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 73%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Windham’s 15% is ahead of 51% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 67% 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 Cloutier Memorial Forest, with 2 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Willimantic Reservoir
Managed by Town of Windham
194 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Natchaug State Forest
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
165 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Allanach-Wolf Woodlands
Managed by Joshua's Trust
121 acres1.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Mansfield Hollow Lake Recreation Area
Managed by United States Army Corps of Engineers
256 acres1.3 mi of trail
Old US 6
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Connecticut Park and RideWebsite ↗
Airline State Park Trail (Northern Section)
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
59 acres0.4 mi of trail
Abandoned Airline Railroad
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Philip Lauter Park
Managed by Town of Windham
20 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Windham Outdoor Education Preserve
Managed by Town of Windham/Project IMO
13 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 28 parks & preserves
Cloutier Memorial Forest94 acres · 2 mi of trail · Wolf Den Land Trust
DirectionsWillimantic Reservoir194 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Town of Windham
Natchaug State Forest165 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsAllanach-Wolf Woodlands121 acres · 1.8 mi of trail · Joshua's Trust
DirectionsMansfield Hollow Lake Recreation Area256 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · United States Army Corps of Engineers
DirectionsAirline State Park Trail (Northern Section)59 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
DirectionsPhilip Lauter Park20 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Windham
DirectionsWindham Outdoor Education Preserve13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Windham/Project IMO
DirectionsNatchaug River Water Access3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · State of Connecticut
Windham Recreation Park23 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Windham Recreation Department
Shetucket Plains Road Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsWindham Mills State Heritage Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBeaver Brook State Park343 acres
DirectionsWindham Atlantic White Cedar Bog66 acres · Joshua's Trust
DirectionsBurdick Park48 acres · Town of Windham
DirectionsWest Main Street Open Space32 acres · Town of Windham
Willimantic River Water Access24 acres · State of Connecticut
DirectionsHall Preserve11 acres · Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
DirectionsJillson Square Park10 acres · Town of Windham
DirectionsPomeroy State Park8 acres
Mansfield Hollow State Park7 acres · State of Connecticut
DirectionsAlex Caisse Park6 acres · Town of Windham
Gauthier Field6 acres
Guild Field4 acres
War Memorial Park3 acres · Town of Windham Recreation Department
DirectionsWillimantic Whitewater Park2 acres
DirectionsYoung's Park2 acres
Hop River State Park Trail1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,534 conserved acres
15% of Windham’s land. Who manages Windham’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State conservation701 ac
Other state land665 ac
Town or city294 ac
Private owners105 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits59 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)13 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government1 ac
Conservation Easement · 738 acUnknown Easement · 665 acPrivate Other or Unknown · 495 acState Park · 305 acState Conservation Area · 286 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 798 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 58 of 79 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown State Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 693 | Unknown |
| Mansfield Hollow Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 286 | Unknown |
| Beaver Brook State Park Scenic Reserve State Park | Not recorded | 255 | Unknown |
| Natchaug State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 171 | Unknown |
| Shetucket River Water Access State Recreation Area | Not recorded | 78 | Unknown |
| Airline State Park Trail (Southern Section) State Park | Not recorded | 44 | Unknown |
| Saint Joseph Cemetery Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 44 | Unknown |
| Willimantic River Water Access State Recreation Area | Not recorded | 27 | Unknown |
| Cemetery (mansfield Town Line) Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 27 | Unknown |
| Windham Recreation Park Local Park | Town or city | 26 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
42 places to go in Windham
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Windham
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Windham
20 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Windham
4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Windham
Trophy Trout Area
DirectionsTrophy Trout Area
DirectionsWaterfalls in Windham
2 waterfalls without a name on the map.
Scenic views in Windham
2 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Windham
Obwebetuck Hill607 ft elevation
DirectionsBeaver Hill554 ft elevation · In Beaver Brook State Park
DirectionsHosmer Mountain479 ft elevation
DirectionsMullin Hill367 ft elevation
DirectionsMiller Hill358 ft elevation
DirectionsPlus 1 peak without a name on the map.
Campgrounds in Windham
Horizons Inc
DirectionsWillimantic Camp Meeting Association
DirectionsCommunity gardens in Windham
Mary's Garden
DirectionsThread City Family GardenIn Philip Lauter Park · Grow Windham
DirectionsPlus 1 community garden without a name on the map.
Trails & water
4 named trails and 18 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 2.2 miUnpaved · 18.4 mi
Shetucket River Wumps1.7 mi
Old US 60.3 mi
Old Brooklyn Turnpike0.3 mi
Abandoned Airline Railroad0.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
9.9 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
0.3 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
5.9 mi
off-road bike paths
3.7 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
15Tennis
14Basketball
13Baseball
7Soccer
6Pickleball
5Softball
3Football
1Multi-sport
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 5 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Dr. Chester Hunt OfficeBuilding · listed 1970
About itJillson, William, Stone HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itWillimantic FootbridgeStructure · listed 1979
About itWindham Center Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1979
About itWillimantic Freight House and OfficeBuilding · listed 1982
About itMain Street Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1982
About itWillimantic ArmoryBuilding · listed 1985
About itMarch Route of Rochambeau's Army: Scotland RoadDistrict · listed 2003
About itProspect Hill Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2003
About itAmerican Thread CompanyDistrict · listed 2014
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Windham: 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 | 39 | 47 | 59 | 70 | 78 | 83 | 82 | 75 | 63 | 52 | 42 |
| Rain (in) | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.7 | 4.0 | 4.4 |
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 Windham →
Next door
Windham and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Mansfield127 miLebanon65 miWindham45 miCoventry30 miColumbia21 miFranklin20 miWillimantic14 miSouth Windham1.7 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windham | 15% | 1.7 | 22 | 79% | A |
| Mansfield | 29% | 2.8 | 26 | 47% | A |
| Willimantic | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Coventry | 18% | 0.8 | 13 | 33% | B+ |
| Lebanon | 27% | 1.2 | 149 | 36% | A |
| South Windham | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Franklin | 26% | 1.0 | 35 | 27% | A− |
| Columbia | 10% | 1.0 | 158 | 60% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Windham
Where can I hike in Windham?
The longest trail networks: Cloutier Memorial Forest, 2 miles; Willimantic Reservoir, 1.8 miles; Natchaug State Forest, 1.8 miles; Allanach-Wolf Woodlands, 1.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Windham 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 Windham’s trails?
Cloutier Memorial Forest and Willimantic Reservoir don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Windham?
9.9 miles of bike routes are on the map: 0.3 of painted or protected lanes, 5.9 of off-road paths and 3.7 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Windham?
6,615 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Windham or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 528 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Windham have?
Ahead of 89% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #43 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 Windham 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 →