The Westwoods Trails is an extensive

hiking trail A trail, also known as a path or track, is an unpaved lane or small road usually passing through a natural area. In the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, a path or footpath is the preferred term for a pedestrian or hiking trail. The ...

system in

Guilford, Connecticut Guilford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the Connecticut seacoast. The population was 22,073 at the 2020 census. History Guilfo ...

. The trail system has approximately of trails with features including caves, lakes, streams, rivers, and interesting rock formations. The preserve extends across land owned by th
Guilford Land Conservation Trust
which also owns many other land parcels across the town which provide hiking trails, and th
State of Connecticut
The trails are accessible for walking, running, and mountain biking
Hunting
is only allowed on state land during the season.

Trail description

The Westwoods Trails is primarily used for

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

mountain biking Mountain biking is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and pe ...

backpacking Backpacking may refer to: * Backpacking (travel), low-cost, independent, international travel * Backpacking (hiking), trekking and camping overnight in the wilderness * Ultralight backpacking, a style of wilderness backpacking with an emphasis on ...

, picnicking, and in the winter, snowshoeing. Portions of the trail are suitable for, and are used for,

cross-country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreation ...

and

geocaching Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", at specific l ...

. Site-specific activities enjoyed along the route include bird watching,

hunting Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

(very limited),

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

, horseback riding, bouldering and

rock climbing Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and ...

(limited).

Trail route

Trail communities

The Westwoods Trails are completely contained in the western section of

Guilford Guildford is a town in Surrey, England. It gives its name to the Borough of Guildford, the Diocese of Guildford and the Parliamentary constituency of Guildford. Guildford, Guilford, or Gildford may also refer to: Places Australia * Guildfor ...

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

. It is very close to the Branford,

border however and the 'Green Trail' connects the WestWoods Trails to the Stony Creek Quarry Trails System in Branford, CT.

Landscape, geology, and natural environment

History and folklore

The Westwoods Trails are maintained on behalf of the land trust by th
Westwoods Trails Committee

Hiking the trail

The trails are blazed wit
several colors as well as shapes
Trail descriptions and maps are available from a number of commercial and non-commercial sources, and a complete guide to the WestWoods Trails is published in the Connecticut Walk Book East by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association Weather along the route is typical of

. Conditions on exposed ridge tops and summits may be harsher during cold or stormy weather.NOAA
/ref>

Lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electric charge, electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the land, ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous ...

is a hazard on exposed summits and ledges during thunderstorms. Snow is common in the winter and may necessitate the use of snowshoes. Ice can form on exposed ledges and summits, making hiking dangerous without special equipment. Biting insects can be bothersome during warm weather. Parasitic deer ticks (which are known to carry

Lyme disease Lyme disease, also known as Lyme borreliosis, is a vector-borne disease caused by the ''Borrelia'' bacterium, which is spread by ticks in the genus ''Ixodes''. The most common sign of infection is an expanding red rash, known as erythema migran ...

) are a potential hazard. Wearing bright orange clothing during the hunting season (Fall through December) is recommended.

Conservation and maintenance of the trail corridor

References

External links

Specific to this trail:
Guilford Land Conservation Trust

Westwoods Tom's Personal Website and Blog

{{Protected areas of Connecticut Hiking trails in Connecticut Guilford, Connecticut Protected areas of New Haven County, Connecticut