With 5 beaches on Long Island Sound, one could be forgiven for thinking Fairfield would stop there… but there’s always room for one more! We discovered Lake Mohegan when the mid-summer days started getting too hot for our little ones to spend hours on the sand at Jennings or Penfield. What we found was a cooler lake beach, shaded hiking trails, and an absolute gem of a river with picturesque waterfalls.
The Beach Area
Lake Mohegan Beach is run by the town, so of course there are lifeguards keeping swimmers safe. There’s also a shop with ice cream and other goodies. The sand was comfortable to lay on, and the lake water was pleasant to swim in. If your little one isn’t comfortable getting in the lake, there’s another option for cooling off: the town’s only splash park! You will also find one of the 3 fire pits in town, which you can rent on the town’s website. To gain access to the swim area and splash park, you have to pay a fee, but the rest of the open space is free to access.
The Hiking Paths
At the back end of the Lake Mohegan parking area is the entrance to the hiking paths – and there are several to choose from. Consisting of gravel and / or compacted dirt, they are easy to moderate in difficulty (both our children could handle the paths at about age 4 or 5). These paths are also very popular venues for dog walkers; you are nearly guaranteed to meet a few 4-legged friends on your journey.
The Waterfalls
Littered with beautiful rocky outcroppings and a bubbling stream, this section of the hiking trails is my favorite. Amateur photographers, young aspiring fishermen, and couples looking for a romantic place to sit and enjoy nature can be found amidst the sights and sounds here. You’d never know you are mere minutes from the shopping at Black Rock Turnpike or a hockey game at Sacred Heart’s Martire Arena. It’s worth the hike out here, but once you arrive don’t be in a hurry to get back… enjoy the peace under the cool tree coverage as you escape the outside world – even if just for a few minutes.
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