Devil’s Hopyard State Park

We liked the trail although lot of marsh area on the trail. Falls is beautiful and convenient.

Beautiful waterfall and great hiking. The only complaint I have is the trails are poorly marked. It would be very easy to get lost.

I’ve always loved coming here for a hike as a kid. This visit included my friend, my aunt, and my dog. We hiked for about 4 miles or so, starting with a short walk over to the waterfall, then taking the backside trail to the vista and returning on the frequently traveled and shorter trail back to the parking area/​covered bridge. The falls and the vista are certainly worth seeing as they are some of the best nature sightings in this part of the state without having to go up to the Litchfield area. The trails could have been better marked on the back side, as we took a detour once into a camping area, and inevitably on the road before looping back over to a part of the trail where we had been before. However, the back trails are more quiet, and I enjoyed the hike over to the vista. The main trail from the parking area to the vista is rather frequently traveled, so we had plenty of company on our way back… not something I’m used to anymore with my types of hikes in the woods. Overall, I imagine that I will be back at some point in time with a new set of friends that haven’t made their way over here yet.

Only real complaint is that we reserved a campsite online and arrived late afternoon. There’s a sign when you enter the campground that says «sites are first come first serve, ranger will be by to collect fee» yet all of the sites had reserved signs except ours. Someone had just started setting up on our site! Awkward, we explained that we did pay in advance. They were so cool about it! (thank you strangers) The sites are all very close to one another. But it’s totally worth it for the falls and trails, we hiked up to Devils Oven. Spooky, yet beautiful!!!
PS We never saw a ranger the next day to collect any fees. My fiancé reserved 2 nights so we didn’t have to leave at noon the next day although we couldn’t stay that night.

The camping:
I mean the camping is nice, some fire pits, space for the cars, nice grill thing (put aluminum in top of it it’s rusty). But I’ll let you in on a secret… if you hate being close to other people keep driving! You’ll find a place called youth campground (ITS NOT CHECKED BY TROOPERS!) and you get 8 times the space as another plot! Trust me if you come people won’t ask questions they won’t check if you have a group camping permit or anything you’ll just end up with like a huge campground!
Hope this helped

One the best hikes I have ever been on, it’s very scenic and clean! The waterfall was beautiful and the trails were great but I just wish they were labeled more clearly.

#ThisIsNewEngland visited this park December 27, 2014 with knowing nothing except that there were awesome waterfalls.
There was much much more. This is an outstanding park for individuals, couples and families. It offers nearly endless trails of many skill levels and they are all well marked. Even in December, that natural beauty takes your breath away. We reviewed our trip at
If you like camping, picnics, hiking or even fishing, this is a must do.

I’ve been coming here since I was a teen and this was the forest that started my love for hiking. It never loses its appeal as this is a great place for everyone. I always park near Chapman falls. As soon as you do, you can hear the roar of the waterfall immediately. On days where there was recent, heavy rain, this is the place to visit as the water rushes down in an even larger, more impressive fall. There is a covered bridge not too far from there and that’s where you can begin your hike to the Vista. It’s around 1.5 miles, give or take, and can become a moderate level for some hikers. Great beginners hike though! Once at the top, you will be rewarded with fabulous views of the trees below. During some days in summer, dragonflies can be seen by the hundreds in the near distance, appearing like fairies flitting about. This place is truly magical and remains one of my favorite places to visit.

Great park we went to a years ago after stopping at Gillette Castle. Absolutely loved the place and we keep meaning to go back. The waterfalls are gorgeous and the trails are serene, although we did hike a little farther than we meant to (my fault, I was supposed to be the navigator). The park does get pretty busy, but the trails were not bad due to how many acres there are in the park. Hopefully at some point we’ll get the chance to camp there.

This is a nice place to hike in the Eastern CT area. I’ve been a handful of times over the past 20 years or so. It’s more expansive than it seems at first and I’ve gone on a few different trails. I typically bring a lunch and grab a picnic table near the water to relax.
I can’t comment on the camping I keep hearing about… can’t say I’ve even noticed campsites so much while hiking!
I recommend this hike from early spring-​late fall. It’s definitely an easier, more manageable hike, so the whole family can enjoy it. And yes, the big waterfall is nice. I like the smaller ones and just the water in general – it’s a very peaceful, serene place.
Last time I went with a close friend and we actually got all confused in parts and felt lost… which was actually refreshing since I thought I was super familiar with the trails!

Pros: Falls were nice, close to road and easy to find
Cons: Camping area was an open field, with no real distinction in sites, no flush toilets/​showers
I ended up coming to Devils Hopyard for a camping trip. I should have spent a little more time looking into things before deciding to camp here. Although the falls are beautiful, the lack of even basic campground necessities were disappointing.
When I arrived, I attempted to find a ranger station, or at least a reception desk, but was unable to locate anyone. I decided to at least go and set up my tent and then venture out again to try and find something. When I arrived at my spot (which was reserved online) I was surprised to find that another group had already set up camp. When I talked to them about it, they said they set up on the wrong site and the ranger said to allow me to have their spot. Not a big deal (I actually became good friends with them in the 2 days I was there).
The campground was $ 26 (If I remember correctly) for campers out of state. This is quite a bit since there was no running water, just an outhouse, and no staff that I saw for my entire 2 day stay.
Conclusion: Its a great little trip outside Hartford for anyone to make. The falls are a good height with lots of water. Crowds were limited and there were lots of hiking. If you plan on staying the night make sure you have all the supplies you need as you won’t be able to get anything on site.

This place is amazing. Gorgeous waterfall and for all the riders out there, the roads are great for riding.
Highly recommend the vista hike. Great view.

Wonderful.
Used to come here as a child and even as an adult, a great place to hike. I do not make use of the park for anything else, so I can not comment on that. But this is a great showcase of just how beautiful the state can be. I have fond memories of this place.

I don’t mind the lack of amenities, but this park suffers from lack of any kind of ranger or staff. Our picnic table was busted, the site had a lot of trash, bathrooms not stocked with toilet paper. Worst of all, seems to attract the kind of clientele that is looking for mom-​existent rule enforcement. Not a good place for families, just a party place. Two sites down had 10 cars, 8 tents, and was rowdy drunk keeping us up all night. Another site had a drunken domestic dispute and arguing over who stole whose drugs. At other parks we visit, there’s a patrol to make sure quiet hours are respected and a number for a ranger on the off hours. Here there’s no sign of anyone. What a waste of money. And it’s a shame, because the hiking is good.

Nice park. Not too challenging. Lots of families. Got to try out my new trekking poles. We’ll come back when we’re in the area.

Easy, interesting and gorgeous park to visit. My husband and I went after Tropical Storm Andrea and Chapman Falls was roaring. The rest of the park was very muddy — be careful! There were plenty of steams to cross over but you have to go over logs that become very slippery. There was a fire there in March 2012 so we saw a bunch of burned logs. On the vista we saw a hawk (bring binoculars!) and on the way back we saw the very elusive Scarlet Tanager. I do recommend going in the morning or in the off-​season because when we went around 3 pm there was one parking spot left and it was mobbed with screaming kids, picnics and hikers. But it’s an excellent place for birding.

Beautiful camping site in CT– equidistant to both Boston and NYC, which is important for our group of friends. The tent sites are pretty close to one another, but being friendly social campers, we didn’t really mind.
Beware– do not just assume they will have firewood for you to purchase. You have to bring your own, which is forbidden at most sites. Luckily, we were able to make some trades with our neighbors and got through the night with just enough wood.
Also, reserve, reserve, reserve your site! We would not have gotten one without our advance reservation, and we saw some disappointed campers get turned away.
The best part is that Devil’s Hopyard is also home to some beautiful and majestic waterfalls, which are great for swimming, and just a short hike away. Stunning!

This is a great state park for hiking, especially if you go on a weekday off season. It gets very busy in the summer, so it loses it peacefulness.
Be sure to check out Chapman Falls after a good rain… it’s gorgeous!

Epic

We’ve gone camping at Devil’s Hopyard every year for the last three or four years, and it’s really one of the state’s hidden treasures, as the previous reviewer wrote. It’s absolutely beautiful and nestled in a place pretty far away from where most things happen in Connecticut, which makes it the perfect place to spend a few days every year. There are scenic hiking trails along a stream that end at beautiful vistas, and there are pretty amazing waterfalls.
The Hopyard campground is very clean, and there are plenty of sites, clean outhouses (with sensor lights added this year) and easy access to dumpsters (garbage and recycling). No showers or running water other than a pump near the entrance, but it’s camping. The campsites are walking distance to the big waterfall, which we walked to a lot because it was so close by. It’s also very inexpensive — just $ 14 a night for Connecticut residents this year. Even if you’re not staying for a night, it’s a great place to just spend the day.