Category: Connecticut local

Hartford Metropolitan District
Lake McDonough is scenic public recreation area less than 30 miles from Hartford.  It lies on the west side of Route 219 in Barkhamsted, Connecticut, just over three miles northeast of the Route 44 intersection in New Hartford Center. The beaches, bathhouses, boathouse and picnic areas are wheelchair accessible.
Here is their website.   “For beach and boathouse information call 860 379-3036 (in season) or 860 278-7850 ext. 3110.   Phone for the Metropolitan District is 860-278-7850.
Lake McDonough  Braille Trail  0.25 mile.  “A few hundred yards from Goose Green Beach on the west side of Lake McDonough in Barkhamsted, Connecticut, the blacktop Braille Trail is a fully accessible, self-guided nature trail. With Braille signage and a system of ramps and guide railings for the blind and physically impaired, the trail features more than 30 natural landmarks to read about and touch, such as trees and rocks that are indigenous to Southern New England.”

Town of Manchester
Manchester’s Union Pond Park “features an accessible stone dust path that winds through this small park on the south side of North School Street (across from Robertson Park and School). Encompassing about five and a half acres, and including a pond with fishing pier, used for fishing and non-motorized boating, the park is designed with special features for wheelchair users and the visually impaired.  Here is a list with links to information about Manchester Trails.   About 11 of these are described as “easy”.  The phone for the Recreation Division is 860-647-3084.

Union Park Accessible Trail  – 0.5 mile. This accessible trail has signs in raised-Braille that give clues to the special nature of the plant and animal life in the area.

Long Wharf Nature Preserve
Long Wharf Nature Preserve is managed by the (New Haven Land Trust).  It lies just off I-95 and fronts on New Haven Harbor.  The upland is a “grassland and a small woodland dominated by tall cottonwood trees.”  ” The tidal wetland and dune area accreted over the 50 years since I-95 was constructed. At low tide, the preserve encompasses approximately 15 acres, from mud flat to dune to salt marsh to upland.”   Map   Here is the website for the preserve.  The Land Trust’s phone is 203-562-6655.  Here is the website for the Land Trust.    Facebook page for Long Wharf
Parts of this area are wheelchair accessible, but not all.  Contact the Land Trust to learn more.