A Peek at the Peak from the Peak

Have I piqued your curiosity? I'm talking about peak fall foliage!

The only Hartford County spot that made the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Parks
and Forests' list of the top eight places to see fall foliage in Connecticut is Talcott Mountain State Park in Bloomfield. The 557-acre park's 165-foot Heublein Tower provides panoramic views of the Hartford skyline and the Farmington River Valley that are particularly spectacular in the fall.

Getting to the top requires a moderate, 1-1/2-mile uphill hike, but the Bureau of Parks and Forests is right--this is definitely one of the finest leaf peeping spots, not just in Connecticut, but in all of New England. Picnic tables at the summit are the perfect place for a fall picnic. Admission to the park and the tower is free.

If you'd like to see the view from the peak without getting winded, come along with me on a virtual tour! I'll show you spectacular views on the way up the mountain on one of the most beautiful fall days of the 2000 season. I'll even take you inside historic Heublein Tower, built in 1914 by Gilbert Heublein as a summer home and donated to the state by Heublein Liquor Distributors. We'll go up to the tower's top observation level for more foliage views at 1,000 feet above the Farmington Valley, plus a look at the Hartford city skyline.

For more information about Talcott Mountain State Park and to check hours of operation, call 860-242-1158.

Photo Tour

Start Here!

Hours

Talcott Mountain State Park is open free year-round. Heublein Tower is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday Memorial Day through Labor Day and seven days a week from Labor Day through October 31.

Getting to Talcott Mountain State Park

Travel three miles west from Bloomfield on Route 185 to the park entrance, just past the mountain crest. Park along the road near the trailhead. Hike to the ridge and bear left to the tower.

Also Visit:

8 Best Places to View Fall Foliage in Connecticut

New England Foliage Central

Walking @ About - Get in shape to explore Connecticut!

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