Best running trails in Connecticut
Ranked by the runners who actually run there — Google rating weighted by review volume, across 165,076 reviews of Connecticut trails. A trail needs at least 25 reviews to qualify (189 in Connecticut do) and each name appears once. Nobody pays for a place. Updated 2026.
The 20 below run across 15 cities, 5 of them mixed, 5 loops, 1 shaded, and 1 with a stated distance. This is a popularity ranking, not a difficulty score — for what a trail is actually like underfoot, open its page for surface, loop distance, shade, lighting, restrooms and parking.
Seaside Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 5,174 reviews
This 325-acre park features beaches, grassy areas & sports fields, plus an island wildlife preserve.
Lighthouse Point Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 3,691 reviews
An 1847 lighthouse anchors this beachfront that is popular with swimmers & a prime birding spot.
Silver Sands State Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 3,263 reviews
Wildlife thrives at this Long Island Sound beach park with fishing, swimming & a boardwalk.
Wickham Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,506 reviews
Private, nonprofit park offering gardens, woodlands, an aviary, playgrounds & sports facilities.
Bluff Point State Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 2,039 reviews
Peninsula offers over 800 acres of hiking & biking, plus fishing & wildlife on Long Island Sound.
Long Wharf Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,833 reviews
Narrow area on the water offering walking paths, benches & a pier with historic schooner replicas.
Scalzi Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,623 reviews
Ample green space with facilities for basketball, tennis, baseball, skateboarding, walking & more.
Walnut Hill Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,537 reviews
Large park featuring a rose garden and tennis courts, plus a playground and baseball fields.
Cove Island
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,493 reviews
Sprawling island park with sand beaches & cycling paths, plus abundant waterfowl & a nature center.
Jennings Beach
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,498 reviews
Wide, sandy stretch on the Long Island Sound with a lifeguard, snack bar, showers & restrooms.
Mohegan Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,423 reviews
Spacious hangout with a laid-back vibe, a swimming area, playgrounds & walking trails.
Great River Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,439 reviews
Riverside park featuring lighted walkways & exercise stations, plus an amphitheater & a boat launch.
Stanley Quarter Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,376 reviews
This tranquil park has a fishing lake & trails along with ball fields & a skate park & playground.
Niantic Boardwalk
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,299 reviews
Popular oceanfront park featuring a boardwalk, plus train views and sandy stretches for swimming.
Charter Oak Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 1,155 reviews
Wooded park featuring a playground with slides and a zip line, as well as tennis and basketball courts.
Nevers Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 1,085 reviews
Large recreation area for families, with playgrounds and baseball fields plus a dog park, soccer fields and trails.
Waveny Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,041 reviews
250-acre city park featuring indoor & outdoor sports courts, a pool, plus a performing arts center.
Fulton Park
4.4 ★★★★☆ 1,118 reviews
Relaxed option featuring two ponds, paths for biking & walking, a playground & picnic spots.
Eisenhower Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 986 reviews
Family-friendly recreation space featuring multiple playgrounds, tennis courts, picnic tables, and a splash pad.
Chatfield Hollow State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 957 reviews
Natural area with pine woods, streams, caves & rocky ledges, offering hiking, swimming & fishing.
Where these trails are
The cities in this ranking, if you'd rather start from where you live.
- Running trails in Bridgeport, CT
- Running trails in New Haven, CT
- Running trails in Milford, CT
- Running trails in Manchester, CT
- Running trails in Groton, CT
- Running trails in Stamford, CT
- Running trails in New Britain, CT
- Running trails in Fairfield, CT
- Running trails in Norwich, CT
- Running trails in East Hartford, CT
- Running trails in Niantic, CT
- Running trails in South Windsor, CT
- Running trails in New Canaan, CT
- Running trails in Waterbury, CT
- Running trails in Killingworth, CT
All 790 trails in Connecticut → Best trails in other states →