Private Canal built in the early 19th century intended to be used as a trade route prior to the railroad. In the present, it is now used as a trail for walkers and bikers. The trail is entirely pet friendly and open from dawn until dusk.
Mission Statement:
Do you have a vast appreciation for the outdoors? Are you seeking exercise options but don't know where to look? Do you also have a knack for tracking down prestigious New England landmarks? Then come on down to the Farmington Canal Nature Trail! We are located in Hamden, CT, on 268 Sherman Avenue, just across from York Hill campus at Quinnipiac University. The canal is not *just* another trail, see for yourself why!
The Farmington Canal, a trail that runs approximately 84 miles from New Haven, CT to Northhampton MA, was originally designed for a trade route. The intended route took 10 years to build from 1825-1835. Unfortunately, with the invention of the locomotive and railroad a short time later, the canal instead took a new use. When rail lines were built on the existing route, the route became a railroad line, That line continued into the 1980s until it was removed and sold. In the 1990's, the trail was paved as it is today. Did you know the Hamden stretch of the canal was the first to be paved into use for recreation? Did you also know that about half of the original route has been made suitable for recreation? For much of the Hamden section, the route 10, a route with plenty of restaurants and amenities for your leisure before or after your exercise.
