The New England Trail (NET) in Connecticut consists of the Menunkatuck, Mattabesett, and Metacomet Trails, blazed blue. The trail mostly follows the top of the Metacomet Ridge, a series of rugged trap rock ridges that rise above the Connecticut River Valley. The region is heavily populated, but a series of preserved lands and trail systems follow the ridge line, and many sections are surprisingly quiet, especially on weekdays or off season. There were times I hiked an entire day without seeing anyone. Cell phone service is generally pretty good.
I've done the Connecticut section twice, most recently a 2-part thru hike in 2021. Most of the trail descriptions are from 2012 when my goal was to find all the letterboxes I could along the CT NET as well as along the many connecting trail networks (total count was about 500 letterboxes found). The southern end of the NET was still under construction at that time.
2021 Connecticut Thru-Hike (northbound)
Part II: Two Towers and a Bear
NORTHBOUND
Menunkatuck Trail Section, Guilford, CT (2012 & 2014)
Much of the Menunkatuck was still under construction in 2012. Although the posts below are arranged loosely from south to north, I hiked it heading southbound over the course of a few years, because that's the direction the trail was advancing.
---A New Beginning: East River to Long Island Sound - Part 1, June 20, 2014
---A New Beginning: East River to Long Island Sound - Part 2, June 20, 2014
---East River Preserve, October 26, 2012, newly blazed.
---Sullivan Drive Murals, October 28, 2014
Guilford: Timberlands to Sullivan Drive, January 28, 2012 (trail construction in progress)
It's 58 degrees!!! Cockaponsett S.F., Route 77 to Route 80, January 7, 2012
Mattabesett West Branch Section (Mainline NET)
Guilford north to Meriden, CT (2012)
And so it begins Guilford, Rt 77 to Menunkatuck Section, Broomstick Ledges. January 1, 2012.
Lone Pine East Loop, Guilford, Braemore Preserve, Feb. 4, 2012
Braemore to Bluff Head, Guilford, Feb. 7, 2012
Where are my Trekking Poles???Guilford/Durham, Bluff Head, Feb. 10, 2012
Pistapaug to Trimountain, Durham, Feb. 17, 2012
Reed's Gap to Black Pond, Durham/Middletown, Feb. 20, 2012
Mount Higby, Middlefield/Middletown, Feb. 28, 2012
---Revisit: Higby Before the Storm, October 2012, as Hurricane Sandy approached
Highland Pond to Chauncey Peak, Meriden, March 11, 2012
Spring Arrives at Giuffrida Park, Meriden, March 30, 2012
A Free for all at Giuffrida Park, April 16, 2012 (ATVs and dirtbikes)
Metacomet Trail Section
Meriden, CT north to the Massachusetts border (2012).
Metacomet Trail to Castle Craig, Meriden, April 20, 2012
Lost & Found: The Metacomet Trail, Meriden, May 4
West Peak, Meriden, April 27, 2012
West Peak in a New Light, May 5, 2012
Daffodils at Hubbard Park, Meriden, April 12, 2012
Short Mountain at Timberlin Park, Berlin/Southington, June 10, 2012
Ragged Mountain, Southington, June 16, 2012
Welcome to Southington. No Parking Allowed. July 11, 2012
Bradley Mountain, Plainville, June 27, 2012
The Pinnacle and Hospital Rock, New Britain, July 21, 2012
Rattlesnake Mountain, Farmington, July 30, 2012
Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington, August 18, 2012
Letterboxer Vs. Mouse, September 1, 2012
MDC West Hartford Reservoirs, Sept. 9, 2012 featuring The Gate.
MDC Reservoir #6, Sept. 12, 2012
Heublein Tower, Simsbury, Sept. 16, 2012
Skyline Trail and Avon Land Trust Loops, Sept. 21, 2012
Penwood State Park, Bloomfield, Sept. 25, 2012
Wilcox Park, Bloomfield, October 1, 2012
Tariffville Gorge, East Granby, October 11, 2012
Hatchet Hill, East Granby, October 16, 2012
Copper Mountain, East Granby, October 18, 2012
Suffield Mountain, Suffield, October 22, 2012
West Suffield Mountain to the (almost) Massachussetts State Line, Suffield, October 22, 2012.
NET SPUR - Madison to Middletown, CT
Mattabesett East Branch (2013-2014)
Rockland Preserve to Mica Ledges, Madison, July 1, 2013
Mica Ledges and Pyramid Rock: In Search of Cicadas, Durham, July 2, 2013
Mt. Pisgah, Durham, September 20, 2013
Coginchaug Cave, Durham, October 17, 2013
Bear Rock to Miller's Pond, Durham, October 22, 2013
Miller's Pond State Park, Durham, October 25, 2013
Eagles Beak Point, Haddam, October 31, 2013
Seven Falls State Park, Middletown/Haddam, November 5, 2013
Bear Hill and the Great Wall of China, Middletown, November 11, 2013
The Journey Bigins in the Driveway, December 5, 2013
Reservoir Loop, Middletown, December 5, 2013
Trails End, Middletown, June 1, 2014
NORTHBOUND
Menunkatuck Trail Section, Guilford, CT (2012 & 2014)
Much of the Menunkatuck was still under construction in 2012. Although the posts below are arranged loosely from south to north, I hiked it heading southbound over the course of a few years, because that's the direction the trail was advancing.
---A New Beginning: East River to Long Island Sound - Part 1, June 20, 2014
---A New Beginning: East River to Long Island Sound - Part 2, June 20, 2014
---East River Preserve, October 26, 2012, newly blazed.
---Sullivan Drive Murals, October 28, 2014
Guilford: Timberlands to Sullivan Drive, January 28, 2012 (trail construction in progress)
It's 58 degrees!!! Cockaponsett S.F., Route 77 to Route 80, January 7, 2012
Guilford north to Meriden, CT (2012)
And so it begins Guilford, Rt 77 to Menunkatuck Section, Broomstick Ledges. January 1, 2012.
Lone Pine East Loop, Guilford, Braemore Preserve, Feb. 4, 2012
Braemore to Bluff Head, Guilford, Feb. 7, 2012
Where are my Trekking Poles???Guilford/Durham, Bluff Head, Feb. 10, 2012
Pistapaug to Trimountain, Durham, Feb. 17, 2012
Reed's Gap to Black Pond, Durham/Middletown, Feb. 20, 2012
Mount Higby, Middlefield/Middletown, Feb. 28, 2012
---Revisit: Higby Before the Storm, October 2012, as Hurricane Sandy approached
Highland Pond to Chauncey Peak, Meriden, March 11, 2012
Spring Arrives at Giuffrida Park, Meriden, March 30, 2012
A Free for all at Giuffrida Park, April 16, 2012 (ATVs and dirtbikes)
Metacomet Trail Section
Meriden, CT north to the Massachusetts border (2012).
Metacomet Trail to Castle Craig, Meriden, April 20, 2012
Lost & Found: The Metacomet Trail, Meriden, May 4
West Peak, Meriden, April 27, 2012
West Peak in a New Light, May 5, 2012
Daffodils at Hubbard Park, Meriden, April 12, 2012
Short Mountain at Timberlin Park, Berlin/Southington, June 10, 2012
Ragged Mountain, Southington, June 16, 2012
Welcome to Southington. No Parking Allowed. July 11, 2012
Bradley Mountain, Plainville, June 27, 2012
The Pinnacle and Hospital Rock, New Britain, July 21, 2012
Rattlesnake Mountain, Farmington, July 30, 2012
Hill-Stead Museum, Farmington, August 18, 2012
Letterboxer Vs. Mouse, September 1, 2012
MDC West Hartford Reservoirs, Sept. 9, 2012 featuring The Gate.
MDC Reservoir #6, Sept. 12, 2012
Heublein Tower, Simsbury, Sept. 16, 2012
Skyline Trail and Avon Land Trust Loops, Sept. 21, 2012
Penwood State Park, Bloomfield, Sept. 25, 2012
Wilcox Park, Bloomfield, October 1, 2012
Tariffville Gorge, East Granby, October 11, 2012
Hatchet Hill, East Granby, October 16, 2012
Copper Mountain, East Granby, October 18, 2012
Suffield Mountain, Suffield, October 22, 2012
West Suffield Mountain to the (almost) Massachussetts State Line, Suffield, October 22, 2012.
Mattabesett East Branch (2013-2014)
Rockland Preserve to Mica Ledges, Madison, July 1, 2013
Mica Ledges and Pyramid Rock: In Search of Cicadas, Durham, July 2, 2013
Mt. Pisgah, Durham, September 20, 2013
Coginchaug Cave, Durham, October 17, 2013
Bear Rock to Miller's Pond, Durham, October 22, 2013
Miller's Pond State Park, Durham, October 25, 2013
Eagles Beak Point, Haddam, October 31, 2013
Seven Falls State Park, Middletown/Haddam, November 5, 2013
Bear Hill and the Great Wall of China, Middletown, November 11, 2013
The Journey Bigins in the Driveway, December 5, 2013
Reservoir Loop, Middletown, December 5, 2013
Trails End, Middletown, June 1, 2014
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