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Moderate Hiking Trails near Branford

The directory currently contains 72 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Branford. Their average mapped distance is 2.6 km and average recorded ascent is 84 m (276 ft); the longest route in the set is 12.7 km.

This subset represents 42% of the 170 quality-checked routes near Branford. Its average distance is 2.6 km, compared with 3.2 km across the full local set.

Every route in this set is rated moderate by the directory’s distance-and-elevation model. Technical terrain and live conditions are not part of that rating. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 10 (14%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

0.9 km

Roaring Brook Falls Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

10 m

North Summit Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Moderate

North Summit Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
10 m
Typical duration
17 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Moderate

Beacon Falls Yellow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.8 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
153 m
Typical duration
49 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Regicides Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
11.0 km
/ 6.9 mi
Elevation gain
243 m
Typical duration
2 hr 40 min
  • Waymarked route
Dr. Andrew Castle House , Woodbridge, Connecticut.
Moderate

Naugatuck Trail (Woodbridge)

Connecticut · United States

Distance
12.7 km
/ 7.9 mi
Elevation gain
218 m
Typical duration
2 hr 58 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Pomperaug Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
6.6 km
/ 4.1 mi
Elevation gain
325 m
Typical duration
1 hr 52 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
The ravine of Roaring Brook Falls.
Moderate

Roaring Brook Falls Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
115 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • River
Moderate

Ravine Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
41 m
Typical duration
21 min
  • Canyon and gorge
  • Waymarked route
One of many Chatfield Trail rock caves (and other rock formations) hikers can squeeze through.
Moderate

Chatfield Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
6.9 km
/ 4.3 mi
Elevation gain
168 m
Typical duration
1 hr 41 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Zoar Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
10.2 km
/ 6.3 mi
Elevation gain
341 m
Typical duration
2 hr 38 min
  • Waymarked route
View from Kettletown State Park's Crest Trail of the Housatonic River's Lake Zoar looking south towards Oxford.
Moderate

Crest Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
50 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Mark Schaefer Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
4.9 km
/ 3.0 mi
Elevation gain
105 m
Typical duration
1 hr 10 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Nature Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
72 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Old Mattabessett Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.4 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
69 m
Typical duration
12 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Old Oak Nature Trail Loop

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
20 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Orange Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
131 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Purple Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
19 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Red Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.2 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
91 m
Typical duration
36 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Red Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
93 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Ski Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
4.5 km
/ 2.8 mi
Elevation gain
140 m
Typical duration
1 hr 9 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Westville Feeder

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
12 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Yellow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
97 m
Typical duration
32 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Yellow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
113 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Cedar Loop Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
33 m
Typical duration
24 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Metacomet Loop Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
7.5 km
/ 4.7 mi
Elevation gain
89 m
Typical duration
1 hr 42 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Old Milan Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
52 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Purple Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.3 km
/ 1.4 mi
Elevation gain
43 m
Typical duration
33 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Yellow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
53 m
Typical duration
26 min
  • Waymarked route
Chatfield Hollow State Park - "Paul F. Wildermann Boardwalk".
Moderate

Chatfield Alternate Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.0 km
/ 0.6 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
14 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Photo of northbound Birchbank Road in an unnamed neighborhood along the Housatonic River in Shelton , Connecticut . Photo taken looking north.
Moderate

Birchbank Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.6 mi
Elevation gain
87 m
Typical duration
39 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Seven Falls Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.8 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
63 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
  • Forest
Moderate

Ridge Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
92 m
Typical duration
34 min
  • Mountain
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

East Woods Connector

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

East Woods Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
151 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
View from Kettletown State Park's Crest Trail of the Housatonic River's Lake Zoar looking south towards Oxford.
Moderate

Oxford Loop Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
9 min
  • Forest
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Green-Yellow Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
90 m
Typical duration
28 min
  • Waymarked route
View from scenic overloop of the Housatonic River's Lake Zoar (along the Miller Trail in Kettletown State Park).
Moderate

Miller Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
117 m
Typical duration
47 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

North Slope Connector

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
9 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

White Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
8 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

White Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
1.4 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
22 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Judge Cook's Oxen Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
72 m
Typical duration
13 min
Sleeping Giant Tower, 200 Mt. Carmel Ave. at Mt. Carmel summit, Sleeping Giant State Park Hamden
Moderate

Tower Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.5 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
8 m
Typical duration
31 min
Moderate

Horse Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
5.8 km
/ 3.6 mi
Elevation gain
162 m
Typical duration
1 hr 28 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Steep Climb Connector Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.8 km
/ 0.5 mi
Elevation gain
121 m
Typical duration
22 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Lookout Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
2.0 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
103 m
Typical duration
35 min
  • Panoramic viewpoint
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

White Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
9.8 km
/ 6.1 mi
Elevation gain
150 m
Typical duration
2 hr 16 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Beach Cutoff Trail

Connecticut · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Elevation gain
46 m
Typical duration
10 min
  • Coastal
  • 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
North Summit TrailConnecticut1.3 km10 m17 minModerateApril to October
Beacon Falls Yellow TrailConnecticut2.8 km153 m49 minModerateApril to October
Regicides TrailConnecticut11.0 km243 m2 hr 40 minModerateApril to October
Naugatuck Trail (Woodbridge)Connecticut12.7 km218 m2 hr 58 minModerateApril to October
Pomperaug TrailConnecticut6.6 km325 m1 hr 52 minModerateApril to October
Roaring Brook Falls TrailConnecticut0.9 km115 m21 minModerateApril to October
Ravine TrailConnecticut1.4 km41 m21 minModerateApril to October
Chatfield TrailConnecticut6.9 km168 m1 hr 41 minModerateApril to October
Zoar TrailConnecticut10.2 km341 m2 hr 38 minModerateApril to October
Berlin Land Trust Yellow TrailConnecticut1.5 km84 m27 minModerateApril to October

North Summit Trail, Beacon Falls Yellow Trail, Regicides Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

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Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

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Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

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Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

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