Hiking Home
From Dominica to Connecticut, Mosi Moses shares her passion for hiking.
By Britany Robinson
If you look at Connecticut hiking content on Instagram, there’s a good chance you’re familiar with Mosi Moses. Through her popular account, @ConnecticutTrails, Mosi has been posting photos of hiking all over the state and beyond since 2018. In addition to sharing inspiring content and beautiful places online, she hosts group hikes that are open to the public. It’s all part of her mission to advocate for better access and a more inclusive outdoor community in CT.
Mosi moved to New Haven in 2005, and today she lives in East Haven with her husband and two children. Connecticut is vastly different from her place of birth, where perennially lush mountains drop into tropical beaches. (The kind of place many people dream of in the middle of a cold New England winter.) But Mosi has learned to embrace all seasons of Connecticut, becoming an expert on exploring this state by foot, via parks and trails.
I joined Mosi for a hike in West Rock State Park, when the leaves were at their peak fall brilliance, to chat about what makes Connecticut hiking so special, how we can encourage more people to enjoy the abundance of trails here, and what keeps her excited about exploring this home and beyond.
BR: What first brought you to Connecticut?
MM: I came to Connecticut after my father and his wife migrated here. He’s from the island of Dominica, which is where I was born, too. Initially we were supposed to move to California, but then my stepmom took a job at Yale, as a professor in their environmental science department. So rather than moving to sunny California, I came to Connecticut at twenty!
I moved here in August when it was really, really hot. That was good, coming from a tropical climate. It helped ease me into the whole Connecticut thing. At first, I had a lot of apprehension about the cold and the changing seasons. It was exciting but nerve-racking.
Then came fall, and I watched in awe as the leaves started to change, and this tree in front of my house started turning yellow and orange. I was so taken aback, I mailed a leaf to a friend in Florida, like, “Look at this!”
After my stepmom was done at Yale, she and my dad moved to California. I had already been laying down roots here; I was going to school, working on my bachelor’s degree, working a couple jobs. I decided I was going to stay in Connecticut. By then I had developed a love for New Haven. I’ve been here now for twenty years.
Fall is beautiful, but how’d you feel about your first winter?
Oh, it was horrendous. Shout out to my stepmom for teaching me how to buy a winter jacket. People who grew up in New England take these things for granted, but when you come from a tropical island, the sun sets at the same time every day and the temperature is pretty stable the entire year. So, it was a rough transition.
I remember my first snowfall vividly. I was coming from the hairdresser; I had just gotten my hair straightened, and it started snowing. I tried covering my hair with my hood. Then this couple strolled past me, holding hands, and they were really excited about the snow. I felt like such a Scrooge. What are they so happy about? It’s cold!
Hiking up steps
How’d you get into hiking?
When you live on an island, I feel like you’re a hiker by nature. Dominica specifically is referred to as the “Nature Island of the Caribbean.” It has 365 rivers, and it is LUSH. There is one of the only boiling lakes in the world. Exploring is the thing to do. You go to the beach or just enjoy nature because it’s beautiful and free. So, I think I’ve always been a hiker.
I grew up in a Rastafarian commune. I don’t particularly remember this, but many years after we moved away from that community, I went back there with my dad, and I saw the plank where we would walk across the river to reach the commune. It was in a very remote area. My dad told me we used to walk over this big log, and sometimes my mom would carry me if the water was too high. I’ve always been exploring nature.
When I moved [to Connecticut], I felt like, when it was cold and dark, we shouldn’t go outside. For many years, I would spend my winters not going outside, not hiking, not walking—just avoiding it. I eventually came to realize I can’t live like that!
I just adopted it as my mission, encouraging people to get outside—especially minority groups and immigrants who might feel the same way I did at first about getting outdoors in the cold, in a strange place.
How was your first winter hike?
I don’t think I was properly equipped for my first winter hike. I have fond memories, though. It was a challenging but exhilarating hike up Bear Mountain.
Now I have two boys, twelve and six. They’re very resilient, and they absolutely love exploring in the snow. I open the door and say, “Go ahead!”
What do you like most about hiking in Connecticut?
It took me a while to realize there are so many trails and state parks here. I’m very routine-based, so when I first started hiking, I would always go to the closest option. When I lived in the East Rock area, the closest trail was East Rock Park. I didn’t drive, so I needed something that was quick and accessible. Now, I cannot get lost in East Rock Park. Drop me anywhere, and I can find my way.
Then one year, I got the book 50 Hikes in Connecticut by Mary Anne Hardy. I decided I would visit every single one of these trails that year. It was a cool way to encourage myself to explore new places.
Did you do them all in a year?!
Oh yeah!
Which trail surprised you the most out of those 50?
Day Pond State Park. There was an image in the book of this waterfall— but the picture didn’t even scratch the surface of how amazing and vast it was. Just: WHOA.
You’ve been posting about hiking in Connecticut on Instagram since 2018. When did you start hosting hikes through CT Trails?
I don’t think I can pinpoint exactly when. I would just drag my friends into the woods. Let’s go hiking, let’s go hiking! I made it my mission, encouraging people to get outside—especially minority groups and immigrants who might feel the same way I did at first about getting outdoors in the cold, in a strange place.
Group of hikers at scenic overlook
And now you’re the face of Connecticut hiking with this big Instagram account, sharing all these trails!
I didn’t set out to be that—but it just kind of happened.
How does it feel to get those groups, especially minorities and immigrants, on the trail for the first time?
It’s exciting! The best part is when people say, “I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this, but it was awesome. When can we do it again?”
A big part of this is education, spreading awareness, letting people know that you don’t need a lot to take on hiking as a hobby. If you can put one foot in front of the other, you can hike. You don’t need a lot of fancy gear. And you can evolve within the sport. Start with some trail runners and then maybe you get hiking boots and then you get to the point where you want hiking poles.
You might start in the summer, and you keep hiking in the fall, and eventually you understand what you need to hike in the wintertime and be comfortable and really enjoy it.
Now, I like getting out in the snow.
How did you go about finding community when you first moved to Connecticut?
I think in any aspect of life, if you are genuine in the things you do, your people will find you. During the pandemic, I met a group of women, and we were all interested in getting outside and hiking with other women. That was my foundation for finding my people. But also, that created an awareness that even in a group of five to ten women, I was the only woman of color. It gave me an awareness that in Connecticut, there weren’t many other women of color exploring the outdoors. That motivated me. We have to get our people out here. There is no cost to exploring nature, and it’s so good for your mental and physical health.
The best part is when people say, “I didn’t think I was going to enjoy this, but it was awesome. When can we do it again?”
What’s your advice on finding community and getting out there if you don’t feel comfortable?
Start off with a small trail close to your house, or join a group hike—there are so many hiking groups in Connecticut. Go with other people who can expose you to the trails, teach you how to follow the blazes, give you advice on what to wear. Those things make a difference. If you’re out here and you’re not comfortable, you’re not going to want to go again.
How can we all make the trails more welcoming and inclusive in Connecticut?
Share them! No gatekeeping. Go outside of your comfort zone and invite someone who you maybe think wouldn’t be interested. Make it an inviting experience.
In addition to hosting hikes around Connecticut, you lead people on international trips. Where have you been lately?
We just got back from a trip to Egypt. The year before we did Bali. In October of 2026, we’re going to Japan. I host the trip through CT Trails, but it’s open to anyone who is interested in exploring internationally with like-minded people—anyone who is curious and respects other people’s cultures and has wanderlust. Hiking is a big part of these trips.
You’ve hiked all over the world. When you come back to Connecticut, what excites you about home?
World travel has helped me appreciate hiking in Connecticut more. I appreciate that I can explore well-maintained trails in four different seasons here, and I appreciate them in different ways with every visit. It reminds me of the metaphor from Heraclitus that no man can step into the same river twice because it is not the same river and he is not the same man.
Days after our hike, I followed up with Mosi. As a relative newbie to Connecticut, I was eager for more recommendations and tips for exploring the state. Here’s what Mosi shared!
Best place to hike with a family or a group of friends with different abilities?
The bottom of East Rock Park, near Eli Whitney. There is a covered bridge, amazing bird watching, and you can walk along the Mill River with little elevation gain.
Favorite trail for a challenging hike?
Bear Mountain.
Best hike to a lookout tower?
Heublein Tower [in Simsbury]—accessible, with 360-degree views.
Favorite spot for an after-hike meal?
Arethusa is a good one near Mount Tom. While you’re there, you can pick up some fresh cheese and dairy. Since East Rock is my go-to, I spend a lot of time at The Pantry [in New Haven] as well!
Most underrated town for hiking?
Canaan, specifically the Falls Village area.
Bucket-list hike you haven’t gotten to yet in CT or elsewhere?
I’ll give you both. There are stretches of the Appalachian Trail in CT that I haven’t done and would like to complete. Internationally I’d like to summit Kilimanjaro.