Find the top rated trails in Branford, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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...
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...
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 Locks. Due...
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...
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,...
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...
The North County Trailway is the longest of the four connected rail-trails breathing new life into the former New York Central Railroad's Putnam Division line. The "Old Put" provided passenger and...
Owned by the Metro-North Railroad, the Maybrook Trailway starts at the Connecticut state line in Farringtons Park, and spans 5 miles into the town of Brewster. The trail follows what was once part of...
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...
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...
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...
The paved Charter Oak Greenway rolls more than 13 miles through the tree-covered hills and eastern suburbs of Hartford before crossing the Connecticut River and ending in the capital’s downtown. At...
The Bethpage Bikeway is one of Long Island's most popular trails. It connects Merrick Road in Massapequa with Bethpage State Park, and includes additional trail north to Trail View State Park in...
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...
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....
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...
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....
The Kings Park Hike & Bike Trail runs for 1.5 miles between Old Dock Road at Church Street in Kings Park and Nissequogue River State Park. The trail is a town of Smithtown park and follows an...
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...
The final passenger cars of the Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad ran in 1958, but the rail line that so influenced development of this area still sparks nostalgia. The "Old Put"...
The Kennedy Trail begins at the northwest corner of the 68-acre campus of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers. The town, which sits 30 miles from White Plains and 55 miles from New York...
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...
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...
The Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail stretches just over 3 miles along Long Island’s north shore. Construction was completed in two phases with the first trail section opening in 2009...
The Kings Park Hike & Bike Trail runs for 1.5 miles between Old Dock Road at Church Street in Kings Park and Nissequogue River State Park. The trail is a town of Smithtown park and follows an...
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...
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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...
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...
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...
The paved Charter Oak Greenway rolls more than 13 miles through the tree-covered hills and eastern suburbs of Hartford before crossing the Connecticut River and ending in the capital’s downtown. At...
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...
The North County Trailway is the longest of the four connected rail-trails breathing new life into the former New York Central Railroad's Putnam Division line. The "Old Put" provided passenger and...
Owned by the Metro-North Railroad, the Maybrook Trailway starts at the Connecticut state line in Farringtons Park, and spans 5 miles into the town of Brewster. The trail follows what was once part of...
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...
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...
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...
The EPCAL Alternative Transportation Path loops around the 2,900-acre Enterprise Park at Calverton (hence its name: EPCAL) on New York’s Long Island and links to the Town of Riverhead’s 65-acre...
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...
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...
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....
The Kings Park Hike & Bike Trail runs for 1.5 miles between Old Dock Road at Church Street in Kings Park and Nissequogue River State Park. The trail is a town of Smithtown park and follows an...
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...
The Kennedy Trail begins at the northwest corner of the 68-acre campus of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School in Somers. The town, which sits 30 miles from White Plains and 55 miles from New York...
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...
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....
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...
The paved Charter Oak Greenway rolls more than 13 miles through the tree-covered hills and eastern suburbs of Hartford before crossing the Connecticut River and ending in the capital’s downtown. At...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Owned by the Metro-North Railroad, the Maybrook Trailway starts at the Connecticut state line in Farringtons Park, and spans 5 miles into the town of Brewster. The trail follows what was once part of...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
The Bethpage Bikeway is one of Long Island's most popular trails. It connects Merrick Road in Massapequa with Bethpage State Park, and includes additional trail north to Trail View State Park in...
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...
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 Locks. Due...
Great ride but especially by IBM and where there is an active rusty river flowing there needs to be work done.
My husband and I checked out this trail for the first time on 7/29/2018. It was a Sunday afternoon around 4:30 p.m. and the weather was gorgeous, bright and sunny. The trail has some really beautiful sections and some very secluded sections running through urban neighborhoods. At some points, it was so secluded that it felt like it could be opportunistic for crime. There was literally nobody around, it was kind of eerie. My husband commented that he would not feel comfortable with me riding this trail alone.
The Trail Section approaching the MCC Road called "Great Path" has some extremely large cracks, 4-5 inches. If you're unaware as you approach they are very dangerous.....The Trail from Tolland Turnpike to Burnside Avenue aka Rt 44 is barely ridable because of all the many cracks and bumps. They have gotten worse in the last year....Lastly the trail between Burnside Avenue and Silver Lane, specifically , the first 360 degree curve under the highway has an extremely severe washout. Orange cones have been placed along the edge of the washout, but it is so extreme that someone coming around the blind corner, riding wide in the curve could be severely hurt should they loose control trying to avoid.
These sections of trail needs some serious work, but have not seen any work in years.
An excellent trail, takes you through mostly wooded areas, so you won't be riding in a blazing sun much. (Take mosquito spray). We started at Baldwin Place, next to New York Sports Club and took north (the trail actually runs both ways, north AND south, from NYSC - but the southern part is probably called differently; whatever the case, the trail map shows NYSC as the south entry point for Putnam Trailway).
If you start of heading north, your ride will be easy and pleasant - you'll spend most of time on a gentle downgrade, almost not touching your pedals. (Which means, of course, it's a harder work getting BACK - so, if you are doing a loop, maybe it's better to start off on the northern end of the trail and then have an easy ride back). The road is asphalt mainly, not in ideal conditions in many places, but nothing overly concerning - I saw people on racing bikes with thin rims. We had our folding and touring bikes, absolutely no issues.
If you are a family with kids, an ideal solution would be to start at the south entry point (NYSC), have an easy glide down, then split and have one of the parents ride back while the remaining party is waiting at one of the parking lots (there are benches in some places, and shops/cafes in others, so it's doable) and then come and pick them up by car.
Dateline: Sunday, July 15, 2018.
Weather: Upper 80's to 90F, very humid.
Starting from north headed south it is a pretty good trail with some very nice scenery, until you reach Millwood. Then it goes from woodland trail to NOISY bike route next to highways. No rail trail surface is perfect and we are very lucky to have off-road paved trails, so I am not going to criticize a few sections of root bumps. It is a worthwhile trail to experience.
I had already done the Putnam County rail trail 2 years ago, which leads right into this one seemlessly. So this time I parked at the northern end in Baldwin Place and went north a bit to find where I turned around last time. I did not intend to do the whole trail for a roundtrip of 44.2 miles, but since I had an energy drink just before starting I kept going. When I got the the SCRT sign, I stopped and looked at my Strava app, which stated I had already done 25+ miles, because I forgot I did about 3 miles on the PCRT before starting on the actual NCRT. So now I figure it will be my first 50-miler! When I got back to my parking area I was SO tired and ready to drop when I realized it would only be about 48+ miles and I needed to go at least another mile north to make 2 more miles for 50. I did it - slowly, but it was not wise to do on such a warm day. I should have waited until autumn and 20 degree cooler temperatures.
Went to the south access point in Warehouse Point and found no parking lot, no sign, and no trail! Drove through the building construction only to find a fence blocking the trail. So I went to the north end in Enfield and that too was blocked with a locked fence. No sign or other way to know it was closed. Hope someone will keep the status updated in the future!
They've just finished paving the trail and it's super. It's the same initial 5K of paved bike path as before, but now it continues down to River Rd and then to Grumman Blvd. You can turn north on Line Rd. to cross the site and complete the loop. 8.75 miles. The paved trail along Grumman Blvd. continues for a ways to the west beyond Line Rd., but then just stops. Perhaps they are planning to make a loop around the whole site? Or maybe they just had extra asphalt.
Well worth the 1 1/2 hour ride to get to!! We started at the Plainville parking area and decided to take this path to Simsbury and then return the Farmington Canal Path. The River path is beautiful and deserves the 5 stars. It runs along a beautiful river and brought us to the quaint little town of Collinsville. The only issue we had was the path came to an abrupt end at the route 202 & 44 intersection. There were no signs to indicate the street riding. Guessing , we proceeded on the street until we saw the cycling insignia. The only other poor signage is when you come out of the state forest and there is no indication until approx 100 yards that tells you that you're going in the right direction. We were glad we had the Rails to Trails Southern New England Guide Book we could keep referring to!
August 2017
It was a great ride, next to a river, shady, smooth, and there is a parallel Farmington Canal trail that meets this one at the southern end. The north end is near a conjesting roadway and was supposed to continue on a non-paved section, but I could not find it. Go check it out.
Loved it!
Well kept, well marked bike path. Moderately traveled. All dogs I saw were on leashes. Cyclists, walkers, and runners were all very respectful of each other when passing.
I started in Bethpage State Park and went north towards Syosset. The terrain was mostly flat with a hill about 1 mile from the start (mile markers are on the pavement). It started out as mostly tree-lined and covered, but trees thinned out farther out. The path does cross major roadways, but these crossings are well marked.
Always take the directions, address or GPS coordinates to at least 2 parking places from this site. Also, review the trail's site here before driving for any updates.
After waiting a year to go to the Windor Locks trail and driving 2.5 hours, I could not access from the southern parking lot. I asked at 2 stores and a town library about parking and no one could help me. So now I will have to go back another time. That's a long drive for just 11 miles roundtrip bike ride.
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