The best camping near American Legion and Peoples State Forests

Tree huggers unite! This is the promised land. Consisting of two separate forests, the wooded bastions of Mother Nature rise tall and strong in these parts. Each tree is beautiful in its own way, but perhaps no trunk is better for squeezing than those in the 200-year old white pine grove in the Whittemore Recreation Area of the Peoples Forest.

One can only hug so many trees, however, so it’s a good thing there are lots of other things to do in the American Legion and Peoples State Forests. The trails that wind through these wooded acres will keep hikers on their feet for days on end. And the waters of the wild and scenic West Branch of the Farmington River attracts kayakers and fishers from all over Connecticut and even neighboring states. But if you want to just come and squeeze an oak, no one will fault you.