Connecticut trails · Appalachian National Scenic Trail
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
A 31.7-mile section of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Connecticut, with 1,794 ft of climbing. The full trail runs about 2,197 miles. Reaches Lions Head and other lake/summit/viewpoint/waterfall destinations. Managed by Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
Elevation profile
The climbing is spread fairly evenly along the route. It gives back about 5,159 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Reaches
- Lions Head (summit)
- Mount Prospect (summit)
- Raccoon Hill (summit)
- Great Falls Reservoir (lake)
- Bear Mountain (summit)
- Great Falls (waterfall)
- Bear Mountain (viewpoint)
- Rand's View (viewpoint)
- Billy's View (viewpoint)
Heads up
Getting there
Pope Preserve loop trail access. About 1 h 13 min drive (47 mi) from Waterbury. 41.98949, -73.41255 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:36 a.m., the sun rises at 7:04 a.m. and sets at 6:14 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 6:42 p.m. (EDT) — 11 h 09 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 31.7-mile route works out to roughly 12 h 38 min of walking — more than a single day of daylight here, so plan it as an overnight or hike it in sections.
Loop options
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail + Appalachian Trail — 10.3 mi loop, 2,586 ft gain
- Appalachian Trail + Appalachian National Scenic Trail — 1.8 mi loop, 667 ft gain
- Appalachian National Scenic Trail + Appalachian Trail — 6.4 mi loop, 159 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Mount Frissell Trail — 5.0 mi
- Housatonic Forest Trail — 6.0 mi
- Number 4 Trail — 9.7 mi
- Mohawk Trail — 11.7 mi