Over 1000 miles of trail available to explore, and more added each day!

A cyclist and an equestrian greet each other on a paved trail
Joe Gaylor Photography

Trail surfaces

There are many types of trails in Connecticut, from seaside boardwalks to ridgetop hikes and everything in between, but much of what defines a trail is what is right at ground level. For many users, it is important to know what surface to expect so that they can prepare with the proper footwear, gear or mobility device for that trail. On CT Trail Finder, we list all the trail surfaces a user might encounter on a trail system and we also allow you to search by surface type. Many trail systems have multiple surface types so make sure to read the details and click on the trail segments to learn more as you plan your adventure!

Land Surface types 

  • Packed Earth/Dirt
  • Gravel/Crushed Stone
  • Rock/Ledge
  • Woodchips
  • Grass
  • Boardwalk
  • Paved/Cement
  • Sand

Paddling Surface Types

Even though all paddling trails are on water, we also distinguish these trails by surface type so that users can plan to use the best watercraft for each trail.

  • Lake/Pond
  • River/Stream
  • Wetland
More to come!

This summer we will be working to add photos of each type of surface so our users can better understand what to expect when heading out on the trails.

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