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Bear Mountain Reservation
4.6 ★★★★★ 229 Google reviews · Running trail in Danbury, Connecticut · Posted hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Natural surface
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Tree cover
- Access
- Posted hours
Confirmed from Bear Mountain Reservation's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
A 140-acre green space with dog-friendly hiking trails, wooded areas & access to Candlewood Lake.
What runners say about Bear Mountain Reservation
“Terrific park to visit with plenty of parking spaces with some picnic tables nearby, the park is very clean and well maintained with several different games/ activities to enjoy.”
“Beautiful trails, great for a walk on a cool, crisp fall day.”
“The park is extremely well marked and maintained and you can decide the amount of miles you want to hike very easily.”
“If you live in the Danbury area and you are looking for a quiet preserve to hike with small children or dogs, look no further.”
“Short hikes and easy trails for kids.”
One of the best places in the area to go walking if you’re a dog owner, Bear Mountain Reservation has a system of trails on light hills next to Candlewood Lake. The longest of these is the looping red trail, twisting through open fields and peaceful forest.
Beautiful trails, great for a walk on a cool, crisp fall day. The foilage is gorgeous to see this time of year. It's so peaceful. And it seems everyone, including me had a dog with them. The doggy liked it, too.
Nice place to go to with a variety of trails. I went with my two dogs and they loved it. Make sure you have flea collars of course and avoid going to the fields near the entrance.
Terrific park to visit with plenty of parking spaces with some picnic tables nearby, the park is very clean and well maintained with several different games/ activities to enjoy. The trails and not too difficult to hike and the scenery is very good , definitely worth recommending to anyone looking for a place to visit.
Trail conditions & character
“One of the best places in the area to go walking if you’re a dog owner, Bear Mountain Reservation has a system of trails on light hills next to Candlewood Lake.”
“There is also a trail that leads down to a nice overlook of candlewood lake as well as a walk through a good sized meadow in the middle of the reserve.”
“There are some really wooded areas but also some nice wide open meadows too.”
“One of the best places in the area to go walking if you’re a dog owner, Bear Mountain Reservation has a system of trails on light hills next to Candlewood Lake.”
“Terrific park to visit with plenty of parking spaces with some picnic tables nearby, the park is very clean and well maintained with several different games/ activities to enjoy.”
“Went with a group from Meetup, 8 of us went on the Red Trail awesome walk Rocky not too steep so where are your boots.”
“The park is extremely well marked and maintained and you can decide the amount of miles you want to hike very easily.”
“If you live in the Danbury area and you are looking for a quiet preserve to hike with small children or dogs, look no further.”
“We stuck with the red trail, which was a nice loop, but next time we go, we'll explore some of the outer trails.”
Plan your run at Bear Mountain Reservation
The practical stuff
- AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
- SurfaceNatural surface — easiest on the joints and the most fun, but expect roots, rocks and mud after rain
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeRunners describe real tree cover here — it makes a summer afternoon workable
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitedanbury-ct.gov
- Phone(203) 797-4632
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Tuesday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Wednesday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Thursday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Friday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Saturday | 6 AM–6 PM |
| Sunday | 6 AM–6 PM |
Running trails near Danbury
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Sweetcake Mountain Preserve
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