Nipmuck State Forest
Managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
1,264 acres4.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Photo: ML.Nature.Photo · CC BY-SA 4.0B+Outdoors
Outdoors in Woodstock
18% of Woodstock’s land is conserved: 6,857 acres
The biggest trail networks: Nipmuck State Forest (4.7 mi), Nightingale Forest (1.3 mi). 253 acres are parks and preserves, 30 per 1,000 residents. 30 miles of mapped trail cross Woodstock, 0.5 per square mile of land.
Ahead of 71% of U.S. towns · #120 of 155 in Connecticut. What drives it
Conserved land
18%
6,857 acres · of 60.7 sq mi of land
Trails
30 mi
0.5 per sq mi of land
Park land
253 ac
30 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
34%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
1,027 ft
Hatchet Hill
Lakes & rivers
33
6 beaches · 4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Woodstock?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Woodstock have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Woodstock is ahead of 71% of U.S. towns, #120 of 155 in Connecticut. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
B+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Woodstock’s overall grade.
Conserved land18% of the land · typical CT town 15% · U.S. 4%ATrails0.5 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (30 mi) · CT 1.4 · U.S. 0.4BPark land30 acres of park per 1,000 residents (253 acres) · CT 22 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home34% of residents within a half mile of a park · CT 57% · U.S. 72%C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 71%
LessMore
Connecticut towns of 2,500+ (155)Ahead of 23%
Connecticut towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 15%; the U.S., 4%), so Woodstock’s 18% is ahead of 57% of Connecticut towns, while its trails per square mile lead 6% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B 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 Nipmuck State Forest, with 4.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Nightingale Forest
Managed by Wyndham Land Trust
144 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Roseland Park
Managed by Trustees of Roseland Park
102 acres0.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Yale-Myers Forest
Managed by Yale School Forests
386 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
All 28 parks & preserves
Nipmuck State Forest1,264 acres · 4.7 mi of trail · Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Nightingale Forest144 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · Wyndham Land Trust
DirectionsRoseland Park102 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Trustees of Roseland Park
DirectionsLinda J. Rapoport Memorial Preserve106 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Wyndham Land Trust
Crystal Pond Park48 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Eastford
DirectionsPaul and Avis Spalding Preserve36 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Wyndham Land Trust
Pond Factory Road Open Space22 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Town of Woodstock
DirectionsYale-Myers Forest386 acres · Yale School Forests
Goodell Morse Memorial Forest89 acres · New England Forestry Foundation
Bishop Preserve76 acres · New Roxbury Land Trust
Gosnell Preserve67 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
Bull Hill Preserve65 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
DirectionsCampert Preserve63 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
Rocky Hill Refuge56 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
50 Acre woods43 acres · Town of Woodstock
Border Woods36 acres · New Roxbury Land Trust
Little River Greenway35 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
Joyce Townsend Collins Memorial Woodland29 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
Hauser Preserve28 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
Kenyon Woods22 acres · New Roxbury Land Trust
Pole Bridge Road Preserve17 acres · New Roxbury Land Trust
Harvey Preserve15 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
Williams Preserve14 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
Town Commons11 acres · Town of Woodstock
DirectionsWest Thompson Road Open Space10 acres · Town of Thompson
Beeches Recreation Park6 acres · Town of Woodstock
Zeelandia–Roseland Preserve5 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
Aicher Preserve1 acres · Wyndham Land Trust
Who protects it
6,857 conserved acres
18% of Woodstock’s land. Who manages Woodstock’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Private owners2,167 ac
Other state land1,295 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)574 ac
State conservation142 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits45 ac
Town or city4 ac
Not recorded4,469 ac
Private Agricultural · 1,813 acUnknown Easement · 1,437 acState Resource Management Area · 1,232 acLocal Other or Unknown · 997 acPrivate Conservation · 960 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 522 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 126 of 163 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown Private Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 4,216 | Unknown |
| Nipmuck State Forest State Resource Management Area | Not recorded | 1,227 | Unknown |
| Yale Forest Research or Educational Area | Not recorded | 378 | Unknown |
| Lake Bunggee Local Recreation Area | Not recorded | 113 | Unknown |
| Roseland Park Private Conservation | Not recorded | 92 | Unknown |
| Quasset Lake and Dam Private Conservation | Not recorded | 89 | Unknown |
| Black Pond Private Conservation | Not recorded | 71 | Unknown |
| Camp Nahaco Local Other or Unknown | Not recorded | 54 | Unknown |
| Quinebaug Highlands Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 45 | Unknown |
| Chamberlin Family Land Trust Private Conservation | Not recorded | 34 | Unknown |
3 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
54 places to go in Woodstock
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Woodstock
Woodstock Town Beach
DirectionsPlus 5 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Woodstock
1 playground without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Boat launches in Woodstock
4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Peaks in Woodstock
Hatchet Hill1,027 ft elevation · In Goodell Morse Memorial Forest
DirectionsCorbin Hill948 ft elevation · In Nipmuck State Forest
DirectionsCoatney Hill928 ft elevation
DirectionsJoe Margy Hill922 ft elevation
DirectionsCoburn Hill909 ft elevation
DirectionsAplin Hill906 ft elevation
DirectionsCrawford Hill889 ft elevation
DirectionsBungee Hill883 ft elevation
Directions22 more peaks
Bradford Hill876 ft elevation
DirectionsDeacon Tim Perrin Hill869 ft elevation
DirectionsThunder Hill869 ft elevation
DirectionsRocky Hill866 ft elevation · In Rocky Hill Refuge
DirectionsChestnut Hill856 ft elevation
DirectionsMorse Hill853 ft elevation
DirectionsMason Hill850 ft elevation
DirectionsDaven Hill846 ft elevation
DirectionsDavis Hill843 ft elevation
DirectionsHammond Hill843 ft elevation
DirectionsChamberlain Hill820 ft elevation
DirectionsGage Hill804 ft elevation
DirectionsLincoln Hill801 ft elevation
DirectionsMartin Hill801 ft elevation
DirectionsHoward Hill797 ft elevation
DirectionsUnderwood Hill797 ft elevation
DirectionsGriggs Hill732 ft elevation
DirectionsKenyon Hill732 ft elevation
DirectionsHiscox Hill702 ft elevation
DirectionsFort Hill692 ft elevation
DirectionsWestward Hill682 ft elevation
DirectionsCaptain Shepard Hill676 ft elevation
Directions39 peaks are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Campgrounds in Woodstock
Chamberlain Lake Campground
DirectionsSolair Recreation League
DirectionsTrails & water
4 named trails and 33 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 0.9 miUnpaved · 11.3 mi
Wabbaquasset Trail1.1 mi
Lem Walker Loop0.9 mi
Dead End0.2 mi
Pond Factory Road Connector0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Black PondlakeCedar Swamp PondCemetery PondCenter Road PondChamberlain PondreservoirCorbin Wildlife MarshGriggs PondHatchet PondHiscox PondJohn Stone PondpondKeach PondKenyon PondreservoirMorse PondMorses PondlakeMuddy PondlakeNeber PondPotter PondpondPout PondProspect Street PondQuasset lakelakeRoseland LakelakeSampson PondlakeSansoucy PondpondShepherds PondlakeSkinners PondTurnpike PondUpper Bungee LakereservoirWitches Woods LakereservoirBungee BrookLebanon BrookLittle RiverMuddy BrookStill River
Biking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
7Tennis
6Pickleball
5Baseball
4Tracks
3Soccer
3Football
3Basketball
1Softball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →7 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 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Woodstock Academy Classroom BuildingBuilding · listed 1984
About itBrayton Grist MillBuilding · listed 1986
About itMathew Bowen HomesteadBuilding · listed 1987
About itTaylor's CornerBuilding · listed 1989
About itCapt. Seth Chandler HouseBuilding · listed 1993
About itWoodstock Hill Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1999
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Woodstock: May 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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.5 | 15.2 | 14.9 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 37 | 45 | 58 | 68 | 76 | 81 | 80 | 73 | 61 | 50 | 40 |
| Rain (in) | 3.8 | 3.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 4.9 | 3.9 | 4.7 |
February is the driest month (3.3 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 4.9 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Woodstock →
Next door
Woodstock and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woodstock | 18% | 0.5 | 30 | 34% | B+ |
| Pomfret | 33% | 1.0 | 250 | 32% | A |
| South Woodstock | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Thompson | 11% | 1.1 | 71 | 53% | A− |
| Union | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Eastford | 49% | 1.5 | 52 | 13% | A− |
| Putnam | 7% | 0.5 | 8 | 73% | B |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Woodstock
Where can I hike in Woodstock?
The longest trail networks: Nipmuck State Forest, 4.7 miles; Nightingale Forest, 1.3 miles; Roseland Park, 0.3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Woodstock 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 Woodstock’s trails?
Nipmuck State Forest and Nightingale Forest don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Woodstock?
30,138 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Woodstock or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 253 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Woodstock have?
Ahead of 71% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #120 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 Woodstock 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 →