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Flat & Fast Running Trails in Connecticut

Connecticut has 84 trails with flat, fast terrain in this directory, across 62 cities and towns — Simsbury, Avon, Branford, Meriden and 58 more. Gentle grades for tempo efforts, goal-pace long runs and steady miles.

Labels come from each trail's own listing, its website and runners' reviews. Conditions change with the weather and the season, and gates and lights follow the park's own hours, so check a recent review before you drive out.

Every one in Connecticut

Use the filters to narrow these by surface, loop, distance, shade, lighting, restrooms, water and parking.

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Bluff Point State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 2,039 reviews

Groton, CT

LoopMixedScenicDog-friendly

Peninsula offers over 800 acres of hiking & biking, plus fishing & wildlife on Long Island Sound.

Devil's Hopyard State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 1,949 reviews

East Haddam, CT

LoopNatural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

860 acres of rocky forest, crisscrossed by hiking trails & highlighted by 60-ft.-high Chapman Falls.

Black Rock State Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 1,474 reviews

Watertown, CT

1.6 miLoopNatural surfaceShaded

439-ac. park featuring multiple campsites, hiking trails & ponds for fishing & swimming.

Talcott Mountain State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 1,378 reviews

Simsbury, CT

MixedScenicDog-friendly

Vast park featuring miles of trails, varied wildlife & a 165-ft. tower offering panoramic views.

Hopeville Pond State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 965 reviews

Griswold, CT

Natural surfaceShadedScenicDog-friendly

This serene spot offers an 80-site campground, boat launch, biking & walking trails & picnic tables.

Stratton Brook State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 589 reviews

Simsbury, CT

MixedScenicDog-friendly

Beautiful park featuring a lake with a beach and trails, as well as a small pond.

Collis P. Huntington State Park

4.8 ★★★★★ 538 reviews

Redding, CT

LoopMixedScenicDog-friendly

1,017-acre park with hiking, pond fishing, horseback riding, archery-only deer hunting & more.

Cockaponset State Forest

4.6 ★★★★★ 558 reviews

Chester, CT

Natural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Connecticut's second largest state forest, with many trails for hiking, mountain biking & skiing.

Pequonnock Valley Wildlife Management Area

4.8 ★★★★★ 532 reviews

Trumbull, CT

2 miScenic

State park with a river valley carved by melting glacial waters, leaving notable granite formations.

Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail

4.6 ★★★★★ 554 reviews

Suffield, CT

5 miPavedScenicDog-friendly

Picnicking, biking, and hiking are among the activities available at this spot with tables and wildlife.

Brooksvale Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 510 reviews

Hamden, CT

ScenicDog-friendly

Park featuring a kids' playground plus farm animals including horses and chickens.

Old Furnace State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 493 reviews

Danielson, CT

LoopNatural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Hiker-friendly state park with a lake and a trail leading to a cliff top.

Greenwich Point Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 513 reviews

Old Greenwich, CT

ScenicDog-friendly

Seafront trails & a long sandy stretch, with views of New York City across Long Island Sound.

Hidden Valley Preserve

4.8 ★★★★★ 480 reviews

Washington Depot, CT

20 miNatural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Nature preserve with hiking trails over varied terrain, including a quartz mine and suspension bridge.

Lake Mohegan Recreational Area

4.7 ★★★★★ 480 reviews

Fairfield, CT

PavedLitScenicDog-friendly

Park with trails winding around a lake and waterfalls, plus a beach and a playground.

West Hartford Reservoir

4.8 ★★★★★ 418 reviews

West Hartford, CT

2 miLoopMixedScenic

Recreation area offering forested walking trails around a working water reservoir.

Farmington Canal Heritage Trail

4.9 ★★★★★ 379 reviews

Cheshire, CT

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Paved trail with a public restroom that's popular for running, walking, and biking.

Foote Memorial Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 380 reviews

Branford, CT

MixedShadedScenic

Spacious park featuring tennis courts and playgrounds, plus a splash pad.

Mine Hill Preserve

4.7 ★★★★★ 363 reviews

Roxbury, CT

LoopScenic

Preserved nature reserve featuring trails that loop through scenic terrain, as well as remnants of a working iron mine.

West Rock State Park - Lake Wintergreen

4.7 ★★★★★ 358 reviews

Hamden, CT

LoopNatural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Scenic park known for trails for hiking, dog-walking and biking, plus a lake for fishing and kayaking; also scenic ridge views.

Quinnipiac River Linear Trail

4.6 ★★★★★ 355 reviews

Wallingford, CT

1.5 miLoopPavedScenic

Tree-lined trail, often paved, for walking, running and biking, plus playground and picnic facilities.

Doctor Francis Giuffrida Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 308 reviews

Meriden, CT

LoopNatural surfaceScenic

Rocky, forested park featuring an open field, a reservoir, and hiking trails.

Air Line South State Park Trail - East Hampton

4.8 ★★★★★ 279 reviews

East Hampton, CT

4 miMixedShadedScenic

Park with a trail for hiking, biking, and horseback riding, plus picnic tables.

Bolton Notch State Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 274 reviews

Bolton, CT

LoopMixedShadedScenic

Relaxed, wooded park with trails for hiking, biking and trail running.

French Memorial Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 258 reviews

Seymour, CT

Scenic

Veteran-focused space equipped with ball fields and playgrounds, plus tennis courts.

Pistol Creek

4.7 ★★★★★ 219 reviews

Berlin, CT

PavedShadedScenicDog-friendly

Paved walking and biking path in a former golf course with a dog park.

Fisher Meadows

4.5 ★★★★★ 224 reviews

Avon, CT

LoopScenicDog-friendly

Park with soccer fields and trails, plus a playground, picnic tables, and boating.

MDC Hartford Reservoir 6

4.7 ★★★★★ 214 reviews

West Hartford, CT

3 miLoopPavedScenic

Park with trails, woods, and paved paths for walks, bikes, and kids.

Rockland Preserve Singletrack

4.8 ★★★★★ 201 reviews

Madison, CT

LoopMixed

Network of mountain bike trails geared to all skill levels (including a skills park, pump track and play areas).

Sunnybrook State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 205 reviews

Torrington, CT

Natural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Vast forested acreage offering foot trails, a fishing pond, seasonal hunting & picnic facilities.

River Highlands State Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 200 reviews

Cromwell, CT

LoopNatural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Forested park on the Connecticut River featuring trails, campsites & bluffs with scenic views.

Saugatuck Falls Natural Area

4.6 ★★★★★ 176 reviews

Redding, CT

LoopNatural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Forested park bisected by the Saugatuck River, offering 5+ miles of trails.

McLean Game Refuge

4.8 ★★★★★ 162 reviews

Granby, CT

Scenic

Sprawling refuge with trails for all levels, plus ponds, streams and forests.

Mooween State Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 169 reviews

Lebanon, CT

LoopMixedScenic

Quiet park featuring a small lake popular for kayaking and fishing.

Naugatuck State Forest Quillinan Reservoir Block

4.6 ★★★★★ 166 reviews

Seymour, CT

Scenic

On a block of the 5,000-acre forest, offering hiking trails, snowshoeing, fishing & mountain biking.

Tyler Mill Preserve

4.5 ★★★★★ 164 reviews

Wallingford, CT

Natural surfaceScenic

Known as a popular mountain biking location, this wooded area offers multiuse trails & green space.

Quarry Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 155 reviews

Rocky Hill, CT

Natural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

Park featuring a few miles of trails leading to scenic vistas, old ruins and graffiti art.

Stenger Farm Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 155 reviews

Waterford, CT

LoopScenicDog-friendly

Park featuring picnic areas, walking, and fenced trails, as well as a pond.

Air Line Riverside Dr Thompson

4.6 ★★★★★ 140 reviews

Thompson, CT

MixedScenicDog-friendly

Hiking, biking & horseback riding along a scenic, 50-mile linear trail that was once a railroad bed.

Larkin State Bridle Trail

4.4 ★★★★☆ 143 reviews

Naugatuck, CT

10.3 miMixedScenicDog-friendly

Picturesque 10.3-mile trail along a former railroad used for horse riding, cycling & hiking.

Linear Park - Rails To Trails Access

4.7 ★★★★★ 119 reviews

Plantsville, CT

4.7 miPavedScenic

Scenic well-maintained linear park with a paved path for walking, biking and rollerblading.

McKeon Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 115 reviews

Norwich, CT

PavedLitDog-friendly

Casual park featuring a playground, a basketball court and picnic tables.

BeaverBrook TrailHead

4.7 ★★★★★ 102 reviews

Milford, CT

LoopMixedScenicDog-friendly

Fireworks Island trailhead Quinnipiac River Linear Trail

4.6 ★★★★★ 101 reviews

Wallingford, CT

1.5 miLoopPavedScenic

Popular trail (part of a linear route) for hiking and biking, with pet owners and joggers often spotted.

New Milford River Trail

4.6 ★★★★★ 95 reviews

New Milford, CT

55 miCrushed gravelScenicDog-friendly

Park offering kid-friendly hikes, as well as biking and walking trails.

Pequot Woods Park

4.2 ★★★★☆ 104 reviews

Mystic, CT

LoopNatural surfaceScenic

140-acre park offering hiking trails, wildlife viewing & a pond, plus picnic grounds.

Branford Trolley Trail and Footbridge

4.7 ★★★★★ 89 reviews

Branford, CT

BoardwalkScenicDog-friendly

Boardwalk and path, for hikers and walkers, along a salt marsh, with wildlife.

Air Line Trail Colchester

4.8 ★★★★★ 87 reviews

Colchester, CT

MixedDog-friendly

Former railway line converted to a hiking trail and park that is open to dogs.

Windsor Center River Trail

4.7 ★★★★★ 81 reviews

Windsor, CT

1.5 miLoopPavedScenic

Kid-friendly, peaceful paved trail with scenic river views.

Air Line State Park Trail

4.6 ★★★★★ 81 reviews

Thompson, CT

Natural surfaceScenicDog-friendly

State park offering a well-maintained hiking, biking, and running trail.

Entrance to Giuffrida Park and Chauncey Peak

4.7 ★★★★★ 79 reviews

Meriden, CT

LoopNatural surfaceShadedScenic

Hiking area with trails that loop around a reservoir offering views of a dam.

Horse Guard State Park Scenic Reserve

4.4 ★★★★☆ 75 reviews

Avon, CT

1.5 miNatural surfaceScenic

Rocky, uncrowded park featuring an out-and-back trail (to a ridge) plus scenic views.

Rocky Glen State Park Scenic Reserve

4.5 ★★★★★ 68 reviews

Sandy Hook, CT

Natural surfaceScenic

State park with kid-friendly hikes, a waterfall, and a forest.

Sue Grossman Still River Greenway

4.4 ★★★★☆ 69 reviews

Winsted, CT

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Scenic paved trail for strolling, running, cycling and scootering, with dog-friendly areas. Some sections run close to the road.

Norwalk River Valley Trail (NRVT)

4.7 ★★★★★ 64 reviews

Wilton, CT

30 miMixedDog-friendly

Kid-friendly, well-maintained urban greenway with benches for relaxation and trails, popular for biking, hiking and dog walking.

Metacomet Trail Trailhead

4.6 ★★★★★ 64 reviews

East Granby, CT

6 miScenic

Hiking area with kid-friendly paths leading to scenic views.

Hansen Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 59 reviews

North Haven, CT

LoopNatural surfaceLitScenic

Hiking area featuring 3 trails of varying difficulty, plus picnic tables.

West Rock South Overlook

4.7 ★★★★★ 55 reviews

New Haven, CT

Scenic

Natural area with trails, overlooks, and views of Long Island Sound.

MDC Reservoir #6

4.6 ★★★★★ 56 reviews

West Hartford, CT

4 miLoopMixedScenic

Sprawling area with 30 mi. of trails for walking, hiking, and jogging, plus a water treatment plant.

Hidden Pond Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 56 reviews

Southbury, CT

Woods walk, pond and deer-spotting area also featuring two disc golf courses of varying difficulty for all levels of player, as well as bench seating.

Great Pond/Massacoe State Forest

4.5 ★★★★★ 54 reviews

Simsbury, CT

BoardwalkScenic

Maybrook Rail With Trail (RWT)

4.7 ★★★★★ 50 reviews

Danbury, CT

PavedScenic

Fisher Meadows Trailhead

4.6 ★★★★★ 45 reviews

Avon, CT

LoopScenicDog-friendly

Meadow Land

4.5 ★★★★★ 43 reviews

Farmington, CT

Scenic

Derby Greenway Trail

4.4 ★★★★☆ 43 reviews

Derby, CT

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Easy-to-find path (paved in places) for strolling, running, jogging, and cycling, along the Naugatuck River and another river.

Trolley Bed Preserve

4.5 ★★★★★ 41 reviews

Woodbury, CT

1 miNatural surfaceDog-friendly

Nature preserve with a pond and trails that is good for kids.

Granby Bike Path

4.7 ★★★★★ 39 reviews

East Granby, CT

Dog-friendly

Air Line North State Park Trail

4.4 ★★★★☆ 41 reviews

North Grosvenor Dale, CT

Dog-friendly

Good for children, this park offers trails for walking and biking.

Cheney Rail Trail

4.4 ★★★★☆ 40 reviews

Manchester, CT

Shaded

Flat, shady route for walking and biking, featuring a bridge at the Center Springs Park side and a mural.

Skyline Scenic Area

4.5 ★★★★★ 39 reviews

Somers, CT

1.5 miLoopScenic

Pequonnock River Trail

4.7 ★★★★★ 33 reviews

Monroe, CT

Natural surfaceShadedScenicDog-friendly

West Mountain Trail

4.7 ★★★★★ 33 reviews

West Simsbury, CT

25 miLoopNatural surfaceScenic

Moosup Valley State Park Trail

4.5 ★★★★★ 34 reviews

Moosup, CT

MixedScenic

Tabor Trail Section of Shoreline Greenway Trail

4.7 ★★★★★ 32 reviews

Branford, CT

MixedScenicDog-friendly

Salem Multipurpose Trail

4.7 ★★★★★ 20 reviews

Salem, CT

Dog-friendly

Air Line State Park Trail

4.6 ★★★★★ 17 reviews

Thompson, CT

Dog-friendly

The Preserve

4.8 ★★★★★ 15 reviews

Old Saybrook, CT

Dog-friendly

Nature Conservancy Gladys Foster Preserve Trailhead

4.2 ★★★★☆ 17 reviews

North Stonington, CT

ScenicDog-friendly

Tanager Hill

4.6 ★★★★★ 15 reviews

Simsbury, CT

Mixed

John Brown Trail

4.3 ★★★★☆ 10 reviews

Torrington, CT

LoopNatural surface

Still River Greenway (Danbury)

4.1 ★★★★☆ 10 reviews

Danbury, CT

Dog-friendly

Ironwoods Preserve

4.8 ★★★★★ 8 reviews

Madison, CT

LoopScenicDog-friendly

Hanover Pond Trail

4.9 ★★★★★ 7 reviews

Meriden, CT

Paved

East River Preserve Fields

4 ★★★★☆ 3 reviews

Guilford, CT

MixedDog-friendly

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