Discovering Crandall Park

As Tolland's main park, Crandall Park offers a variety of recreational opportunities. It dates back to 1969 when 37 acres of land was purchased from the Crandall family, along with the Crandall Pond. Now, the park has a current size of over 400 acres of which almost 20 acres comprises of developed areas, and the remaining 380 acres, undeveloped. In 2000, an additional 140 acres of open space was bought. It is situated on Cider Mill Road, which got its name from the Cider Mill that the Crandall family owned and operated.

Seasonal Offerings

At every season, visitors can enjoy several amenities that Crandall Park offers. It has a large seasonal swimming area, located at the Crandall Pond, with a sand beach, raft, diving board and swim lakes. From mid-June to August, visitors can use the swimming area that opens daily from 1-6 pm. For tennis lovers, Crandall Park has three hard surface tennis courts, which are well-lit from May to October. During the same time, the basketball court is also accessible at night till 9 pm from May to June and till 10 pm through October.

Year-Long Amenities

Throughout the year, Crandall Park also provides a range of outdoor facilities, in addition to seasonal offerings. The park has a baseball field, called the Lower Crandall field. A lighted softball field is also located at the park with an infield, called the Upper Crandall field and often used by local leagues. It can be rented out if available.  A play area has been devoted to kids aged 8 and up. The park features another three acre pond for non-motorized boating and is stocked with largemouth bass and bluegills. A fishing bridge is also accessible over the Powell Pond, where sports fishing can be done. Additionally, a multi-purpose field has been made for softball, baseball and soccer games called the Crandall 2. For picnics and barbeques, a pavilion is available for rent, equipped with tables, bathrooms, a sand volleyball court, large charcoal grill and horseshoe pits.

Hiking Trails

Crandall Park is famous for its hiking trails. Based on approximately 3.8 miles of wooded trails, mostly doubletrack, these hiking trails are a nice way to explore Tolland's scenic beauty and experience the wildlife. The trails offer easy to moderate walking trails, making them suitable for a nice hike with kids or a dog. However, some side trails have steep hills and must be paid attention to.

Overall, Crandall Park is an amazing place, and is worth going to for family outings and recreational purposes.