Take a Hike: A Few Great Places to Go Near East Lyme, CT

One of the best things about southeast Connecticut is its proximity to water and the natural paths located all over. Whether you like to walk along the beach or ramble in the woods, there is accessible hiking available to you near East Lyme, Connecticut.

The Old Lyme Conservation Trust has eight different hiking trails that range in length and difficulty. A PDF version of the trail book is available on the Conservation Trust website (www.old-lymeconservtrust.org) that provides a hand-drawn map and a description of the various trails. The trail book includes the average length of time a hike takes, as well as a description of its difficulty and what hikers can look forward to seeing. For example, the 20 minute easy hike on the Champlain North Trail features an oak tree with a 16.5 foot circumference while the Lohmann-Buck-Twinning reserve is rated as a strenuous hike up and down a steep ridge. Because of its proximity to the Lieutenant River, the Old Lyme Conservation Trust hikes all have beautiful views and wildlife. These trails are on public land.

The Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme has wonderful hiking trails. The expansive park is located along Long Island Sound and has activities ranging from swimming, biking and roller blading, camping, and hiking. Individuals can walk along the bike paths, or go to the back of the park by the beach for the set hiking trails. A map is available on the state parks website, but it is hard to follow and you will be better off just walking to a path and trusting you will get back where you started from as all the paths circle around. Some of hiking trails are hillier than others, but none are terribly strenuous. For a beautiful view or just to cool off, walk along the beach and admire the houses or point out the Amtrak Acela train, which runs right through the park. Rocky Neck charges an entrance fee during the camping season (in 2007 the season started April 28) of $9/day for residents or $14/day for nonresidents, and honors the state parks season pass which is $40 for state residents and $60 for nonresidents. The CT Department of Environmental Protection website has directions and more information available.

Bluff Point State Park in Groton has wooded hiking trails that are both beautiful and challenging. The Bluff Point peninsula is a designated coastal reserve along the Long Island Sound and has a range of wildlife, trees and flowers. The hiking trail loop has multiple turn offs so hikers can decide how far they want to walk as the entire loop is between 3 and 4 miles long. At the end of the bluff is a gorgeous view of the Sound well worth the walk. Parking is free and directions to Bluff Point are available on the CT Department of Environmental Protection website.

These three hiking trails are only a few of the many options available in southeast Connecticut. Much of the land is undeveloped and, if you are lucky, you can take a fascinating walk through wooded paths in your own backyard. For everyone else, check out Rocky Neck, the Old Lyme Conservation Trust paths, or Bluff Point State Park.