One of the main reasons my husband I decided to move to Vermont from the “big city” was to be able to spend more time outdoors enjoying nature. This is an opportunity that we have absolutely taken full advantage of since our move, and I’m incredibly grateful that exploring new hiking trails is something we have been able to continue to do despite the trials of the coronavirus pandemic. Trails are great adventures indeed, but sometimes you want a more leisurely outdoor experience. This is where parks come in. There are three very noteworthy parks, each one we’ve visited quite often, that I’d like to highlight here: the Arlington Rec park, of course located in Arlington, Vermont, as well as the Greenberg Headwaters Park and Willow Park, both located in our town of Bennington, Vermont.
Arlington Recreation Park
The main reason my husband and I first decided to visit the Arlington Recreation Park, back in the much more care-free summer of 2019, was the fact that part of the park is a dog park. At this point in his puppyhood (he was about 8 months old then), our loveable corgi Fiddle had not had too many chances to socialize with other dogs, so we thought trying out a dog park would be a good idea. Of course, when we arrived the dog park was completely empty, not one other canine to be found. We still managed to have a good time letting Fiddle run freely around the dog park in a way he does not usually get to, considering our current lack of a yard. There is a lot of space for a pup to play here and Fiddle clearly enjoyed it, even if he was playing with usual humans instead of making new dog friends.
Aside from the decently-sized dog park, there is a lot to admire about this charming town park. When you first enter, there is a modest pond with a relatively shallow area roped off for kids to enjoy a swim or playing in the water. (Fiddle enjoyed taking a splash in this pond after his dog park adventures.) Surrounding the pond is various playground equipment and structures for children to enjoy, as well as signs and structures encouraging guests to try out a “fitness challenge” while visiting the park. The landscaping is notable, especially in the spring and summer with a wide variety of brightly-colored flowers blooming. There are a few swinging benches throughout the big field that constitutes the entrance to the park, and those are always a fun time.
One of several swinging benches at the park. 
A pond for swimming and playground fun. 
The Battenkill River on a sunny summer day.
Further into the park, there is an absolutely lovely nature trail that is located along the path of the Battenkill River. Though the trail is not long, it is well maintained and offers several chances to take in a beautiful view of the river. If you go far enough on the trail, you will reach an area that is restricted due to being a “research farm” for “industrial hemp” but thankfully signs are posted clearly to avoid any confusion.
By now, I’ve visited the park four times, twice before the pandemic and twice in its midst. In the time of the coronavirus, this Arlington Rec Park offers a peaceful reprieve from the stress and anxiety of our current times. A visit here is a great way to bring some outdoor beauty and leisurely fun to anyone’s day.
Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★
Greenberg Headwaters Park
The Greenberg Headwaters Park is not a park in the same sense as Arlington Rec or Willow Park; it’s a series of trails located in the town of Bennington, apparently only recently available to the public.
This park is very special to me, as it includes a variety of hiking trails that I can very easily walk to from my home, something that is still revolutionary in my mind as a former New York City resident. In addition, the trails are all quite easy and flat so it works well for trail running, as well.
There are a few entrances to this park in town, with one being the Beech Street field. This entrance is a great place to start your exploration, especially if you have a dog, as it includes a portable toilet as well as dog waste bags and a bin to place your yucky, used bags.
Within the trail system, there is a decent variety of scenery, including views of wetlands, a bridge over the Walloomsac River, and meadows that become startlingly green in in the spring and summer. In some areas the trails are marked clearly, but in other areas they are most decidedly not. This is fine for people who live nearby, like myself, and can get to know the woods, but it’s more easy than it should be for a more occasional visitor to get lost.
A wetlands view. 
A snowy path. 
The super green-ness of summer.
In general, this park is a gorgeous place with easy and pleasant trails. I enjoy visiting at least once a season, as the scenery here certainly expresses the seasons well. It’s also one of the few trail systems I will still visit in the winter as the ease of its trails works well for the ice and snow. However, I do wish it was more clearly marked within.
Freshly Vermont rating: four out of five stars. ★★★★☆
Willow Park
As an elementary school teacher, I first heard about Willow Park from the kids in my class; it is absolutely all the rage with the under 10 crowd. From my perspective as an adult (and a dog owner), I am a bigger fan of the Arlingon Rec Park (the landscaping, the river!), but this is unquestionably a great place for kids and families to play, and a splendid park in general.
The playgrounds in Willow Park are very unique and charming, with lots of emphasis on wooden structures. There are a lot of walking paths throughout the open fields, as well as a disc golf course – something I have seen people taking advantage of pretty much every time I have visited the park. There also specific fields for playing specific sports, including a soccer field and a softball field. Several picnic areas, with many tables, as well as places to possibly grill some food in the warmer months, are an important attraction of the park.
There is also a small nature trail that packs in a lot of lovely arboreal scenery and even some moderately hill-y terrain in its short distance. This nature trail has earned a soft spot in my heart, this being the first place my husband and I took our corgi puppy on a “trail” back in the snowy February of 2019.
Fiddle’s first adventure! 
A peaceful place for a picnic, with a great view. 
The nature trail is short but pretty, especially in the fall.
During the start of the pandemic, Willow Park closed all of its playgrounds, tennis courts, and anything similar, while leaving its trails and walking paths open. I took a walk here in March (a very socially distant walk, as no one else was present at all) and the desolation of it all was heartbreaking, considering how lively it had been during my last visit, which had been in October of 2019. Though the virus numbers have only gotten worse, everything here now appears to be open again, for families to use at their discretion.
I have been back to Willow Park since the pandemic began, mainly to walk along the nature trail or to finish up a long run on the paths. The last time I visited, this past October, it was pretty crowded for the situation, with a lot of families and children likely trying to soak up as much as outdoor experiences as they could before the dark winter of the pandemic would begin.
I am hopeful that the next time I visit will be in better times, and that children and families will be able to enjoy themselves here without worry. I also hope that Fiddle can have fun here, too – though he does enjoy a leashed walk through the trail, I think he’d be quite happy to hear that a dog park may be on the way as a new addition.
Freshly Vermont rating: four out of five stars. ★★★★☆