Details
Trail Length: 9.2 miles
Towns: Hebron, Bolton, Glastonbury
Allowed Uses: Hiking Only
Trail Overview
Gay City State Park consists of 1,569 acres in Hebron, Bolton, and Glastonbury and has looping trails totaling almost 10 miles. The blue-blazed Gay City Trail provides access to the longer blue-blazed Shenipsit Trail to the west. The terrain is gently rolling through mature oak and hickory with stream crossings and views of ponds and marshes. There is diverse wildlife, easy walking, and good cross-country skiing. Gay City State Park is named for John Gay, who was the first president of a community founded in 1796 that included 25 families. The Park was originally founded by Elijah Andrus and later, Henry Sumner. For years, Gay City prospered with several mills powered by the Blackledge River. However, in 1879, Gay City became a ghost town when the last mill burned to the ground. Cellar holes, stone walls, mill ruins, a cemetery, and historic roads are evidence of the settlers who labored to create a community in Gay City. In fact, roads from this community form the backbone of the modern-day trail system.
The trails are organized into three main routes, marked with different blazes: Gay City Trail (blue), Outer Loop (red), and Pond View Trail (white). There are also connecting trails blazed orange, yellow, and blue-white. A fee is charged from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
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