Connecticut residents can now research public trails on a new interactive mapping website which launched June 5.
In honor of National Trails Day, Connecticut Trail Finder is a free website where users can find trails in virtually every corner of the state. Users can start browsing trails by an interactive map or filtering by categories such as difficulty, distance or popularity.
Funded by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Recreational Trails Fund, the Connecticut Department of Transportation, and administered by UConn Extension, the project began in 2020 as a way to encourage residents to spend time outdoors during the COVID-19 pandemic when many parks and trails filled to capacity. Creators of Connecticut Trail Finder hope to be a trusted resource for hikers and highlight trails less traveled across Connecticut.
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Trails will be added to the site weekly, and users can also add to trails they have visited by leaving comments and photos, according to UConn Extension. A local events calendar and postings for trailside businesses are in development, in hopes that trail users can search for places to eat, or fix their bicycles.
“Each trail posting on the website is vetted by the trail managers, stewards, and park managers who have on-the-ground knowledge of the trail system," said Kimberly Bradley, the Program Coordinator for the Connecticut Trail Finder and the Connecticut Trail Census, in a press release.
“Our goal is for the Connecticut Trail Finder to be the go-to resource for residents and tourists, to discover new trails in their backyard and across the state."
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Users can visit Connecticut Trail Finder at https://www.cttrailfinder.com
