Open Trail Sections
Building an environmentally-sensitive trail is a slow process that involves extensive discussions with landowners and thoughtful planning and construction. We have many sections of Trail that are being developed or under construction. We invite you to enjoy the following open Trail sections:
WHAT TRAILS ARE OPEN? posted October, 2009
Jack Wood, Trail Development Team
EAST HAVEN: * DC Moore School, East Haven: a fine level and wide trail recently surfaced and easy to walk. Park at the south parking lot of D.C.Moore School and enter the wooded area behind the school marked by large boulders. Along the trail you will see a very large glacial erratic. Please don’t move it! Finish at the parking lot at the corner of Hoop Pole Lane and Mansfield Grove Rd. Distance 3/10th mile.
- Farm River State Park, East Haven: enter the new trailhead on Short Beach Rd, Rt 142, across from Three Stone Pillars Rd. The trail is steep, sloped at the entrance and at the approach to two bridges across very small streams. Surface is soft gravel, except on existing access road. Venture off the trail along an easy access road to see a very beautiful Farm River overlook. Can you find it? Distance 9/10th mile. Note that you will exit at Pevetty Dr which is very near the parking lot at Hoop Pole Lane and Mansfield Grove Rd.
BRANFORD: * Stony Creek Trolley Trail,Branford: a very popular trail from Stony Creek to the Tilcon Parking lot in Pine Orchard. Enter West Pt Rd opposite the Willoughby Wallace Library and go a short distance to parking. The town has allowed Shoreline Greenway Trail to use this trail. It follows the original trolley line and crosses a tidal creek over the old existing trolley bridge, affording views of a nearby osprey nest and the Stony Creek harbor. A little further on pass thru a rock cut below Pleasant Pt Rd with nearby access to a trail up to the Branford Land Trust Vedder memorial and a view of a classic salt marsh. End at the Tilcon RR Tracks. Distance 8/10th mile.
- Birch Road, Branford: The first trail that the Shoreline Greenway Trail constructed, near Pine Orchard Road. Begin this wide and easy trail at the trailhead sign (our first) and parking area near the east end of Birch Rd. Walk west thru mostly wooded trail and an open area near the Branford Day Care Center and community gardens. Further on cross a short bridge on the easement (another first) granted to SGT by the Pine Orchard Assoc. Distance 4/10ths mile.
Note: walk east across Birch Rd from the trail head beyond SGT approved trail onto Young’s Park property for a splendid walk along a swamp and on to Young’s Pond.MADISON * not yet open is our Trail under construction at Hammonasset Beach State Park: When completed this beautiful wooded section of Shoreline Greenway Trail will be accessed immediately south of Route 1 on the Hammonasset connector, and travel west to Liberty Street. The Madison Town Team of SGT has continued working on this one-mile section, partly bounded on its south edge by marshland. In an agreement with the Park, they have erected a chain-link fence separating the SGT path from the campers’ parking lot.
Please check back here for updates on sections that are open for you to enjoy.