Naugatuck State Forest This state forest includes 5,000 acres of wild, undeveloped woodlands, grasslands, rivers, lakes, ravines, and swamps, spread across Naugatuck, Beacon Falls, Oxford, Bethany, Hamden, Cheshire, Ansonia, and Seymour and organized into five Blocks, named West, East, Mt. Sanford, Quillinan Reservoir, and Great Hill. Naugatuck State Forest offers trails ranging from easy to challenging. The mainline Naugatuck Trail is considered easy hiking, with very few sections of rugged and moderately difficult hiking. The Naugatuck Trail is 5.4 miles longand featuresthe summits of Beacon Cap and Spruce Knoll. The Naugatuck Forest East Block is a moderate hike that covers 5 miles with an elevation gain of 912 feet and takes about 2.5–3 hours to complete. Scenic highlights include a beautiful gorge with numerous cascades called Spruce Brook Gorge, plus four reservoirs, two waterfalls, and multiple overlooks of the Naugatuck River Valley. The forest features dramatic rock formations, streams, and a mixture of evergreen and hardwood woods, including hemlock forests. The Forest is managed for sawtimber, firewood, wildlife habitat, and recreational activities such as hiking, hunting, mountain biking, bird-watching, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing.