Jennings State Forest

If you key «Jennings State Forest» in on your GPS, it is quite difficult to find the trailhead. After a bit of driving about, I finally found the trailhead on Live Oak Lane off of Old Jennings Road to take my dog, Bear, as well as myself, on a hike. I have set a goal for us of hiking each trail in every park/​forest in and around the area. On Live Oak Lane, there are two trailheads, one with a picnic area and another one just farther down the road with a forestry cabin and entrance.
Please, Please, Please make sure that you are honest and truthful and pay your entry fee. It’s only $ 1.00 per person and children under 6 are free. The box is right there next to the bulletin board containing maps. If you are going to use the trails, help the Forestry Department keep them safe and keep the 23,995 acres of this forest protected.
Bear and I did about two miles of hiking this day. It was rather hot for him. The trails are clear of debris for the most part, but it is the forest. There are a number of wildlife viewing areas along the path that we took, and the quietness of the area made me feel like I was walking through the woods back home in Connecticut.
We found some surprising things on our hike such as a tortoise sunbathing in the middle of the trail. This tortoise tricked Bear into thinking it was rock. That tortoise stayed still as stone until we walked by and went on our way. I heard wild boars far off in the woods somewhere, and Bear got one heck of a surprise when a wild turkey popped up out of the brush. It took all my might to hold him back as his Lab hunting instincts took over. There was such a beautiful array of wildlife, including a nonpoisonous Spinybacked Orbweaver spider just relaxing on it’s web.
I have two warnings about Jennings State Forest. (1) There are many unpaved roads throughout the forest. Many of these contain sections that are nothing but sand. I do not recommend driving down these roads in a sedan or small style car. SUV and Pickup Trucks only. (2) Bear and I were first here in early spring and the ticks were wickedly bad. It was to the point that if I stopped walking to snap a photo, they would start swarming onto my boots. Even with proper protection, I was finding ticks for a few days after our hike. If you go there, please protect yourself even if it is the middle of the summer.
There are still many trails and entrances that we have yet to explore, as well as getting a permit to camp. One of the campsites is even next to a cemetery, one of four on the forest’s grounds.
The forest is open during daylight hours for hiking, bicycling, canoeing, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing. There are seasonal activities like hunting and fishing, please be aware of the time of year that you are heading here.
I plan a return to Jennings State Forest very soon, there’s so much left to explore!