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Family-Friendly Hikes near Norwich

We track 111 routes that match this search near Norwich. They average 1.6 km, with the longest running to 5.9 km.

That is 71 percent of the 157 routes we map near Norwich. They are shorter than the local average, 1.6 km against 3.7 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 25 m (82 ft) against 59 m (194 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Family routes here are short, gently graded and interesting enough to keep younger legs moving. Every one is under seven kilometres with limited climbing. Most of these are on the gentler end, which makes the list a good starting point if you are new to the area.

Trails

Stone foundation south of Gay City Pond, west of Yellow Trail and Blackledge River in Connecticut's Gay City State Park.
Easy

Gay City Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.6 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
96 m
Typical duration
42 min
  • Waymarked route
March Route Rochambeau's Army-Hutchinson Road , Andover, Connecticut.
Easy

Bobcat Woods Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 47.
Easy

Woodland Road Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Narragansett Trail's Lantern Hill view of the Mashantucket Pequots Foxwoods Casino Resort. This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America . Its reference nu
Easy

Woods Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
10 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 63.
Easy

Hazen Green Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
46 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Waymarked route
Bridge No. 1605 (downstream side), Devil's Hopyard State Park, East Haddam, Connecticut.
Easy

Millington Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
75 m
Typical duration
42 min
  • Waymarked route
Divided back postcard of Andover station
Easy

Percy Cook Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 47.
Easy

Williams Preserve Loop

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
40 m
Typical duration
24 min
  • Waymarked route
Bridge No. 1605 (downstream side), Devil's Hopyard State Park, East Haddam, Connecticut.
Easy

Woodcutters Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
54 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Waymarked route
Witter House , Chaplin, Connecticut.
Easy

Agnes' Pasture Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Waymarked route
Main house of Applewood Farm in Ledyard, Connecticut This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America . Its reference number is 87001765 ( Wikidata ).
Easy

Blue Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
31 min
  • Waymarked route
Original cut of the Shore Line Railway in Old Lyme, Connecticut, photographed in December 2017. At right is an abutment for a former bridge that carried a road over the railroad.
Easy

Blue Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
8 min
  • Waymarked route
Ledyard High School, Ledyard, Connecticut
Easy

Burton Blue Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
23 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Waymarked route
Spring Hill Historic District , Mansfield, Connecticut. First Baptist Church.
Easy

Byron's Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
8 min
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 47.
Easy

Chapin Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
25 min
  • Waymarked route
Stone foundation south of Gay City Pond, west of Yellow Trail and Blackledge River in Connecticut's Gay City State Park.
Easy

Connector Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Waymarked route
Florence Griswold House in Old Lyme, Connecticut This is an image of a place or building that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States of America . Its reference number is 93001604 ( Wikidata ).
Easy

Green

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Waymarked route
Original cut of the Shore Line Railway in Old Lyme, Connecticut, photographed in December 2017. At right is an abutment for a former bridge that carried a road over the railroad.
Easy

Green Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
8 min
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 63.
Easy

Hazen Blue Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
7 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 63.
Easy

Hazen Yellow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
9 m
Typical duration
8 min
  • Waymarked route
Mansfield Center Cemetery, Junction of Storrs and Cemetery Rds. Mansfield
Easy

Holt Kinney Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Waymarked route
Undergrads, Grads, librarians, faculty, and artists showed up to support Art+Feminism at UConn
Easy

Loop Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Waymarked route
Brigham's Tavern , Coventry Connecticut
Easy

Lynch's Landing Trails

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 47.
Easy

Olsen Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
9 min
  • Waymarked route
View from the southern end of Black Spruce Pond off the Natchaug Trail.
Easy

Pine Acres Pond Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
5.3 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
43 m
Typical duration
1 hr 10 min
  • Waymarked route
Split Rock formation on Split Rock Trail in Gay City State Park (Connecticut).
Easy

Pond Loop Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
3.9 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
19 m
Typical duration
51 min
  • Waymarked route
Honeycomb Coral Slime Mold ( Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa )
Easy

Riverview Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Typical duration
11 min
  • Waymarked route
Split Rock formation on Split Rock Trail in Gay City State Park (Connecticut).
Easy

Split Rock Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
14 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Waymarked route
The former Hallville carhouse of the Norwich Westerly Railway, now the Connecticut Brass Company foundry
Easy

Tri Town Yellow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
9 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • Waymarked route
Original cut of the Shore Line Railway in Old Lyme, Connecticut, photographed in December 2017. At right is an abutment for a former bridge that carried a road over the railroad.
Easy

White Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
9 min
  • Waymarked route
Atwoodville Road, Atwoodville Connecticut
Easy

Yellow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
21 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Waymarked route
House Finch. Longo Farm Open Space. Glastonbury, CT USA
Easy

Yellow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
51 m
Typical duration
35 min
  • Waymarked route
Eleazer Williams House , Mansfield Center, Connecticut.
Easy

Oak Ridge Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
16 m
Typical duration
7 min
  • Mountain
Spring Hill Historic District , Mansfield, Connecticut. First Baptist Church.
Easy

Pine Ridge Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
6 min
  • Mountain
Connecticut Route 214 near its east end at Route 12 in December 2017
Easy

Avery White Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
27 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 27.
Easy

GOSA Blue Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
5.0 km
/ 3.1 mi
Elevation gain
27 m
Typical duration
1 hr 5 min
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 47.
Easy

Mullane Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
53 m
Typical duration
16 min
  • Waymarked route
View from the southern end of Black Spruce Pond off the Natchaug Trail.
Easy

Orange Connector

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
16 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Waymarked route
Thursday, January 9, 2014 -- Governor Dannel P. Malloy gave the keynote address at the Connecticut State Police graduation ceremony in Storrs, honoring a class of 83 new state troopers of the 123rd Training Troop. This graduating class has
Easy

Quarry Swamp Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Typical duration
15 min
  • Waymarked route
Knowlton Memorial Hall , Ashford, Connecticut. Serves as the local library.
Easy

Rankin Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
66 m
Typical duration
36 min
  • Waymarked route
Pomfret Town House , Pomfret, Connecticut. Now home to the local historic society.
Easy

Mashamoquet Meadow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Alpine meadow
Mansfield Center Cemetery, Junction of Storrs and Cemetery Rds. Mansfield
Easy

Bird Loop Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Typical duration
16 min
  • Wildlife watching
Pomfret Town House , Pomfret, Connecticut. Now home to the local historic society.
Easy

Day Brook Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
18 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • River
Eleazer Williams House , Mansfield Center, Connecticut.
Easy

Fenton River Trai

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
28 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
View of Pine Acres Lake looking north from close to the southern start of the Natchaug Trail
Easy

Forest Discovery Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
View of Earth taken during ISS Expedition 43.
Easy

Blue Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
53 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Waymarked route
View of Pine Acres Lake looking north from close to the southern start of the Natchaug Trail
Easy

Brown Hill Marsh Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
58 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Waymarked route
Connecticut Route 214 near its east end at Route 12 in December 2017
Easy

Avery Orange Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
67 m
Typical duration
37 min
  • Waymarked route

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Gay City TrailConnecticut2.6 km96 m42 minEasyApril to October
Bobcat Woods TrailConnecticut1.9 km18 m26 minEasyApril to October
Woodland Road TrailConnecticut0.6 kmflat7 minEasyApril to October
Woods TrailConnecticut1.5 km10 m20 minEasyApril to October
Hazen Green TrailConnecticut0.4 km46 m10 minEasyApril to October
Millington TrailConnecticut2.8 km75 m42 minEasyApril to October
Percy Cook TrailConnecticut1.3 km8 m17 minEasyApril to October
Williams Preserve LoopConnecticut1.7 km40 m24 minEasyApril to October
Woodcutters TrailConnecticut2.2 km54 m32 minEasyApril to October
Agnes' Pasture TrailConnecticut0.7 km20 m10 minEasyApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Gay City Trail, Woodland Road Trail, Woods Trail. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

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