updated January 24, 2022
Our guide to where to go when you want to hit the trail.
Featuring: New Canaan, Shelton, Wilton, Norwalk, Bethel, Ridgefield, and Redding.
Shelton leads the list because the people who volunteer to keep the trails active do a great job of it. Congrats Shelton Trails Committee! With over 30 miles of trails, there’s a hike for everyone. They have helpfully provided a list of their favorite hikes, and if you check out their blog you can see lots of photos. We pick the Birchbank Mountain trail for its dramatic view of the Housatonic River as well as a 350ft elevation gain.
New Canaan offers a Winter Hike Challenge. With over 400 acres of land across 70 parcels, New Canaan offers a little bit for everyone.
The Town of Wilton helpfully has gathered all their trail maps in one place. These Wilton trail maps resemble more of a historic preservationist’s guide to open space though. Lovely to read, less useful for planning a hike.
The City of Norwalk delivers urban walks in Norwalk neighborhoods, along with some narrative. Inexplicably they omit the Harbor Loop Trail which connects to the Norwalk River Valley Trail, which presents a more scenic look at cuts around the upper harbor of the Norwalk River and includes Oyster Shell Park, Mathews Park, and a new section connecting northward towards Wilton. The Norwalk River Valley trails highlight Ridgefield and Redding too.
Bethel and Redding are home to Huntington State Park. This park has a few trails that wind around a gorgeous landscape including artificial lakes and ponds. The map is well marked, and the 1017 acre site has a neat history. Redding features a nice trail along the Saugatuck reservoir, but we will highlight more tails in another post.
