- This event has passed.
Connecticut Trails Day Hike
CT Trails Days
Explore local trails in area the weekend of June 7th and 8th. Each trail will have a leader to guide and educate hikers.
See available trails and schedules at https://trailsday.org/.
Eightmile River Watershed: Trails Day Tree ID Hike
Burnham Brook Preserve, 2 Dolbia Hill Road, East Haddam
Date: Sat June 7th, 2025
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
Presenter: Anthony Irving
Join Anthony Irving, a forest ecologist and former state certified forester for an educational walk/hike through field edges and core forests of The Nature Conservancy’s 1200-acre Burnham Brook Preserve. Get an introduction to tree identification and learn about Connecticut’s native tree species, and how historical events have shaped our forests. Preceding the walk, a short, informal introduction to tree ID and forest ecology will be given.
The route will start in flat, wide, grass field trails and ease into flat, wooded trails with uneven ground such as roots and rocks. The hike will be tailored to the participants’ needs and interests.
Details & Registration: https://trailsday.org/events/trails-day-tree-id-hike/
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Lyme Land Trust :
Dusk Hike at Hartman Park, Gungy Road, Lyme CT
Date: Sat June 7, 2025
Time: 7:00-8:30 pm
Contact Email: ryan.p.quinn@gmail.com
Presenter: Ryan Quinn
Join Quinn, Lyme Land Trust board member, for a family friendly (ages 5 and up) hike at the magical time of dusk, just before the darkness creeps in. We focus on how our perceptions change and appreciate what the coming night brings to the forests and ponds of Lyme. There will be an almost full moon. As it gets darker, we will not be using artificial light, but you are invited to bring an emergency flashlight. Dress warmly and bring a walking stick.
Registration appreciated: ryan.p.quinn@gmail.com
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Salem Land Trust:
Alf & Sylvia Bingham Preserve
172 Darling Rd., Salem, CT
Date: June 8th, 1-3pm
Explore the expanded Alf & Sylvia Bingham Preserve with the Salem Land Trust! The preserve has grown significantly in the past few years, and we return again to this property for a second year during Trails Day 2025 to further enjoy the mixed woods and fields hike. We’ll have a few small activities friendly to families available to try along the way. The property includes several vernal pools, a rocky ledge outcrop that overlooks a spectacular large beaver pond, the newly acquired Ransom Brook Farm parcel and more. Half of the hike will see some “moderate” terrain, while the remainder is “easy” hiking. Only heavy rain or thunder/lightning cancels.
Limited parking at trailhead; parking signs and volunteers will direct hikers to a field parking area across the street, at 169 Darling Rd.
Town of Salem:
CT Trails Day Find Your Footprint
Trails to be announced
Date: June 7th
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
East Haddam Land Trust:
Gillette Castle Guided Train Trail Hikes
Dates: June 7th and 8th. 11 am – 12:30 pm and 1 pm – 2:30 pm
Presenter(s) : Andrea or Ron Kowalsky / (860) 873-8867 / akowalsky58@gmail.com / rkowalskypad@yahoo.com
The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park are hosting a guided hike on the route followed by William Gillette’s narrow-gauge train. Gillette’s train system runs through very scenic areas of the 122-acre state park, with numerous historic features along the way. It is a generally gentle and flat trail with a couple of brief scrambles.
Registration required for time slot @ https://trailsday.org/
East Lyme
Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve
Sponsor: Friends of Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve : https://www.oswhills.org/index.html
Naturalist Walk
June 7th 9:30 am – Noon
Albert Burchsted / (860) 941-8788 / alblueheron@gmail.com
Join Al Burchsted, local naturalist, on a casual walk-a-bout learning about plants, insects and the local ecosystem in the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve.
Registration is not required.
Exploring the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve
June 7th 9 am – Noon
Paul Parulis / (860) 884-6079 / pjbinny@prodigy.net
John Starrett / john.starrett@sbcglobal.net
Bruce Kolowsky / bkolowsky@aol.com
Enjoy a three hour information filled hike exploring the Oswegatchie Hills nature preserve. The hilly terrain will feature multiple rock formations, glacier boulders, imperial pitch pine stands and a granite surface quarry started in 1815.
Red Loop Trail – Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve
June 7th 10-11:30
Dave Baer
Explore the lower portions of the Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve, hiking the Red Loop Trail that highlights views of Clark Pond, glacier boulders, imperial Pitch pine stands and a small rocky outcrop that kids would enjoy crawling through. They don’t call it The Hills for nothing, so please expect a hilly terrain with several ups and downs.
https://trailsday.org/events/goodwin-trail-darrows-pond/
Gary Goeschel II (860) 235-6211
Thomas Goeschel
Anthony Goeschel
Join Gary Goeschel, Director of Planning/Inland Wetlands Agent and Arthur Carlson, President of the East Lyme Land Trust for this 6th Annual Connecticut Trails Day Hike. Open to all ages and abilities. This is an easy to moderate 5-mile hike along a portion of the Goodwin Trail running between Darrow’s Pond and Grassy Hill Road.