Quinnipiac Trail
Hamden, Cheshire, Bethany, Prospect, 18.3 Miles
Began: October 2012
Completed:
The Quinnipiac Trail is the oldest in the Connecticut Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail System, which is to say, it’s really old. Many tens of thousands of people have hiked at least a part of the trail since its creation in 1929, the vast majority of whom probably had no idea. For the blue-blazed trail at Sleeping Giant State Park is, indeed, the Quinnipiac Trail.
You see? You’ve probably hiked part of it!
Dawn view from Sleeping Giant
The trail was shortened around 2013 with the CFPA finally giving up on the easternmost miles through Quinnipiac River State Park. It was constantly flooded and overgrown. Really, a pointless and rather ugly stretch that no one misses. The trail now starts at the far eastern end of Sleeping Giant and generally travels west and north up into Prospect and Cheshire, via Hamden and Bethany. It is also far more challenging in spot than many assume.
Good. Bring it on.
CFPA Trails Map
CTMQ’s CFPA Blue Trails Challenge
Notes: My trail sections are entirely my convention. Hikes are numbered beginning from the southern terminus at Mount Carmel Road in Hamden to Cornwall Avenue at the Prospect/Cheshire line.
Section 1: Mount Carmel Ave to Whitney Ave (Rte 10), Hamden
Section 2: Whitney Ave (Rte 10) to Boardman Drive, Prospect
Leave a Reply