Hiking the Metacomet Trail

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Trails: The Metacomet Trail is a 52-mile Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail that runs north-south through the region just west of Hartord and links with the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail in Massachusetts and the Mattabesett Trail to the the south.
Caution: Peak hunting season runs from mid-October through December but there is also other hunting during other times of the year.
Access fee: No charge, but membership in the CT FPA helps support the trail
Nearest town: Meriden, Plainville, Farmington, Tariffville, CT
Trail map: The trail is described in the Connecticut Walk Book published by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association.
Web site: CT Forest and Park Association
Points of interest: Ragged mountain offers many scenic outlooks. Other highlights include Hatchet Hill, Hanging Hills, Rattlesnake Mountain, NIKE missile base, Castle Craig and Heublien Tower (and for the morbidly curious, the house once the residence of Mike Tyson, then 50 cent, and now Eminem)
Other activities:
Lodging: Farmington, Plainville, Meriden have a few inns and other accommodations
Camping:
Weather forecast: Waterbury
Tourism info: Greater Hartford Tourism | Central CT Tourism
Getting to the trail: The trail can be accessed at many points along its route.
Map of local region: Tariffville | Farmington | Plainville | Meriden
Update submitted by: bobby rooney
from: Hartford
Date submitted: March 9, 2008

Rate this trail

Number of ratings: 5
Average rating: 3.70

Trail Name: Metacomet Trail
I have hiked there: Once
I last hiked there in: May, 2005
Trails that I hiked:
Favorite trails:
Best time to go: warm and sunny
Trail marking: Fair
Trail maintenance: Very good
Rating: 4.5 stars
What I liked: i liked the mountain vews
What I disliked: long stretches without any good vews
Additional comments:
Submitted by: DN
from: Ct
Date submitted: July 2, 2005

Trail Name: Metacomet Trail
I have hiked there: Several times
I last hiked there in: May, 2005
Trails that I hiked: most
Favorite trails:
Best time to go: early spring and fall
Trail marking: Fair
Trail maintenance: Fair
Rating: 4 stars
What I liked: great views of Farmington Valley
What I disliked: some of it goes too close to residential areas - just before you get to "fifty cent's" house, with all it's security, you go thru someone's yard with 2 dogs they don't leash
Additional comments: i'm doing the whole trail, from Granby to Meriden in one day (one week before) for Ntl. Trails Day. Has anyone else done it all in one day before?
Submitted by: bobby r
from: west hartford
Date submitted: May 27, 2005

Trail Name: Metacomet Trail
I have hiked there: Several
I last hiked there in: Feb, 2004
Trails that I hiked: Metacomet (blue trail)
Favorite trails: the ragged mountain loop, and the peak on penical mountain
Best time to go: fall
Trail marking: Fair
Trail maintenance: Fair
Rating: 4 stars
What I liked: Ragged mountain offers many scenic outlooks and a more of a challenging hike. Penical is a very easy hike and the the peak is well worth the effortless hike.
What I disliked: the broken glass
Comments: Rattle snake mountain and penical mountain are connected on the plainville/farmington line. the blue trail will bring you the cliff on penical to the old nike missle base and an old stone foundation of a structure that once stood there. From there you can take the trail to rattle snake mountain along the way you pass through an intresting rock formation that kinda makes a tunnel to hike through. a good place to take a sip of water becuase the trail is steep here. and five minuets from here you will reach will warens den ( a cave)dont be fooled..the small crawl space into the cave. The cave is big enough to stand and walk around. In the winter there are some neat ice formation along the walls of the inner cave and are cool to check out.
Submitted by: Steven P.
from: New Britain
Date submitted: Feb 29, 2004

Trail Name: Metacomet Trail
I have hiked there: Several
I last hiked there in: May, 2003
Trails that I hiked: metacomet trail
Favorite trails:
Best time to go: anytime that you want
Trail marking: Fair
Trail maintenance: Fair
Rating: 3 stars
What I liked: they go on forever you will never run out of trail
What I disliked: they are ridden frequently by atvs making them very rocky in most places
Comments: be careful to stay on the trail and not go off a side trail because you might end up in someones backyard
Submitted by: mb
from: durham, ct
Date submitted: May 26, 2003

Trail Name: Metacomet Trail
I have hiked there: Several
I last hiked there in: Oct, 1999
Trails that I hiked: Metacomet
Favorite trails: Metacomet
Best time to go: Fall
Trail marking: Fair
Trail maintenance: Fair
Rating: 3 stars
What I liked: Scenery & Varied terrain
What I disliked:
Comments: Check out Will Warren's Den (Farmington), Hospital Rock Lookout(Farmington) and the Nike Missile Base (Plainville)
Submitted by: Brian
from: Farmington, CT
Date submitted: March 19, 2003

Rate this trail