Hop River State Park Trail (multi-town overview)
As the railroad that once connected Hartford to Manchester, Vernon, Bolton, Andover and Willimantic became abandoned, weedy growth took over from lack of use. And as with so many rail lines, the war efforts demanded the steel of the rails and they were removed for scrap value. Fortunately for today’s trail users the rail beds…
Read MoreHop River State Park Trail – (4) Hop River Rd. to Parker Bridge Rd.
This 1.4 mile section of the Hope River State Park Trail in Coventry and Andover is part of a former railroad line that winds 20.2 miles through the towns of Manchester, Vernon, Bolton, Coventry, Andover, and Columbia. Like a pathway through time, this serpentine path passes among modern subdivisions and crosses roads, but mostly takes the…
Read MoreHop River State Park Trail – (3) Kings Road to Hop River Road
This 2.5 mile section of the Hop River State Park Trail in Columbia and Coventry is part of a former railroad line that winds 20.2 miles through the towns of Manchester, Vernon, Bolton, Coventry, Andover, and Columbia. Like a pathway through time, this serpentine path passes among modern subdivisions and crosses roads, but mostly takes the…
Read MoreHop River Trail – (1) Columbia Ave. to Hop River Trailhead
This 0.5 mile section of trail is part of a former railroad line that winds 20.2 miles through the towns of Manchester, Vernon, Bolton, Coventry, Andover, and Columbia. Like a pathway through time, this serpentine path passes among modern subdivisions and crosses roads, but mostly takes the trail user along a remote, quiet and long…
Read MoreVoluntown Elementary School
A hill adjacent to the school makes for fun sledding for smaller kids when school is cancelled or on winter weekends when no other events are taking place at the school. Parking available. Be safe and respectful of this public property. No fee.
Read MoreAir Line State Park Trail (6-Thompson Rd. to Riverside Dr.)
This 0.7 mile long rail trail segment is great for hiking, biking, pets on a leash, horseback riding and cross country skiing. This part of the Air Line Trail is level packed stone dust. This trail section is significantly elevated above the terrain in the area. You will pass beautiful open fields and a large swamp…
Read MoreAir Line State Park Trail (5-Sunset Hill Rd. to Thompson Rd.)
This 2.3 mile long rail trail segment is great for hiking, biking, pets on a leash, horseback riding and cross country skiing. This part of the Air Line Trail is level packed stone dust. This is another one of the longer portions of the Air Line Trail through Thompson without a road crossing. Through this section…
Read MoreAir Line State Park Trail (4-Lowell Davis Rd. to Sunset Hill Rd.)
This 0.7 mile long rail trail segment is great for hiking, biking, pets on a leash, horseback riding and cross country skiing. Along most portions of the Air Line Trail through Thompson you will see stone walls that run along both sides and parallel the trail. This section highlights the difficulty of constructing these precisely-built…
Read MoreAir Line State Park Trail (3-Sand Dam Rd. to Lowell Davis Rd.)
This 2.3 mile long rail trail segment is great for hiking, biking, pets on a leash, horseback riding and cross country skiing. This part of the Air Line Trail is level mix of trap rock and packed gravel. It is one of the longer sections of the Air Line Trail in Thompson without crossing a…
Read MoreAir Line State Park Trail – (2 – East Thompson Rd. to Sand Dam Rd.)
This 0.6 mile long rail trail segment is great for hiking, biking, pets on a leash, horseback riding and cross country skiing. The Air Line Trail in this area is level and the surface is packed gravel. The parking lot at East Thompson Road is the location of one of the only four-train crashes in…
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