CT Mommy Blog

524 Brooksvale Avenue, Hamden, CT

Brooksvale Park in Hamden, CT is my go-to park. I grew up in Hamden so it was a park that I went to periodically as a kid. Now I  love having my own kids explore a park I enjoyed as a child.

Brooksvale is a beautiful little park filled with barn animals, the Farmington Canal trail, fields, a pond, a small playscape and swings. We love going throughout the summer. It’s the perfect place to bring a picnic lunch and let the little ones wander around. Best of all, there are no parking or admission fees.

The park is open year-round. People come to enjoy the sledding and mapel sugaring during the winter, fall festival in autumn, and animals during the spring and summer.

Animals

My kids love visiting the animals at Brooksvale. There are goats, sheep, mini horses, and rabbits. There are also chickens who are sometimes allowed to roam. The red barn was built a few years ago to hold the animals at night. The last time we visited we were given a chicken egg to take home. One of my twins guarded that egg like it was made of gold.

Fields

There are open fields that local sports teams play lacrosse and soccer on. During the week we like to bring a ball and let the kids run around.

Trails

The Farmington Canal Linear Trail runs parallel to the park. People often park their car at the park and walk, bike, or rollerblade onto the trail.

Pond

There is a pond on the property. It makes the perfect backdrop for picture taking. In early spring you can find people searching for tadpoles in the water (make sure to return them to the pond!). We love walking around the water and looking for different pondlife.

Playground

There is a small slide and monkey bars for the kids to play on. The park is never overly crowded so it’s the perfect size for my three little ones to play. There are also swings (including 2 baby swings) located in a shady spot.

I hope you visit Brooksvale Park and enjoy it as much as my family does!