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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 trail will connect parks, schools, town centers, train stations, and hiking trails in East Haven, Branford, Guilford, and Madison. A small section of the route, just shy of a mile in Branford, is built along a former railroad bed.
The Trail currently stretches 4.6 miles in three different Connecticut towns.
East Haven Section
This westernmost section of the Shoreline Greenway Trail, suitable for walking and biking, winds through a heavily wooded area from the former DC Moore Elementary School to the intersection of Hoop Pole Lane and Mansfield Grove Road. If entering the trail from Hoop Pole Lane, proceed slowly, as the trail descends a steep dirt hill into the forest.
From Mansfield Grove Rd., there is a brief on-road section along Pevetty Drive. The trail continues where the road dead-ends and takes trail users into Farm River State Park. This 0.6-mile section of the trail includes two charming footbridges. Unpaved nature trails are also available in the park for further exploring.
Branford Section
In Branford, the Shoreline Greenway Trail runs between Pine Orchard Road to Tabor Drive. From Pine Orchard Road, a 0.9-mile section runs parallel to an active rail line with less than 50 feet of separation at some points, demonstrating the feasibility of such closely located rail and trail facilities. What it lacks in length, it makes up for in scenery; trailgoers traverse woodlands and walk or ride past community gardens.
Another 0.6-mile section, known locally as the Branford Trolley Trail, runs from Tilcon Road to Thimble Island Road and stretches between the communities of Pine Orchard and Stony Creek along a former trolley line, offering pleasant views of the Long Island Sound and Thimble Islands.
Madison Section
This easternmost 1.1-mile section leads travelers through Hammonasset Beach State Park with views of woodlands, marshes, and a tidal stream. This segment is one of the Shoreline Greenway Trail’s most active, and trail advocates, academic institutions, and environmental organizations utilize it to promote trail use and awareness throughout the neighboring communities.
The Shoreline Greenway Trail runs in three sections through the towns of East Haven, Branford, and Madison, Connecticut.
Parking is available at:
The easternmost section of the trail can also be accessed from 59-1 Webster Point Rd.
Please see TrailLink Map for all parking options and detailed directions.
I'm horrified at the grading and filling done in some areas in Branford and Madison for this trail! Bikeways are nice but it is not ok alter natural areas and intact forests just so people can take a bike ride! Use this money to make the roads safer for bikes. Please stop destroying natural areas for recreational biking!
The Madison section in Hammonasset State Beach Park is beautiful and well worth a visit. Park in the dedicated parking lot just east of the Park entrance on Route 1.
Views of marshes and Long Island Sound.
I can't wait for the Trail to be completed all the way to New Haven!
Great trail
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