East Haddam - Pet-Friendly National, State & Local Parks

There is a large variety of stories that give the Devil's Hopyard State Park its name. One revolved around a man named Dibble who brewed beer there, and eventually Dibble's Hopyard became Devil's Hopyard. There are also numerous pothole stone formations in this section of the country that are perfectly cylindrical and range from inches to several feet in diameter and depth. The story was that the Devil passed by the falls, accidentally getting his tail wet. This made him so mad he burned holes in the stones with his hooves as he bounded away. Whatever the story, this is a wonderful place to hike with your dog along 15 miles of trails, the most beautiful of which is the Vista Trail. It starts at a covered bridge and finishes at Chapman Falls. The park is also known for birding and great fly fishing. Dogs can swim in Eight Mile River and there is also a beach downstream from the falls.