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Friends of Elizabeth Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 286 Google reviews · Running trail in West Hartford, Connecticut · Hours vary

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Not reported

We have not been able to confirm the surface, distance or shape of Friends of Elizabeth Park yet from its own listing, the park's website or runner reviews — so those cells stay blank rather than guess. What is below comes straight from the listing and from reviewers' own words. 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.

ScenicQuiet

Longtime spot offering a rose garden, a pond and flower-lined paths, plus gazebos and a cafe.

What runners say about Friends of Elizabeth Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (286 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 17 mentions

“Great beautiful rose garden with so many different roses its just unbelievably beautiful and really nice.”

🌾 quiet & peaceful 3 mentions

“Is very beautiful and peaceful ,I really really recommend visit”

This park is exquisite! The ambiance is very peaceful. The rose garden is gorgeous and has a great variety of styles and colors. You can enjoy several activities while spending a day in the park from jogging, picnic, drawing, and even tennis. It's the perfect place to have a quiet and amazing day.

★★★★★ — Rebeca , Jun 2021

Most wonderful park in all of Connecticut! This is the oldest and largest Rose Garden in America! We are blessed to live a block from this park in Hartford’s Historic West End, and this park is a major attraction here.

★★★★★ — Independent , Jun 2023

One of the oldest parks in the US, Amazing rose garden,as well as annual gardens. Nice walking trails , dogs allowed!!! Also on premises, the pond house cafe . Great food and views! Ps they really do up Halloween 🎃

★★★★★ — Sharon , Oct 2021

I love this park subjectively and objectively. Objectively: there are so many different areas to explore including the oldest public rose garden in the USA, a majestic sprawling collection of flowers, including one area which contains a rose that has been alive (via cuttings) since 1600 AD.

★★★★★ — Nickolas , Jul 2020

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 286 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🏞️ Scenic views 18 mentions

“Great beautiful rose garden with so many different roses its just unbelievably beautiful and really nice.”

More trails like this →

🤫 Quiet / uncrowded 3 mentions

“Is very beautiful and peaceful ,I really really recommend visit”

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Plan your run at Friends of Elizabeth Park

The practical stuff

  • AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
  • 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.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • Websiteelizabethparkct.org
  • Phone(860) 231-9443

Where to find Friends of Elizabeth Park

1561 Asylum Ave, West Hartford, CT 06117

Get directions

Running trails near West Hartford

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Elizabeth Park

4.9 ★★★★★ 29 reviews

West Hartford, CT

Scenic

under a mile away

Elizabeth Park Conservancy

4.7 ★★★★★ 4,748 reviews

West Hartford, CT

Scenic

Park known for its circa-1904 rose garden, which also houses greenhouses, tennis courts & a pond.

under a mile away

Trout Brook Trail

4.9 ★★★★★ 13 reviews

West Hartford, CT

LoopPavedScenic

1.2 miles away

Fernridge Park and Pool

4.5 ★★★★★ 433 reviews

West Hartford, CT

ShadedLit

Green space with a pond, playground, picnic tables & a seasonal outdoor pool & splash pad.

1.9 miles away

Westmoor Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 306 reviews

West Hartford, CT

Scenic

This expansive tract of woodlands & meadows features a demonstration farm with many classes.

2.2 miles away

Riverside Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 909 reviews

Hartford, CT

LoopPavedLitScenic

Bustling Connecticut River park with a boathouse, picnic hubs, trails, sport courts & playgrounds.

2.8 miles away

All running trails in West Hartford, CT →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.