Off The Trails: A Hiker's Guide to the Outdoors

If you grew up in Milford or spent any amount of time in the Devon area, then you’ve probably heard of Mondo Ponds. Most have been there at least once or twice as it serves as a popular hangout for teens and high school kids. However, very few know the significance of the ponds or how they were created.

Believe it or not, these ponds are all man made and are the result of excavation activities in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Rocco Mondo was the owner of “Rocco Mondo and Sons Excavation” which dug in the area shortly after WWII. Over the next two decades, gravel from the area was used to help build parts of I-95, JFK Elementary school (which abuts the trails) and other structures around Milford.

The area was owned by a local water authority and served as a reservoir that had been damed off, so water remained in the water table. Once the excavation was finished, the dams were opened and the ponds began to fill. The area became known as Mondo Ponds because of the work done over the years, and the name stuck.

The land was purchased by the City of Milford in 1986 from South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority. In 2016 the City of Milford, with help from local businesses, restored the trails and listed the area as a nature preserve.

A total of 5 ponds spread out over 35.6 acres make up Mondo Ponds. There are a nice array of trails about a mile in length that are perfect for dog walking, family outings, bird watching or taking in the sites of the fall foliage. About 180 different species of birds and wildlife now live in or near the ponds, most of them are threatened or endangered.

Since the area is classified as a nature preserve; boating, fishing, biking and motorized vehicles are prohibited, and dogs must remain on leash at all times. Parking at JFK elementary school (404 West Ave) is prohibited during school hours.

What began as the result of construction activities in the 1940’s and 50’s led to new habitat for birds and plants. Mondo Ponds is just one example of how industrial development, when done correctly, isn’t necessarily bad. If it wasn’t for the original excavation activities, there wouldn’t be a home for hundreds of endangered species, that may otherwise have gone extinct.

Parking: Parking lot near 1369 Naugatuck Ave, Milford, CT, 06461 (about .1 miles west of Grinnell Street) OR 404 West Ave, Milford, CT, 06461 (Parking lot is on the property of an elementary school)

AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/connecticut/mondo-pond-loop