Our hiking adventures to Chapman Falls, a popular state park day-trip destination, was the perfect way to welcome Spring in Connecticut. The Eight Mile River drops about 60 feet in three bold drops. The waterfall is quite scenic and one of the most powerful in the state and is usually very crowded. This state park also beckons for a picnic and the perfect way to reward yourself after a few hours exploring the entire area.

In 1919, the former State Park and Forest Commission obtained an 860 acre parcel located in the Millington section of Haddam. The principle feature of the park, Chapman Falls, once powered “Beebe’s Mills” which were named after the original owner. The mills operated until the mid 1890’s. A search for the origin of the name “Devil’s Hopyard” reveals a wide variety of different stories; none of them are verifiable and all are likely to be more fiction than fact.

The Devil’s Hopyard State Park today offers some of the finest birding in the state and fishermen find the clear, cool stream water an excellent source of brook trout. You can also enjoy bicycling, hiking, birding, picnicking, and camping. East Haddam is an easy one hour drive from Trumbull and needless to say, the drive opened up our appetite.

Our hiking adventures to Chapman Falls started with lunch upon arrival while enjoying the breathtaking waterfall and strategizing about our exploration route. Chapman Falls Loop is a 0.4 mile moderately trafficked loop trail that features the waterfall and is rated as moderate. We decided that it was the perfect weather and day to wander and explore so we took the Orange Trail Loop which is a 2.0 mile heavily trafficked loop trail and is rated as moderate.

The Orange Trail loop has a lot of elevation and some paths in the trail need to be creatively crossed, and can be muddy or flooded. Our hike took us 3.00 mile in 2 hours as we challenged ourselves to take the road less traveled. The Eight Mile River offers some scenic stops which we did not want to miss. When we cross back the newly updated covered bridge, we rested taking in the gorgeous view of the falls before heading home.

Here are some helpful tips we took into consideration on our hiking adventures to Chapman Falls thanks to New England Waterfalls:

DON’T FORGET THE ESSENTIALS – When you visit waterfalls, you should consider bringing all of the following: (a) bug spray; (b) food/snacks; (c) water/sports drinks; (d) camera/smart-phone; (e) guidebook/trail map; (f) daypack/backpack; and (g) hiking shoes, hiking boots or watershoes. A full day hiking packing list can be found here.

LEAVE NO TRACE – When you visit waterfalls and swimming holes, you’ll often see some trash and sometimes you’ll even find clothing left behind by others. Won’t you consider carrying out some of trash and clothing left by others when you leave? That would leave the spot more beautiful for the next person. Bring a trash bag and be a hero!

CLIFF JUMPING – Cliff jumping is dangerous. Like, seriously dangerous. Understand the risks before you partake in this activity. Many have died from doing this in New England.

PLEASE DON’T BUILD ROCK CAIRNS – Please do not build new rock cairns at waterfalls or swimming holes. Cairns are a strong reminder of human presence, and don’t we all want to see waterfalls in their natural state and glory?

DON’T RELY ON YOUR GPS TO GET YOU TO THE TRAILHEAD – Waterfalls don’t have addresses, so relying on your GPS to get you to a trailhead is great way to get yourself lost. You need a guidebook, a road atlas, and/or a hiking map to visit the vast majority of waterfalls in New England. Also keep in mind that waterfalls are often located in wild areas, where smart-phone map apps and car GPS units may not work at all.

WATERFALLS IN SPRING – The best time to visit waterfalls is generally in the spring during the annual snowmelt (which is April to June). However, most waterfalls will often look great for several days after a significant rain storm.

Our hiking adventures to Chapman Falls is one of our favorite hiking adventures so far as it challenged us not to rush nature and bask into the beauty around us. Even though we had a plan in mind, we ended up being led by the beauty surrounding us and being rewarded with a family experience that we will never forget.