Hit the Trails: 5 More Hikes in Connecticut's Countryside
#1. Campbell’s Peaceful Valley Conservation Area — Tolland
Campbell’s Peaceful Valley Conservation Area in Tolland is a 70-acre area that has a network of trails that wind through a wooded area with several unique rock outcroppings that offer scenic views of the nearby Shenipsit Lake and surrounding valley and hillsides. Marked trails include the moderately difficult Yellow Loop Trail and the relatively easy Blue Loop Trail and Red Trail. Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash. Learn more about the Campbell Conservation Area here, view a trail map here, and start your hike at 215 Hunter Road, Tolland.
Image via tollandct.gov
2. Hop River State Park Trail — Bolton & Coventry
The Hop River State Park Trail is a beautiful and easy 20-mile-long former railroad line that winds through Bolton (Bolton Notch State Park) and Coventry (Hop River State Park), among other towns in Tolland County. The trail runs through deep rock cuts, along babbling brooks, and over mossy outcroppings. Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash. Learn more about the Hop River State Park Trail here, view a trail map here, and start your hike at 32 Steeles Crossing Road, Bolton, Bolton State Park Access Road, Bolton, or 900 Hop River Road, Coventry.
Image via railstotrails.org
3. Sawmill Brook Preserve’s Nimpuck Trail (Wolf Rock) — Storrs, Mansfield
The moderately-difficult Nimpuck Trail is a picturesque 41.5-mile blue-blazed trail that runs from Storrs, Mansfield to the Massachusetts border. Located just off the 3-mile Mansfield portion of the trail is Wolf Rock, one of Mansfield’s most spectacular landmarks! A great glacial boulder perched atop a sheer forty-foot cliff, the “great rock on the height of the ledge” is mentioned in deeds as early as the late 18th century. Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash. Learn more about Sawmill Brook Preserve’s Nimpuck Trail here, view a trail map here, and start your hike at 62 Crane Hill Road, Storrs, Mansfield.
Image via cttrailfinder.com
4. Nathan Hale Forest Loop Trail — Coventry
The Nathan Hale Forest Loop Trail is a beautifully secluded 4.3-mile loop trail and the main trail of the 1,529-acre Nathan Hale State Forest in Coventry. Along the trail is a smattering of old foundations and rock walls, adding some history to your hike. While the loop is unblazed, the trail is relatively level and easy to follow. Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash. Learn more about the Nathan Hale Forest Loop Trail here, view a trail map here, and start your hike at 2299 South Street, Coventry.
Image via explorect.org
5. Crystal Peat Conservation Area — Tolland
The Crystal Peat Conservation Area in Tolland is a 30.5-acre area with three flat, easy trails. The 0.15-mile Orange Loop Trail passes by a beautiful 0.3-acre pond, the 0.55-mile Yellow Trail loosely follows the gentle Brooks Brook, and the 0.45-mile Blue Trail runs right along an old foundation and wall. Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash. Learn more about the Crystal Peat Conservation Area here, view a trail map here, and start your hike at 167 Brook Road, Tolland.
Image via facebook.com
