Connecticut Hiking Trails and Maps

787 Reviews

Looking for the best Hiking trails around Connecticut?

Find the top rated hiking trails in Connecticut, whether you're looking for an easy short hiking trail or a long hiking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a hiking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.

City Trails and Maps in Connecticut

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Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type
40 Results
Activities
Length
Surfaces
Type

Air Line State Park Trail

54.6 mi
State: CT
Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Billings Trail

3.3 mi
State: CT
Dirt

Bloomfield Greenway Multi-Use Trail

1.8 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Branford Trolley Trail

0.6 mi
State: CT
Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel

CTfastrak Multi-Use Trail

4.4 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Concrete

Captain John Bissell Trail

4.5 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Charter Oak Greenway

16.6 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Cheney Rail Trail

1.7 mi
State: CT
Crushed Stone

Derby Greenway

2 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Dirt

Farmington Canal Heritage Trail

48.3 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Farmington River Trail

16.5 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

G & S Trolley trail

1.6 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Hanover Pond Trail

1 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Hartford Riverwalk

1.7 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Hop River State Park Trail

20 mi
State: CT
Crushed Stone

Kress Family Trail

3.1 mi
State: CT
Dirt

Larkin State Park Trail

10.8 mi
State: CT
Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Mattabassett Trolley Trail

2.9 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Middlebury Greenway

4.5 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Middletown Westlake Area Bikeway

2.2 mi
State: CT
Asphalt
Accordion

Moosup Valley State Park Trail

5.8 mi
State: CT
Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand

Naugatuck River Greenway

5.4 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

New Milford River Trail

5 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Niantic Bay Boardwalk

1.1 mi
State: CT
Boardwalk, Concrete, Gravel

Norwalk River Valley Trail

5.8 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Pequonnock River Trail

13.6 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Putnam River Trail

2 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Quinebaug River Trail

4.8 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Quinnipiac Linear Trail

1.25 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Gravel

Quinnipiac River Gorge Trail

1.3 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Railroad Ramble

1.7 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Dirt, Grass

Ridgefield Rail Trail

2.3 mi
State: CT
Gravel

Savin Rock Trail

1.2 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Concrete

Shoreline Greenway Trail

4.1 mi
State: CT
Crushed Stone, Dirt

Stratton Brook State Park Trail

1.2 mi
State: CT
Asphalt, Cinder, Crushed Stone

Sue Grossman Still River Greenway

2.9 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Trolley Trail (CT)

0.75 mi
State: CT
Asphalt

Windsor River Trail

0.8 mi
State: CT
Asphalt
Trail Image Trail Name States Length Surface Rating
The Air Line State Park Trail winds nearly 55 miles from the northeast corner of Connecticut, where the state borders Massachusetts, down to East Hampton in the heart of the state. The pathway is...
CT 54.6 mi Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
Open in several disconnected segments, the Billings Trail is a dirt path that traverses a lovely scenic and wooded landscape outside Norfolk in northern Connecticut. Built on the abandoned railbed of...
CT 3.3 mi Dirt
Bloomfield Greenway Multi-Use Trail is 1.8 miles between Bloomfield and Simsbury. The trail is envisioned to someday act as a connector between the City of Hartford and the Farmington Canal Heritage...
CT 1.8 mi Asphalt
The Branford Trolley Trail is essentially a long footbridge occupying an old bridge along the route of an abandoned trolley track. The bridge links nature trails on both sides of the water through a...
CT 0.6 mi Concrete, Crushed Stone, Gravel
A part of Connecticut's first bus rapid transit line, the CTfastrak Trail serves as recreational and multi-use path for walking and bicycling between Downtown New Britain and Newington Junction. The...
CT 4.4 mi Asphalt, Concrete
The Bissell name looms large in this part of New England, and has been immortalized in multiple ways, including the Bissell Ferry, the Bissell Memorial Bridge and now, the Captain John Bissell trail,...
CT 4.5 mi Asphalt
The Charter Oak Greenway offers more than 16 miles of paved pathway through Hartford and its eastern suburbs. At first glance, the trail looks as if it is simply a highway side path, but the journey...
CT 16.6 mi Asphalt
The Cheney Rail Trail follows part of the corridor of the South Manchester Railroad, built by the Cheney brothers in 1869. The line was a 2.5-mile spur from the main Hartford, Providence, and Fishkill...
CT 1.7 mi Crushed Stone
Running alongside both the Housatonic and Naugatuck Rivers, the Derby Greenway demonstrates a seamless integration of Connecticut’s natural river systems and parks with man-made interventions of the...
CT 2 mi Asphalt, Dirt
First a canal, then a railroad, and now a trail define the history of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Completed segments span Connecticut south to north, from New Haven to the Massachusetts...
CT 48.3 mi Asphalt
A dozen miles west of Connecticut’s capital of Hartford, the Farmington River Trail forms a 16.5-mile arc that connects to the larger Farmington Canal Heritage Trail on both ends. The rail-trail was...
CT 16.5 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
At the turn of the 20th century, Groton & Stonington Railway Company began to move passengers between Groton to Mystic via electric trolleys. But in 25 years, the line had been discontinued due to...
CT 1.6 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Hanover Pond Trail is a mile-long rail-trail in Meriden, Connecticut offering scenic natural escape combined with historical exploration. The smooth asphalt trail is open to a diverse range of...
CT 1 mi Asphalt
The Hartford Riverwalk is a charming network of paved pathways for cyclists and pedestrians that runs along the banks of the Connecticut River through the state capital. The trail provides an off-road...
CT 1.7 mi Asphalt
It’s hard to pick a favorite season to experience the Hop River State Park Trail, set amid the dense forests of Eastern Connecticut. Sections of the 20-mile rail-trail dive through steep rock cuts...
CT 20 mi Crushed Stone
The 3.1-mile Kress Family Trail in Roxbury occupies the former route of the Shepaug Valley Railroad (the Shepaug, Litchfield and Northern Railroad). The railroad was famously known as the “crookedest...
CT 3.1 mi Dirt
The Larkin State Park Trail meanders 10.8 miles through the woods and around the lakes and low hills of southwestern Connecticut. The rail-trail follows the route of the New York & New England...
CT 10.8 mi Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
Where a trolley once ran, now you can too on the south bank of the Mattabessett River. The electrified trolley shuttled passengers from Berlin to Middletown and beyond. The smooth blacktop and an easy...
CT 2.9 mi Asphalt
The Middlebury Greenway provides a paved, off-road option for a self-propelled journey across suburban Middlebury. The trail touches on several business districts and parks, ending at an amusement...
CT 4.5 mi Asphalt
Over 2 miles from start to finish, this U-shaped trail meets both the commuting and the recreational needs of local residents in Middletown. The trail begins on Middle St, marked by a trailhead with a...
CT 2.2 mi Asphalt
Accordion
This 5.8-mile trail is part of the planned East Coast Greenway, an off-road path that will eventually run from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida. The Moosup Valley State Park Trail will connect with...
CT 5.8 mi Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand
The Naugatuck River Greenway will one day span 44 miles from Torrington to Derby in western Connecticut, but is currently open in a few short disconnected segments totaling just over 5 miles. The...
CT 5.4 mi Asphalt
The first phase of the New Milford River Trail runs southeast from Gaylordsville via the scenic but lightly traveled River Road, through Sega Meadows to Boardman Bridge, a distance of about 5 miles....
CT 5 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt
Bookended by beaches and offering gorgeous vistas of Niantic Bay, the Niantic Bay Boardwalk is a must-do excursion in the small Connecticut village of Niantic, part of the larger Town of East Lyme....
CT 1.1 mi Boardwalk, Concrete, Gravel
When completed, the Norwalk River Valley Trail will run from Danbury to Long Island Sound in southwestern Connecticut, for a total of about 27 miles. Currently, several disconnected sections totaling...
CT 5.8 mi Asphalt
The Pequonnock River Trail is not a name you will see on the ground along this developing trail in southwestern Connecticut. Formalized in 2001 by the state, the regional trail pieced together...
CT 13.6 mi Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Putnam River Trail extends between Arch Street in the Putnam District and Providence Street to the south. The trail follows the east bank of the Quinebaug River between the river and Kennedy...
CT 2 mi Asphalt
The Quinebaug River Trail exists in two segments in northwest Connecticut. The northern section parallels Park Road and Tracy Road for about 2 miles in an industrial section of Putnam with few trail...
CT 4.8 mi Asphalt
The Qunnipiac Linear Trail is an easy multipurpose path in Wallingford, Connecticut. The trail skirts Community Lake while traveling a heavily wooded corridor along the Quinnipiac River. It is one of...
CT 1.25 mi Asphalt, Gravel
The Quinnipiac River Gorge Trail is a 1.3-mile rail-trail in Meridan, Connecticut. The trail occupies the former railbed of the Meriden, Waterbury & Connecticut River Railroad, a 17-mile line which...
CT 1.3 mi Asphalt
The Railroad Ramble occupies a corridor abandoned by the Central New England Railroad, which provided service from 1871 through 1967. In Lakeville, the trail can be found just off of Route 41 behind...
CT 1.7 mi Asphalt, Dirt, Grass
The Ridgefield Rail-Trail meanders for nearly 2.5 miles through the forested exburbs of Ridgefield, Connecticut. The trail passes among suburban acreages, along a creek at one point, and past a couple...
CT 2.3 mi Gravel
The Savin Rock Trail offers just over a mile of paved pathway along West Haven’s coastline. Along the way, you’ll enjoy picturesque views of Long Island Sound and access to its sandy beaches. The west...
CT 1.2 mi Asphalt, Concrete
When complete, Connecticut’s Shoreline Greenway Trail will be a scenic 25-mile route through four quaint New England towns off Long Island Sound. From Lighthouse Point to Hammonasset Beach State Park,...
CT 4.1 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt
The Stratton Brook State Park Trail presents a great way to work up an appetite for a picnic at Stratton Brook State Park, the first state park in Connecticut to be entirely wheelchair accessible. The...
CT 1.2 mi Asphalt, Cinder, Crushed Stone
Coming in at just under 3 miles, the Sue Grossman Still River Greenway is anchored by the towns of Winchester to the north and Torrington to the south. It occupies the right-of-way of the Naugatuck...
CT 2.9 mi Asphalt
The Trolley Trail runs through Plainfield and is a key link the East Coast Greenway. Plans are to use this trail as a link between the Moosup Valley State Park Trail and the Airline State Park...
CT 0.75 mi Asphalt
The Rockville Spur, a section of Vernon Rails-to-Trails, is a stone-dust rail-trail stretching 4.2 miles into the heart of historical Rockville. The trail begins on Warren Avenue in Vernon, but you’ll...
CT 4.2 mi Crushed Stone, Dirt
Note: Per the State of Connecticut's website, the trail is open from dawn to dusk April 1–November 14. Eagle nesting activities can delay the opening of the southern trail head in Windsor...
CT 5.4 mi Asphalt
The Windsor River Trail is a paved trail along the Connecticut River in Windsor Meadows State Park. The trail begins at the state park’s parking lot on E Barber St. The Captain John Bissell Trail,...
CT 0.8 mi Asphalt

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Recent Trail Reviews

Moosup Valley State Park Trail

Worst trail I've ever ridden!

May, 2022 by bopflu

The first couple of miles are paved, which makes up for the lack of scenery. But once the pavement ends, for all intents and purposes, so does the path. Between the mud, the rocks and the fallen trees, I spent more time walking my bike than riding it! And that's not even taking the horseflies into account. Not to mention the frighteningly steep drop-offs. How dare they call this catastrophe a bike path!

For reasons I won't get into, I've long despised Connecticut's Route 14 corridor (Moosup, Danielson, Dayville, Plainfield, et al). This malevolent excuse for a trail gives me one more reason to do so.

Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail

A beautiful trail in need of resurfacing

May, 2022 by eajack

My wife and I rode our recumbent trikes on the entirety of this trail on a Saturday evening. For the most part, we encountered only walkers. And based on the surface condition of the trail, I understand why. The pavement has deteriorated and is full of root-bumps and small dips. It was a very rough ride.

I would recommend this trail for walkers, joggers, or cyclists if you've got a bike/trike with a suspension. The bulk of the trail is on the old towpath between the river and the canal, so other than the north and south ends, you are separated by water from the rest of the world. This makes for a quiet, relaxing, and scenic trek. The northern terminus near the parking lot, which also forms a "T" with the CT 190 bridge, and the southern terminus by the renovated mill building are new and in great shape. All we need now is for Connecticut to resurface the original portion... even stone dust would be better than the broken pavement.

Hartford Riverwalk

Lovely!

May, 2022 by afalls4

I went here on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. What a lovely place! This is a paved trail that follows the river and has a nice playground and picnic area at one end. There are various sculptures related to Abraham Lincoln along the way. It was very relaxing to stroll along the water. The views of the bridges and the Hartford skyline are stunning. Will definitely return!

Accordion

Derby Greenway

I started This trail in downtown Derby in May 2022. They are doing some construction in the area where they say you can park. Go on a Sunday and park in the City Hall parking lot. Beside the parking and the tons of walker on the path is not bad.

May, 2022 by carlosccalhoun

I started This trail in downtown Derby in May 2022. They are doing some construction in the area where they say you can park. Go on a Sunday and park in the City Hall parking lot. Beside the parking and the tons of walker on the path is not bad.

Middlebury Greenway

Trail is nice for the size, well paved but hills. You can park on the back side of Maggie's and there are other places to park along the way.

May, 2022 by carlosccalhoun

Trail is nice for the size, well paved but hills. You can park on the back side of Maggie's and there are other places to park along the way.

Air Line State Park Trail

South from Willimantic 5*; north from Windham Rt 6 (went 2 miles) to Putnam 3*

April, 2022 by andrix

On e Bikes; trail to north from Windham generally passable but long wet areas (eventually turned around) and trail a bit rougher than going south from Willimantic. The south trail is in much better shape and had inviting scenery with streams, farms and wetlands/lakes + virtually no wet areas on trail. Went to RT 87 (about 8 miles) from Willimantic. Plan to do this again and go further.

Ridgefield Rail Trail

no biked allowed

April, 2022 by cleach1

Uninteresting trail under power lines that actually does not welcome bikes.

Farmington Canal Heritage Trail

Farmington to Canton

April, 2022 by aldcon_tl

Great trail and very scenic. All paved and pavement in very good shape. Parked at lot on New Britain Ave. and went NW to Collinsville and then to Rte. 44 in Canton. Then rode trail back to start.
10 miles each way. Very enjoyable journey. 90%+ of ride is on nice wide trail. First half of trip is constant, gentle up gradient. Ride back about 60% faster since going mostly gently downhill along river.

Air Line State Park Trail

Pomfret section of trail

April, 2022 by aldcon_tl

Parked at lot on Railroad St off of 44. New parking lot and pavilion with new overpass for trail over main road. Took trail NE to Town Farm Rd. and then streets into Putnam. Trail in this section gets average rating of 2+. Trail base is coarse rock (1.5" +) with washed out ruts. Somewhat bumpy ride. Only good for bikes with wider tires. In Putnam went south on Putnam River Trail (excellent paved trail) south to bridge over Quinebaug River. Crossed river climbed up steep hill to get to old rail trail and took this back to starting point.
Next went SW from rail station on trail to Covell Road. This section of trail in very good shape. Hard packed gravel base. I'd rate this a 4. Easy going for most bikes.

Farmington River Trail

Best Trail in Ct.

April, 2022 by whitney495

I usually park at the lot at the corner of Red Oak Hill dr. and New Britian ave. and head north. You go thru Unionville then to Collinsville where you can stop for a drink and bite to eat. You can go back to your car from there (16 miles round trip) or continue on to Canton and even farther. Well, maintained, great scenic views of the Farmington River rapids. It can get crowded on weekends. During the week, is perfect.

Air Line State Park Trail

It could be better

March, 2022 by revgil

I live close to the Pomfret Station so I decided to give the Airline Trail North another chance. I had ridden from the new bridge north toward Putnam last fall and found that much of it to be unride-able. Today I headed south, and after a short time, I realized it was just too rough for my seventy year old body. Horse’s hooves and dirt bikes had dug it up.
It’s really a shame that the powers that be don’t pony up and pave it. I think that it could be one of the best trails in the country.

Hanover Pond Trail

Short and Sweet

February, 2022 by petesalomone

Pleasant trail between Platt HS and Quuinnipiac gorge. A good walk in the woods and along the short of Hanover Pond. Be sure to read the signage about the former amusement park.

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