Explore the best rated trails in North Branford, CT. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Windsor River Trail and Niantic Bay Boardwalk. With more than 42 trails covering 294 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
The old New York Central rail line that ran from the Bronx to northern bedroom communities in Westchester and Putnam Counties carried commuters during the workweek, but on the weekends tourists...
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...
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...
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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 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...
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 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...
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 Southwick Rail Trail extends from the Massachusetts–Connecticut state line north to the Westfield town line and connects to the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail. Along the way, it travels through...
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...
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...
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...
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 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 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 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 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 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...
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....
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...
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 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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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 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...
The Southwick Rail Trail extends from the Massachusetts–Connecticut state line north to the Westfield town line and connects to the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail. Along the way, it travels through...
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 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...
The old New York Central rail line that ran from the Bronx to northern bedroom communities in Westchester and Putnam Counties carried commuters during the workweek, but on the weekends tourists...
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...
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...
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,...
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 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...
My wife and I rode this trail on 5/30/20, riding about 28 miles in all in a circle that also featured the Farmington Canal Trail. There are a number of different sections to this ride you need to be aware of before you go. We started at the parking lot on Red Oak Road, near the start. The first part of the trail, heading Northwest, runs on a very pretty course alongside the Farmington River, with lots of water views. Very scenic. There are several small towns along the way...in particular, Collinsville has a nice little downtown with places to eat, and places to stop with picnic tables alongside the river. The route then proceeds back East, until you get to the intersection with Route 202/44/Albany Turnpike. There is then some riding along regular roads: Lawton, Notch, West Mountain. The roads are basically flat with good sight lines, not difficult if you're an experienced rider (I wouldn't take kids on this section). Off of West Mountain, you'll find an entrance (a little hard to spot, there was a temporary sign there) to a hard packed dirt/cinder trail that proceeds for a short distance. It ends, and then following the markings on the road, you'll again ride on-road (Town Forest Road) again for a short distance, at which point you'll pick up another dirt/cinder trail (Stratton Brook State Park Trail) which ends at Brushy Hill Road. Cross Route 309/Farms Village Road and on the other side of the street is a paved trail that takes you down to Simsbury, where you pick up the Farmington Canal Trail south that takes you back to the Red Oak parking lot. Be aware that there are some varied signs/directions as you ride through Avon that take you behind offices etc. in a confusing way...I guess they didn't have the room to just cut the trail straight through. But soon you'll be back on the conventional trail. But as for the ride:
What's nice about this ride was its diversity: the section along the river, some riding on country roads, the dirt/cinder path through the woods, and the more conventional trail from Simsbury south. Lots of places to stop and eat (especially Simsbury), many trail parking lots, we saw a lot of bathroom options . We know the Farmington Canal Trail well, were glad to discover this very nice connected option! Definitely check out the map at their website before you go. One more thing: we used our road bikes, and we were able to navigate the short dirt sections pretty easily...you don't need a mountain bike just for that.
.....if you have a toddler tagging along. Very noisy as it’s right next to the freeway..
Took off from Silver Lane on the Charter Oak Trail to get started. 1/2 mile take a right to get on this trail. The surface is ok but showing a lot of grass in the frequent pavement cracks. Woody vegetation is leaning into the trail. The trail twists and turns. There are many places where the visibility is poor especially on faster down hill areas. Mowing back everything would help. Most problematic is the very poor signage. With all the changes in direction improved signage on this trail is a must.
Road this trail and found it in good condition. I had hybrid 1.95 tires on my bike. There are several road crossings that require careful attention. The trail was being well used which is great to see. I road it from the Hop River trail junction to its end in Rockville. 4.2 miles and a grade of mostly up made it a good test for a fast ride. Watch for fast cars at the crossings.
I road the entire nearly six mile trail today. The scenery was beautiful and the water views gorgeous, if you could look away from the trail surface. The asphalt is tired, cracked and roots cross it in many locations. I road a street bike with narrow tires which was a mistake. The trail surface is better suited to MT bike or larger tires.
I started at the southern end. Follow along the east side of the factory building to the newly refurbished parking lot with picnic tables. Then the trail goes north to the intersection with Route 190. Turn west to get to Route 159 and back track over the CT River to see the whole trail. At 14 MPH, I need to get my fillings replaced due to the rough surface. The CT Parks Division needs to put this trail on the rehab list. Despite my complaints, it's a pretty trail in need of work.
I rode this trail in 2018 and loved it, the memory of that day, even the car drive getting there, always bring a smile to my face. It is not for bikes with racing tires, but most others will do fine if the region has not had any rain recently. It is not a tough path, even with its few small hills. Beautiful scenery very close to the river, mostly shaded from the trees. The trail seemed to end near a highway bridge where I sat with my lunch right on the river.
With a drive of almost 2 hours, I would not have visited this area without the this trail. If and when the trail is expanded I will be back. Trails do bring tourists and money into new areas, so good job New Milford.
Decent trail.. gets quite busy. To many people constantly stopping on trail . Biking is tough there on a busy day. Better in early morning or evening.
Section of the trail at Bull Hill Road is closed as well as the parking lot at this location. No information regarding why this section is closed or for how long. Would be nice if a brief sign could be posted to let users know if work is being done and how long the closure is projected to be. A lot of disappointed people driving and biking here; only to be turned around.
My wife and I rode this trail on 5/16/20 from Brewster, NY south to the crossing with Rt 118 in Baldwin Place and back...about 24 miles total. The trail is in good shape, we enjoyed the views of Middle Branch Reservoir, Lake Gleneida, and Lake Mahopac. The trail runs through several towns like Carmel, but between towns it tucks well behind the roads to provide a really pleasant, through-the-woods experience. The trail does have some ups and downs...but none of them were too bad and it was nice to have a little variation from the typical "flat" rail-trail. The most significant "up" was from Brewster south during the first 5 miles or so. A little south of Baldwin Place the trail is a little rough and needs some work, but it's more than passable. All in all, very much worth a trip! Glad to see lots of people out on the trail.
This trail may closed for a period of time which may change due to raptor nesting. You don't find out till you get there. You can also take the new path over the river to connect to Route 190 East to the shopping area, there are no signs telling you which way to go once you cross the Ct River
We rode our bikes all the to Southwick, Massachusetts.... what a beautiful ride. Paved trails and amazing scenery. Just asking for consideration if you are going to stop, pull of the paved trail. People tend to stop in the middle not giving consideration to the bikers, joggers and people walking
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