Cut to the chase. Take me to the Momsense.
The pictures from today’s post are a bit old. They were taken last November, right before the temperatures dropped and the snow began piling up outside our door. I never had a chance to write about this fun adventure because I didn’t think too many of our readers would be interested in a nature walk when the temps were in the single digits.
But, spring is finally here and the sun is beginning to peek through the clouds (though not today!). As the temperatures warm up, all my kids want to do is be outside. — I don’t blame them a bit. I feel the same way.
They want to collect sticks and rocks, dig in the dirt, splash their boots in water, and search for bugs and animals. When the weather hits that sweet spot around 70 degrees, one of our favorite activities is a nature walk. Shawna and I have done several blog posts about walking trails, but I always love finding new destinations and today’s post includes my latest discovery, Fisher Meadows in Avon.
Fisher meadows is located in Avon, Connecticut off of Old Farms Road. To get there we took Route 10 to Old Farms Road and the park entrance was a little ways down the road on our right. The park’s trail map suggests using the GPS address of 775 Old Farms Road, Avon, Connecticut.
The property is a mixture of athletic fields, ponds, walking trails, and more.
This is the entrance.
And this is where we parked (to your right once you enter the park).
Right in front of the parking area were picnic tables and swings (both regular and baby swings). It was a good spot for the kids to hang out while I got everything situated.
There was a map at the park entrance that showed several trails including the one I was interested in, the trail around Spring Pond. Unfortunately, though, I couldn’t figure out the trail’s distance from this map (though that could have just been a case of user error :).
I also took a look at the park rules and noted that dogs must be on a leash (our dog was with us for this outing).
So I got our things together and tried to figure out if we needed to bring any kid gear with us (carriers, strollers, etc.) I decided that I would carry Sweetheart on my back and let the kids walk. — Let me just warn you. This was a bad idea for us. — At that point in time, our crew was made up of 2 two year olds and a one year old. I certainly knew the one year old couldn’t walk the whole trail, but my assumption that the two year olds could was just wrong. I should have either done a shorter route or brought a stroller (or both). Lesson learned!
Fortunately for me, my husband was joining us on this outing. So when the kids got tired, we could carry them a bit of the ways.
We headed out with me carrying Sweetheart on my back and the twins walking. We also brought the dog and Bruiser’s firetruck (which was his sidekick during that time period).
But putting my kid gear mistake aside, we really enjoyed the walking trail at Fisher Meadows. The views of the pond were stunning, the trails were wide and flat, and there was so much for the kids (and the adults) to explore!
Actually, during our walk we saw a small memorial plaque that really highlighted what this beautiful place was all about:
Rest here your body and your mind. Take in all the beauty nature has to offer. Go home and share it with the ones you love.
So let me share with you the beauty we discovered that day.
My kids actually did pretty well for the first part of the walk and we made it to a clearing with picnic tables. That is when they sat down and said they were done. We should have listened to them!
I have been back since that first visit (even took all three kids by myself the other day) and a great option for us is to bring lunch or a snack, walk to this picnic area to eat, and then walk back to the parking area. The kids get to take their time exploring and we aren’t so far from the car that I panic 🙂
But for our first outing at Fisher Meadows, we continued on past this clearing.
Bruiser tried his best to see the geese through his binoculars.
Around the half way point the kids decided they were really, really tired and sat down for a bit. It took a lot of convincing to get them going again.
The park must be on the flight path for Bradley Airport because we saw several planes fly overhead during our walk. Another fun bit of entertainment for the kids!
At one point Sparkles got in my carrier and my husband carried Sweetheart. We took a few selfies to remember the moment.
We finally made it all the way around the pond and passed a large set of athletic fields. It was here that we found a few restrooms and a pavilion (another good spot for eating or resting).
Thankfully our visit to Fisher Meadows was on a beautiful day and it didn’t matter that it took us FOREVER to make it around the pond. On our next visit I knew to bring a stroller or make our walk a little shorter. This is certainly going to be a fun place to explore as my children get older. What a gem right in our backyard!
As the days begin to warm up, I hope you get a chance to go explore nature with your little ones as well. A little vitamin D can make anyone happy (even a moody preschooler 🙂
Do you have a favorite walking trail? Tell us about it in the comments section below!
775 Old Farms Road, Avon, Connecticut
Find the park’s trail map here.
Hours:
- I don’t know. I’m assuming it is sunrise to sunset. I couldn’t find any times listed.
Pricing:
- FREE!
Details:
- Stroller Friendly: YES. Most of the trail around the pond is just a dirt path, but a jogging stroller works well.
- Coffee Mug Friendly: YES.
- Baby Changing Station: NO.
- Restrooms: YES. Porta Potties are available near the athletic fields. I do not know if these are there year round.
- Parking: FREE parking is available at the front of the park and near the athletic fields.
- Food for Sale: NO.
- Outside Food Allowed: YES. Definitely bring a snack or a meal and enjoy it in this beautiful setting. There are plenty of picnic tables located throughout the park that you can use.
- Cash Required: NO.
- Dress Code: NO. But I would recommend wearing comfortable clothing and shoes.
- Evening/Weekend Hours: YES.
Tips & Things to Bring:
- As with any outdoor activity, when the weather is cold, bundle up and when the weather is warm, make sure to bring hats and suntan lotion for protection.
- Swings are located near the parking area. There are two regular swings and two baby swings. Picnic tables are also located in this area.
- To hike around the entire pond is a bit long for toddlers and preschoolers, I suggest either only walking part of the distance and then returning the way you came or bring a stroller that the kids can ride in when they are tired.
- Bring fun things for your kids to use while they explore. We like to bring bags for Bruiser and Sparkles to use to collect sticks and leaves and binoculars to try to do a little bird watching.
- Bring your camera. The views are stunning.
- 4D Vision Gym – A vision training center located in Cromwell, CT where Dr. Juanita Collier, MS, OD and her staff show members how to utilize Vision Therapy to correct visual issues and make learning and playing easier and more fun.
- The Independent Day School – Located on a rural campus in Middlefield, CT this private pre-school, elementary and middle school serves families from over 20 communities.
- Kathryn Deane Photography – A natural light photographer located in West Hartford, CT and specializing in maternity, newborn, child, family, and senior portrait photography.
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