Daytrip From Mansfield: Golf, Outdoor Adventure and Apple Pies Await Visitors to Middlefield

Spread across just 13 square miles and with a population of 4,200 residents, one might wonder why you'd need more than day-trip to explore Middlefield, Connecticut.

But few towns in the state offer as many family-friendly recreational opportunities as this quintessential New England town, known for its apple pies, sweeping vistas and spectacular waterfalls.

A great place to start your visit to Middlefield is Lyman Orchards, an 1,100 acre farm purchased from King George III in 1741, where visitors can "pick-your-own" fruit or pickup one of Lyman's signature pies at the .

The store is open year round and offers seasonal fresh produce, mouthwatering baked goods like doughnuts and pies and a deli with a wide range of lunch choices, all which can be enjoyed on a deck overlooking a duck pond.

Lyman Orchards also offers 36-holes of championship golf and the brand new , a "family-centric" golf-instructional facility designed for players at every level.

Nearby  is a 9-hole, family owned and operated course sprawled out over Middlefield's rolling hills. 

If you're not a golfer but enjoy the outdoors, hiking opportunities are numerous in Middlefield, including a picturesque trek along the blue blazed trail of Beseck Mountain. Reaching the peak of the mountain, visitors can enjoy stunning views of Central Connecticut that extend all the way to Long Island Sound.

For those who prefer to stay grounded, the area's rolling hillsides are best viewed from atop Powder Hill Road, where you'll be greeted by a panoramic view overlooking Lyman Orchards and Powder Ridge ski area.

Nature and history come together at in Middlefield (also in Middletown), where visitors will find one of the state's most breathtaking waterfalls. 

Accessible by foot from a parking area located along Route 157, is 30 feet high and more than 50 feet wide. In summer, swimmers are known to cool off below the falls which were named after Clarence C. Wadsworth, a colonel in the New York National Guard who once owned the property.

Long before Wadsworth settled in the area, dinosaurs roamed Middlefield. The evidence is found at Powder Hill Dinosaur Park, located along Powder Hill Road, where the giants' footprints left behind remain.

Located between Middletown and Meriden, Middlefield and can easily be reached from Interstate 91 or Route 9.

Other areas of interest include:

• (public boat launch available)
• Middlefield Park Skate Park at Peckham Park