A Bit Of An Unexpected Wonder, Few People Know That Part Of The Appalachian Trail Is In Connecticut
By Lisa Sammons|Published April 28, 2023
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Lisa Sammons
Author
Lisa loves animals and has dogs, rats, cats, guinea pigs, and snakes. She is passionate about animal rescue and live music - traveling across the country to see a favorite band is a pretty regular occurrence! Being out hiking in the woods enjoying the scenery with her beloved dogs is another favorite hobby, and also checking out the Pokemon Go scene in whatever city she happens to be in at any given time (coffee and dog leash in hand). You can reach Lisa at lsammons@onlyinyourstate.com
Nutmeg State outdoor enthusiasts are well aware that we have many great hiking trails in Connecticut. They’re peppered all over the state and come in quite the variety of “flavors”: waterfall hikes, kid-friendly jaunts through the woods, all-day treks, we’ve truly got it all here. But many people don’t realize that you can hike part of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut! That’s right, part of one of the most famous hikes in the entire world runs right through the Nutmeg State. While most people aren’t up for exploring the entire 2,198.4 miles of the A.T., enjoying just a small segment of the trail is much more manageable, and that’s just what you’ll find in Connecticut! Check it out:
The Appalachian Trail runs nearly 2,200 miles, from Georgia all the way up to Maine. It's said to be the longest hiking-only trail in the entire world.
The entire portion of the A.T. within Connecticut takes about 26 hours of hiking to complete over three to five days, which is beyond most of our abilities!
A three-quarter mile section of the trail that runs alongside the Housatonic River was the first part of the Appalachian Trail to become universally accessible.
This particular section of the trail has a very gentle grade and is maintained so that the ground is wheelchair-friendly. It's located near Falls Village.
You may not be able to make it through the entire Appalachian Trail, but most of us are capable of at least completing a small portion!