Activity
Hiking / Traprock Ridge
Distance
4.2 mi round trip
Elevation gain
~650 ft
Route
Loop
The adventure
Loop a volcanic ridge above Greater Hartford and find a small lake tucked inside the forest. Climb onto the Metacomet traprock ridge, hit Penwood's western viewpoints and loop past hidden Lake Louise before dropping back to Bloomfield.
Start at Penwood's main parking area and climb into the traprock hills on the marked trail network. Reach the blue-blazed Metacomet ridge, stop at a western scenic vista over the Farmington River Valley, work Lake Louise into your loop, then descend through the park and return to the main entrance to.
What to expect
- Climb onto the Metacomet traprock ridge, hit Penwood's western viewpoints and loop past hidden Lake Louise before dropping back to Bloomfield.
- Park at the main Penwood entrance on Simsbury Road and review the official trail map at the start. Use the marked park trails to gain the blue-blazed Metacomet ridge. Stay with the mapped trail system to reach a designated scenic vista, then connect through the interior toward Lake Louise. Continue on marked trails to close the loop back to the main parking area. Penwood's official map has several junctions, so keep it available rather than improvising shortcuts.
Good to know
- TRAPROCK COUNTRY
- Penwood sits on the same volcanic traprock range as neighboring Talcott Mountain but has a quieter, longer ridge network.
- BLUE-BLAZED RIDGE
- The blue-blazed Metacomet Trail crosses much of the park and reaches scenic viewpoints over the Farmington River Valley.
- HIDDEN LAKE
- Lake Louise sits inside the park away from the main road, giving the loop a completely different middle act.
- KEPT WILD
- The land was donated in 1944 by inventor Curtis H. Veeder with the wish that the hilltop remain in a natural state.
- FIND LAKE LOUISE
- The ridge views get the headlines, but Penwood hides a small lake high inside the park. Work Lake Louise into the loop and collect the quiet part too.
- Fee
- Free — no required entrance or parking fee.
- Entrance fee
- Connecticut State Parks explicitly lists Penwood State Park fees as Free, including no out-of-state parking charge.
- Dogs
- allowed-on-leash.
- Season
- The park is open year-round. Winter snow and ice and wet shoulder-season conditions can make traprock sections more difficult.
Photos
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