NIPMUCK AND NATCHAUG TRAILS
Backpacking is allowed on these two interconnected hiking trails in northeast Connecticut. The Nipmuck Trail is 26 miles long, extending from Mansfield Hollow State Park to the Massachusetts border, and passing through 8,000-acre Nipmuck State Forest.
The Natchaug Trail is 18 miles long. It runs from J. L. Goodwin State Forest through 13,000-acre Natchaug State Forest, and then intersects with the Nipmuck Trail.
This is hilly, hardwood-forested terrain, with some areas of conifers. The trails utilize old woods roads much of the time, occasionally crossing and following alongside streams.
Camping Regulations; There are three backpack campsites or camping zones along the Nipmuck Trail, and one campsite on the Natchaug Trail.
No pets are allowed. A camping permit must be obtained in advance, and should be requested by mail at least two weeks before a trip. Write to: D.E.P. Eastern District Office, 209 Hebron Road, Marlborough, CT 06447. It’s necessary to specify campsites and dates.
For Further Information: Connecticut Office of State Parks and Recreation, 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106.
