Devil's Hopyard State Park — Chapman Falls Trail

Devil's Hopyard State Park in East Haddam, Connecticut, protects a hemlock-shaded gorge centered on Chapman Falls, one of the most dramatic waterfall descents in the state. The park is accessed via Hopyard Road off Route 82, approximately three miles east of East Haddam village; parking is free on-site and no permit is required. Chapman Falls drops approximately 60 feet over a series of stepped pothole-pocked schist ledges into the Eight Mile River gorge below, and can be reached within five minutes of the parking area on a wide, flat path. From the falls, a network of color-blazed loop trails extends two to four miles through old-growth hemlock and mixed hardwood forest, crossing Eight Mile River on wooden footbridges and passing glacially carved potholes in the streambed exposed below the cascade. The terrain is primarily flat to gently rolling, with some rocky sections along the river corridor; total elevation change across the various loop options is typically under 100 feet, making this one of Connecticut's most accessible woodland hiking destinations for families with young children. The Eight Mile River valley is a federally designated Wild and Scenic River Watershed and is classified as an Exceptional Waterway by the state. Hemlock woolly adelgid has affected some trees in the park, and management work is ongoing. No open fires are permitted. Swimming in the stream is discouraged due to seasonal water quality concerns and the slippery rock hazards below the falls. The park is roughly 25 miles from the Connecticut coastline and draws visitors from the New Haven and Hartford metropolitan areas. Mosquitoes are significant in the hemlock hollow from May through August; repellent is recommended.