Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
After having been to 48 states, and being someone who enjoys the outdoors and sightseeing, etc., I must say, I'm quite disappointed in CT's outdoor offerings. This state literally has no national parks or anything similar on a LARGE scale, like you would see in most other states. The closest ones are hours of a drive away, such as the Adirondacks or White Mountain National Forest, or Acadia National Park. But CT only has state parks that aren't that big, and none of them are really that stunning. I mean, Bigelow Hollow State Park in Union is decent, but not spectacular. Haystack Mountain is probably as good as it gets, in terms of stunning views.
Other states have much more stunning, large scale national parks, national forests and things like that. For example, a few weeks ago I was at Ouchita National Forest in southeastern Oklahoma and it was absolutely beautiful and stunning and makes CT just feel kind of.....flat.
I just feel like this state has too much emphasis on suburbs and small/medium sized state parks. But it's a national embarrassment that CT has no national parks whatsoever.
It's because Connecticut is so built up and we're such a small state that we don't offer much when it comes to outdoor activities. We have tiny mountains and good hiking trails near some decent fishing spots but that's about it.
Do you think our diminutive size may have something to do with it? Vermont is even 2X the size of CT. Adirondack Park is a multiple on CT's total land mass. Oklahoma is the same size as all of New England (within 1%)---- and we take OK out back to put it out of misery in comparison for outdoor offerings. Do you always find shortcomings and something to complain about? Are you ever positive.
Ur complaining about the landscape of CT? what do u want them to do, create a 10,000 ft mountain range? There aren't many places that deserve national parks unless the landscape is such that deserves one.
Our drive to the White Mountains is equal to many western capitals to their national parks.
We have an incredible amount of natural beauty, both within the state and within a day's drive. You're just incredibly negative.
But I'm talking about WITHIN the state itself, it's lacking quite badly. Sure, it's a beautiful state, but after having been to 48 states, I would not consider CT to be a top tier state in terms of natural beauty. Examples of top tier states for natural beauty would be like New Hampshire, New York, Montana, Utah, etc. CT doesn't hold a candle to any of those.
But like others have said, it's probably because this state is too small and too developed to offer anything like that. I'm not trying to be negative; I'm being critical.
Even states like Arkansas and Oklahoma beat CT in terms of natural beauty, with their vast mountain ranges like the Ozarks, Ouchita, etc. I was just there two weeks ago and was very impressed.
I'm not saying that mountains are a requirement for natural beauty, but overall, CT is average in terms of natural beauty, relative to all 50 states in this country. It's just average. Anyone who has traveled to as many states as I have, would know what I'm talking about.
After having been to 48 states, and being someone who enjoys the outdoors and sightseeing, etc., I must say, I'm quite disappointed in CT's outdoor offerings. This state literally has no national parks or anything similar on a LARGE scale, like you would see in most other states. The closest ones are hours of a drive away, such as the Adirondacks or White Mountain National Forest, or Acadia National Park. But CT only has state parks that aren't that big, and none of them are really that stunning. I mean, Bigelow Hollow State Park in Union is decent, but not spectacular. Haystack Mountain is probably as good as it gets, in terms of stunning views.
Other states have much more stunning, large scale national parks, national forests and things like that. For example, a few weeks ago I was at Ouchita National Forest in southeastern Oklahoma and it was absolutely beautiful and stunning and makes CT just feel kind of.....flat.
I just feel like this state has too much emphasis on suburbs and small/medium sized state parks. But it's a national embarrassment that CT has no national parks whatsoever.
On this point I think you're aware - but maybe need a reminder of just how old CT really really is, so I will quote myself from a previous post pardon my doing it this way.. It's locked, so copy paste..
' Connecticut was first settled in 1633, and has had continued growth and development ever since. That's 383 years of home building. So much so that current available stock of .. land that doesn't have a home already on it is a rather small %, and what is left probably has slopes, rocks, wetland issues. It is actually a concern and many areas have "land trust" organizations to guarantee that some open space remains. ....'
So look.. we as a nation recognized it late that we need national parks... And CT towns are setting up land trusts.. BUT we've been here setting up homes since 1633,
The first national park was not approved out west till late 1800's, the National park service was enacted as a law in I believe 1916. That is 283 years after Connecticutans started staking out our land claims. There wasn't a whole bunch of open FEDERAL land left here. Period. By then even the scraggiest rocky slope was for the most part privately held land- regardless of if its forest, farm, mountainous, river side, etc.
Can you even imagine what the land in CT is worth? The federal government simply can't eminent domain entire neighborhoods or tracts of private property. Especially not to tear everything down and open up a trail for hipsters to go hike.. sorry.. Not going to happen.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
