Details

Trail Length: 13.7 miles
Towns: Bridgewater, New Milford
Allowed Uses: Hiking Only
Partners: The Nature Conservancy

Trail Overview

The Nature Conservancy’s Sunny Valley Preserve (SVP) consists of more than 1,850 acres of agricultural and natural areas in Bridgewater and New Milford. The Blue Trail is the longest trail in the SVP system. It extends from Bridgewater Town Park on Lake Lillinonah to the south end of the Preserve’s Iron Ore Hill parcel on Iron Ore Hill Road. Red-blazed trails form loops off the Blue Trail on Iron Ore Hill and on the lake side of Rocky Hill. The yellow-blazed Rocky Hill Trail traverses the rugged slopes of Rocky Hill to link Hemlock Road and Benson Road. White-blazed connector trails provide opportunities for circular walks of various lengths. The Wolf Pit Mountain Trail consists of two loop trails that lead to the summit of Wolf Pit Mountain.

Located in New Milford, the SVP Farm & Nature Trails consist of three color-coded trails of varying difficulty. The main trail is on fairly level terrain ideal for family hiking. It parallels agricultural fields and provides a rare close-up view of an active dairy farm. A half-mile trail traverses a small but rocky mountain, and the third trail follows an old farm path to an interesting red maple swamp.

The Sunny Valley Preserve trails exist through the courtesy of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and several private landowners. Additional information is available from the Preserve website or office: (860) 355-3716. Hikers using these trails are expected to be respectful of the land and the creatures living there. Additionally, hikers should:

  • Stay on the blazed paths
  • Keep dogs leashed at all times
  • Leave no litter

Sunny Valley Preserve

Our Trail Partners

CFPA acknowledges we are on the traditional lands of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the Mohegans, the Eastern Pequot, Schaghticoke, Golden Hill Paugussett, Nipmuc, and Niantic peoples. We pay our respect to the Indigenous people who are no longer here due to colonization, forced relocation, disease, and warfare. We thank them for stewarding this land throughout generations. We recognize the continued presence of Indigenous people on this territory who have survived attempted genocide, and who still hold ties to the land spiritually and culturally. We shall be good stewards of the land we all call Quinnentucket, Connecticut.