Looking for a trail in Connecticut with interesting scenery? We’ve got just the hike for you! The Roxbury Mine trail is a rocky loop that is of easy to moderate difficulty. There are stunning views of woodlands, water, and fields, and there’s also historic structures to explore! The site is also a great spot for seeking out creepy-crawlies and fungi like mushrooms.

This picturesque trail wraps around Mine Hill Preserve. This iron-making complex was big business for the area in the 1860s. Several buildings used to process mined ore are still (mostly) standing.
Roxbury Land Trust
You can still see the roasting ovens and furnace at the site. Each area has signs explaining the mining process from start to finish.
Granite, iron, and quartz were all mined at Mine Hill Preserve. A community named Chalybes sprung up nearby, attracting hundreds of immigrants to the area.
Cynthia Geremia/AllTrails
Things look intricate from the surface, but it's amazing to think how much more there is underground. Miles of tunnels lay right beneath your feet!
Chris N/AllTrails

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Due to financial difficulties, the mines closed down around 1875. Over 100 years later, the Roxbury Land Trust purchased the site and allowed the land to regrow.
Chris N/AllTrails
Here's a photo from a few years after the mines shut down. The wooden structures that are visible were later demolished in a hurricane in the 1930s.
Scan by NYPL/Wikimedia Commons
Nature has reclaimed the land that was once a hectic mine. The mine shafts are closed to the public, and now serve as a habitat for bats.
John Roden/AllTrails
How incredible is it that what was once a flurry of industrial activity is now somewhere anyone can come and connect with nature?
Sylvia Von Einem/AllTrails

This is such a neat place! Have you hiked the trails at the Mine Hill Preserve? Share your experiences in the comments.

For more information, check out the Roxbury Land Trust website or AllTrails.

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Mine Hill Preserve, Roxbury, CT 06783, USA