Long hikes have their time and place, but sometimes, it just feels nice to get outside without worrying about logging steps or miles. Buckingham Reservoir Trail at Case Mountain Park highlights everything we love about Connecticut without tying up your whole day. Check it out below and see why we’re convinced it’s among the best hikes in Connecticut – especially if you love short ones!

At just 2.8 miles long, Buckingham Reservoir Trail is such a Case Mountain Park gem. It’s quick, easy, and features a plethora of scenic views for such a short hike.

AllTrails/Seiko Ono

Traverse an enchanting wooded landscape with towering trees that appear to brush the clouds with their highest branches. Lush greenery abounds in all directions, and each step is a new chapter in your own personal fairytale adventure.

AllTrails/Joanne Britton

You’ll have to cross the water several times, but it’s never anything too deep or treacherous. This footbridge definitely helps out a bit – not to mention it offers a nice change of pace after trekking on unpaved ground up until this point.

AllTrails/John Atkinson

Listen as the sound of rushing water draws ever closer, eventually revealing its source. This spillway might be man-made, but it offers the very same tranquility a natural waterfall does.

AllTrails/Joanne Britton

Eventually, the reservoir itself opens up before your eyes. Absolutely pristine, the waters showcase a mirror image of the pale blue sky above. The deep green trees lining the banks add a nice touch, as well!

AllTrails/Joanne Britton

One of the best things about this hike is its versatility. No matter what the season, rest assured that you’re in for breathtaking views. Take fall, for example – the striking crimson, gold, and amber foliage will leave you awestruck.

AllTrails/Lisa Johnson

During wintertime, a thick layer of snow almost always blankets the ground. Frolic through the flurries without a care in the world, knowing your footprints will come to the rescue if ever you get lost.

AllTrails/Francois Weinquin

Visit the AllTrails page to learn more about this wonderful hike.

AllTrails/Seiko Ono

AllTrails/Joanne Britton

AllTrails/John Atkinson

AllTrails/Lisa Johnson

AllTrails/Francois Weinquin

Have you ever hiked Buckingham Reservoir Trail? If so, we’d love to hear all about your experience! Check out our previous article for another easy, yet bucket list-worthy hike: Walk Over A Gorgeous Bridge On The Bee Brook Loop, An Easy 2-Mile Hike In Connecticut. What are your favorite hikes in Connecticut? Tell us about those, too!

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Address: Buckingham Reservoir, Glastonbury, CT 06033, USA

The OIYS Visitor Center

Best Hikes in Connecticut March 22, 2022 Tori Jane What are some of the best kid-friendly hikes around Connecticut?   Connecticut is a gorgeous state with plenty of excellent hiking trails, many of which are perfectly easy and wonderful for families with small children. We just so happen to have a few favorites when it comes to kid-friendly hikes around Connecticut, like the epic gem that is the Lake Mohegan Trail in Fairfield. This trail is a conglomeration of multiple trails of varying lengths, but they’re all well-maintained and brief. Lake views are the name of the game! Then, head to Kent Falls State Park for one of the best hikes in Connecticut (that just so happens to be kid-friendly, too); it’s a quarter-mile, easy hike to Kent Falls, and the reward is, well, Kent Falls – one of the most scenic places in the entire state. Finally, look into Wharton Brook State Park and check out the trail around the pond. It’s shady, and perfect for a hot summer day with the small ones. Want more ideas? Check this article out for inspiration!  What are some of the most amazing scenic hikes in Connecticut?   Honestly, though, which hikes in Connecticut AREN’T scenic? We’re pretty sure there aren’t any, but if you’d like a few ideas to get you started, we’ve got plenty. The Mohegan Park Loop (in Mohegan Park, obviously) is a 1.9-mile round-trip loop trail that’s both easy and a great little scenic park within city limits. Want to go a little further out of town? Check out the Hemlock Hills Trail system nearby Ridgefield! It’s 2.3 miles round-trip and features beautiful rolling hills and babbling streams. Then, there’s the West Thompson Lake Loop in Thompson; it’s a little longer, at 7.2 miles round-trip, but it’s one moderately challenging loop trail you won’t want to miss. Finally, we recommend the West Rock Ridge Loop if you enjoy the Thompson Lake Loop; it’s 7.9 miles long and a bit more challenging than the others mentioned here, but we promise it’s worthwhile. What hikes in Kansas are your favorites? We have too many to pick! 

The OIYS Visitor Center

Best Hikes in Connecticut

March 22, 2022

Tori Jane

What are some of the best kid-friendly hikes around Connecticut?   Connecticut is a gorgeous state with plenty of excellent hiking trails, many of which are perfectly easy and wonderful for families with small children. We just so happen to have a few favorites when it comes to kid-friendly hikes around Connecticut, like the epic gem that is the Lake Mohegan Trail in Fairfield. This trail is a conglomeration of multiple trails of varying lengths, but they’re all well-maintained and brief. Lake views are the name of the game! Then, head to Kent Falls State Park for one of the best hikes in Connecticut (that just so happens to be kid-friendly, too); it’s a quarter-mile, easy hike to Kent Falls, and the reward is, well, Kent Falls – one of the most scenic places in the entire state. Finally, look into Wharton Brook State Park and check out the trail around the pond. It’s shady, and perfect for a hot summer day with the small ones. Want more ideas? Check this article out for inspiration!  What are some of the most amazing scenic hikes in Connecticut?   Honestly, though, which hikes in Connecticut AREN’T scenic? We’re pretty sure there aren’t any, but if you’d like a few ideas to get you started, we’ve got plenty. The Mohegan Park Loop (in Mohegan Park, obviously) is a 1.9-mile round-trip loop trail that’s both easy and a great little scenic park within city limits. Want to go a little further out of town? Check out the Hemlock Hills Trail system nearby Ridgefield! It’s 2.3 miles round-trip and features beautiful rolling hills and babbling streams. Then, there’s the West Thompson Lake Loop in Thompson; it’s a little longer, at 7.2 miles round-trip, but it’s one moderately challenging loop trail you won’t want to miss. Finally, we recommend the West Rock Ridge Loop if you enjoy the Thompson Lake Loop; it’s 7.9 miles long and a bit more challenging than the others mentioned here, but we promise it’s worthwhile. What hikes in Kansas are your favorites? We have too many to pick! 

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Connecticut is a gorgeous state with plenty of excellent hiking trails, many of which are perfectly easy and wonderful for families with small children. We just so happen to have a few favorites when it comes to kid-friendly hikes around Connecticut, like the epic gem that is the Lake Mohegan Trail in Fairfield. This trail is a conglomeration of multiple trails of varying lengths, but they’re all well-maintained and brief. Lake views are the name of the game! Then, head to Kent Falls State Park for one of the best hikes in Connecticut (that just so happens to be kid-friendly, too); it’s a quarter-mile, easy hike to Kent Falls, and the reward is, well, Kent Falls – one of the most scenic places in the entire state. Finally, look into Wharton Brook State Park and check out the trail around the pond. It’s shady, and perfect for a hot summer day with the small ones. Want more ideas? Check this article out for inspiration! 

What are some of the most amazing scenic hikes in Connecticut?  

Honestly, though, which hikes in Connecticut AREN’T scenic? We’re pretty sure there aren’t any, but if you’d like a few ideas to get you started, we’ve got plenty. The Mohegan Park Loop (in Mohegan Park, obviously) is a 1.9-mile round-trip loop trail that’s both easy and a great little scenic park within city limits. Want to go a little further out of town? Check out the Hemlock Hills Trail system nearby Ridgefield! It’s 2.3 miles round-trip and features beautiful rolling hills and babbling streams. Then, there’s the West Thompson Lake Loop in Thompson; it’s a little longer, at 7.2 miles round-trip, but it’s one moderately challenging loop trail you won’t want to miss. Finally, we recommend the West Rock Ridge Loop if you enjoy the Thompson Lake Loop; it’s 7.9 miles long and a bit more challenging than the others mentioned here, but we promise it’s worthwhile. What hikes in Kansas are your favorites? We have too many to pick!