Penwood State Park

Located between Bloomfield and Simsbury, Connecticut, Penwood State Park provides easy access to the natural beauty of the area. With only a short distance from the capitol city of Hartford, Connecticut, visitors can come to Penwood Stated Park and escape the industrial world. Ponds, trails, picnic areas, and even a small waterfall near Shadow Pond will keep park visitors coming back for more.

Osbornedale State Park in Connecticut

Osbornedale State Park makes for the perfect vacation destination for geology enthusiasts. Several different types of rock are exposed in Osbornedale State Park. There are also quarries, geologic folds, and even mines that have been abandoned. Upon entering the park, guests will find a huge outcropping of schist. Schist is a form of metamorphic rock which has been exposed to pressure, hot fluids, and intense heat. Schist contains a large percentage of elongate and platy minerals, which can include things like amphibole and mica. Because schist has this large platy minerals percentage, it can easily be split into slabs and thin flakes. This particular outcropping of schist makes up a section of the park’s Carrington Pond Member. It is rusty, inter-laid, gray, and weathering. It also contains a bunch of quartz crystals, folds, and parallel fractures. The folds are formed from tensional stress permanently deforming and bending the rock.

Kettletown State Park

The Kettletown State Park is a 605-acre park in the southwestern portion of the State of Connecticut. There are two contiguous bodies of water that border it, the Housatonic River and Lake Zoar. These and the park’s trails have made it a popular destination.

Indian Well State Park

The Indian Well State Park is a popular well developed spot for family picnics and outings in the Derby-Shelton area of the state of Connecticut. It is on the western bank of the scenic Lake Housatonic that is actually shaped more like a River than a lake. People engage in a wide variety of activities when visiting the park. These include picnicking, hiking, swimming, boating, and fishing. The main attractions are the lake itself, picturesque waterfalls, and a splash pool.

Connecticut – Housatonic Meadows State Park

Housatonic Meadows State Park lies tucked away in the northwest quadrant of Connecticut, shielded by the bustle and noise of the highway by the vast and forested Housatonic State Forest. Cutting through the tall evergreens is the Housatonic River, a playground for water enthusiasts and campers alike.