Explore Westmoor

The Discovery Room at Westmoor Park is home to a small collection of native and non-native reptiles, amphibians, and other critters, as well as our seasonal exhibits. Come in to visit with “Penny” the parrot or one of our other friends, and learn something new about the natural world each time you come in!

Our farm is open to the public everyday from 9am to 4pm. Want to spend some time with the animals? Sign up for a week or two at Westmoor’s Summer Camp!

Click on the image tiles below to explore more of our farmyard friends!

There are many beautiful gardens at Westmoor Park, in addition to our Plant-A-Row For the Hungry garden.

The Perennial Garden is located behind the main building and has a lovely canopy of dogwoods, crabapples and azaleas. This garden has a beautiful display from the spring season into the late fall. It is a nice place to sit and look at the combinations of trees, shrubs, and perennials.

The Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden was planted after we were awarded the Wildlife Habitat Project Grant in 2002. It is designed so that the public can enjoy the native pants which attract hummingbirds and numerous butterflies here in Connecticut.

To learn about all of West Hartford’s pollinator gardens, please visit Pollinator Pathways.

Our Meadows

A grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture helped us jump-start our Wildflower Meadow, planted in sections between 2000 - 2002. Using native grasses and wildflowers, the old polo fields were transformed into a lovely new habitat for many bird and small mammal species. Flowers in bloom change every year, with the first blooms in May, continuing into the fall.

Westmoor Park has a few other grassy meadows, nestled within our forest trails. A large wet meadow can be found beyond our ponds, and others alongside our stream at Bugbee Dam.

Our Ponds

Two major ponds separate our forest trails from the wet meadow near Flagg Road. These ponds provide water for many different wild animal species, such as turtles, ducks, muskrats, beaver, white-tailed deer, coyotes, bobcats, and raccoons.  The ponds are a great resource for our environmental programs, in addition to being an oasis for the wildlife living in busy West Hartford.

Please note that there is no fishing permitted at Westmoor Park.

All of our trails are for walking only. Dogs are not allowed in the park, bicycles are not permitted on the trails, and picnicking is not permitted in the park. 

Westmoor Park encompasses 162 acres in total, with three miles of woodland trails, including a half-mile handicap accessible trail. Trails will lead you through our pine and deciduous forests, up Indian Hill, and past our ponds, streams, and meadows. These are excellent walking trails, that make for an easy woodland setting for not only our nature programs, but also for our fall hayrides!

Westmoor Park has a Trail Map available to help explore the grounds and walking trails! Paper copies are available in our lobby.

Canine companions can actually alter the habits of wild animal species that take sanctuary in Westmoor Park.  Many dog and bike friendly trails can be found at the nearby West Hartford Reservoirs.

Spice Bush Swamp Park, located on Mountain Road a short distance north of Farmington Ave., was given to the Town of West Hartford by Arthur Doctor for the sum of $1.00 in September 1962.  At 33 acres in size, it was the first park in town set aside to be used and enjoyed in its natural state.  Over the years almost all of the West Hartford schools have used this park as an outdoor classroom for science and nature study.  Why don't you plan to spend some time walking through the park and re-discovering what an interesting place it is.  

On September 14, 2012 Spice Bush Swamp Park turned 50 years old as West Hartford's first public natural area.