Metacomet

Hike the Metacomet Trail

The Metcomet Trail is one of Connecticut’s blue blaze trails maintained by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association.  It runs 62.3 miles from Berlin north to the Massachusetts border in Suffield.  It features dramatic views, two of Connecticut’s stone towers, and some of the state’s best hiking.

I have only hiked sections of the Metacomet Trail so this is an incomplete guide.

Fastest Known Time: Dan Grip 12h44m10s on 2020-09-19

• https://fastestknowntime.com/route/metacomet-trail-ct

Section List

• 1.8 mile road walk from Mattabesett Trail
• Metacomet Southern Terminus – 3.4 miles – (Parking) Unexplored
• Hubbard Park / Castle Craig – 5.7 miles – (Parking) Enters the Hanging Hills and climbs to the castle tower on East Peak before turning north
• 1.5 mile road walk on Edgewood Rd
• Short Mountain / Timberlin Park – 1.7 miles – (Parking) Unexplored
• 0.2 mile road walk on Carey St
• Ragged Mountain – 5.2 miles – (Parking) One of the state’s most popular hikes with a handful of overlooks
• 0.8 mile road walk on Andrews St to Long Bottom Rd
• Sunset Rock State Park – 3.6 miles – (Parking)
• 1.2 mile road walk over I-84 on Wooster St to Rt. 372
• Will Warren’s Den – 4.1 miles – (North Parking) (South Parking) Highlights include Pinnacle Rock overlook, Rattlesnake Ledges, Will Warren’s Den, and Hospital Rock
• 0.6 mile road walk on Poplar Hill Dr and Mountain Rd
• Hill-Stead Museum – 0.6 miles – (Parking) Unexplored
• 2 mile mixed trail and road walk on Prattling Pond Rd, Metacomet Rd, and Old Mountain Rd
• Kilkenney Rock – 4.6 miles – (North Parking) (South Parking) Unexplored
• Reservoir Number #6 – 1.8 miles – (Parking) Brief flat interlude along the western side of the reservoir
• Talcott Mountain State Park — 2.9 miles — (Parking) Climbing back to the ridge past Heublein Tower to a steep descent
• Penwood State Park – 3.4 miles – (Parking) Quieter section with a fantastic view at Pinnacle overlook
• Wilcox Park – 2.3 miles – (Parking) Unexplored
• 0.6 mile road walk on Rt. 189
• Tariffville Gorge – 4.3 miles – (North Parking) (South Parking)
• 0.2 mile road walk on Newgate Rd
• Peak Mountain to West Suffield Mountain – 4.3 miles – (North Parking) (South Parking) Fantastic overlooks and a campsite through two towns
  • Camping Area Windsor Locks Primitive Tentsite
• Alcorn Preserve North Terminus – 2.3 miles – (Parking) Great views west along the ridges before descending to marshy areas to the Mass border
• Closest parking north of the MA border

Links

• CFPA Metacomet Official Link
• New England Trail Official Link
• New England Trail Official ExploreCT
• CTMQ – Metacomet Trail Intro