Governor Ned Lamont and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) have announced the award of approximately $10.5 million in grants supporting 50 projects that will plan, build, expand, restore, and improve multi-use trails across Connecticut.
The grants are being released through the Connecticut Recreational Trails Grant Program following a competitive review process conducted by DEEP in partnership with the Connecticut Greenways Council. Funding for the program was previously allocated by the State Bond Commission.
This year's awards support a wide variety of projects, including new trail construction, trail rehabilitation, bridge replacements, accessibility improvements, trailhead and parking enhancements, planning and design efforts, and long-term maintenance of Connecticut's statewide trail network. All projects enhance or expand public access to trails.
"Connecticut's extensive trail network is one of our state's greatest outdoor assets," Lamont said. "These investments will improve access to the outdoors, strengthen local economies, attract visitors, encourage healthy lifestyles, and help connect people to the communities where they live and work. I'm proud that we're continuing to invest in projects that will benefit residents and visitors for generations to come."
DEEP Acting Commissioner Emma Cimino said the projects will improve access to safe, high-quality recreational experiences across the state. "Trails connect people with nature, strengthen communities, and provide opportunities for recreation, active transportation, and healthy living," she said. "Whether someone is hiking, bicycling, paddling, horseback riding, or simply enjoying time outdoors, these projects will improve access to safe, high-quality recreational experiences across Connecticut. We are grateful to Governor Lamont and the State Bond Commission for their continued commitment to investing in our statewide trail system and expanding opportunities for residents and visitors alike."
Twenty-five of the fifty awarded projects occur within, or serve, Connecticut's distressed municipalities and environmental justice communities, which the state says will improve equitable access to outdoor recreation.
Connecticut's trail network continues to experience record use. According to the Connecticut Trail Census, managed by the UConn Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR), more than 2.7 million trail users were recorded at 27 monitored locations statewide during 2025.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account, outdoor recreation contributes approximately $6 billion annually to Connecticut's economy, supports more than 50,000 jobs, and generates approximately $2.8 billion in wages and salaries.
Since its creation, the Connecticut Recreational Trails Grant Program has helped communities, land trusts, nonprofit organizations, and state agencies expand and improve Connecticut's trail system. The state says these investments strengthen recreational opportunities, promote environmental stewardship, encourage active transportation, and improve quality of life for residents and visitors.
The following table lists the projects receiving grants under this round of DEEP's Connecticut Recreational Trails Grant Program:
| Applicant | Project Title | Project Type | Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspetuck Land Trust | Regional Trail Map & Public Access Initiative | Planning/Design, Publications, Outreach | $52,550.00 |
| Avalonia Land Conservancy | Cedar Wood Preserve Accessible Trail | Construction, Publications | $355,750.00 |
| Avon, Town of | Old Farms Road Connectivity Improvements Project – Phase II: Multi-Use Trail Connector – Tillotson Road to Fisher Meadows | Construction | $505,000.00 |
| Bridgeport, City of | The Old Mill Green Pathways Project | Planning/Design | $180,000.00 |
| Capitol Region Council of Governments | Lamentation Mountain Area Master Plan | Planning/Design | $150,000.00 |
| Chaplin, Town of | Helen Garrison Open Space Project | Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Amenities, Outreach | $85,993.00 |
| Chicks Ahoy Farm | Planning Public Trails at Nonprofit's Property on Hoskins Road, Bloomfield | Planning/Design | $40,000.00 |
| Connecticut College | Community Engaged Accessibility Planning at Connecticut College Arboretum | Planning/Design, Outreach | $100,000.00 |
| Connecticut Forest and Park Association | Blue-blazed Trail System, CT Woodland Conservation Corps. and CT Trails Day | Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Equipment, Outreach | $498,400.00 |
| CT Resource Conservation & Development Area, Inc. | Air Line State Park Trail Signage and Wayfinding Project | Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Amenities, Outreach | $90,000.00 |
| East Coast Greenway Alliance, Inc. | Transforming Connecticut's East Coast Greenway Experience | Education, Publications, Outreach | $108,000.00 |
| East Haddam Land Trust | Golet Farm - Senior/Disabled Trail to Wetlands Viewing Platform | Construction | $63,550.00 |
| East Hartford, City of | Silver Lane Segment, East Coast Greenway Gap Closure Design | Planning/Design | $200,000.00 |
| East Lyme, Town of | Darrow Pond Trail Improvements | Construction, Maintenance, Education | $405,000.00 |
| East Windsor, Town of | Broad Brook Multi-use Trail Corridor Planning | Planning/Design, Outreach | $48,000.00 |
| Farmington Valley Trails Council | Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Mile Marker and Street Wayfinding Project | Planning/Design, Construction, Amenities, Outreach | $38,312.00 |
| Friends of Norwalk River Valley Trail, Inc. | NRVT Kiosk & Western CT Trail Project Awareness Project | Planning/Design, Amenities, Outreach | $63,660.00 |
| Glastonbury, Town of | Arbor Acres ADA Trail Project | Construction, Amenities | $294,880.00 |
| Greenwich, Town of | Pomerance & Tuchman Parks - ADA Accessible Trail - Construction and Enhancement | Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Amenities | $122,250.00 |
| Groton, Town of | Copp Family Park Trail Accessibility Improvements | Planning/Design, Amenities, Outreach | $156,240.00 |
| Hebron, Town of | Bernstein Trail - Old Colchester Rd. to Air Line State Park Trail | Planning/Design, Construction | $193,120.00 |
| Mansfield, Town of | Community Connection - Planning for Multi-Use Path | Planning/Design | $220,465.00 |
| Marlborough, Town of | Blackledge River Greenway Trail Phase 3 | Construction | $196,950.00 |
| Monroe, Town of | Monroe Recreational Trail Project – Housatonic Rail Trail | Maintenance, Equipment, Outreach | $288,000.00 |
| Montville, Town of | The Oxoboxo Heritage Multi-Use Path & Thames River Blueway | Planning/Design | $80,000.00 |
| Naugatuck, Borough of | Naugatuck River Greenway Trail Naugatuck-Waterbury Connector Design Project | Planning/Design | $400,000.00 |
| New Britian, City of | Stanley Loop Trail - Phase 4 | Planning/Design | $366,240.00 |
| New England Mountain Bike Association | Development of a Connecticut Adaptive Assessment Committee and establish protocol for evaluating and developing adaptive trails | Planning, Education, Publications, Equipment | $125,000.00 |
| New Haven, City of | East Rock Park College Woods Inclusive Community Trail | Planning/Design | $274,730.00 |
| Newtown, Town of | Housatonic Rail Trail Extension | Construction | $170,000.00 |
| Norfolk, Town of | Proposed North Brook Trail Completion | Construction | $226,155.00 |
| Pomfret, Town of | Pomfret Trail Access & Connectivity Enhancement Project | Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Amenities | $99,000.00 |
| Prospect, Town of | McGrath Park Walking Trail Project | Planning/Design | $34,500.00 |
| Salisbury, Town of | Salisbury Trail Connector | Planning/Design | $180,582.00 |
| Simsbury, Town of | Farmington River Trail Maintenance | Maintenance | $248,000.00 |
| Scotland, Town of | Scotland Elementary School, Library and Huntington Trust Connected Trails System | Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Outreach | $139,000.00 |
| South Windsor, Town of | South Windsor Crosstown Trail - Phase 3 | Planning/Design | $200,000.00 |
| Steep Rock Association | Phase 2: Construction of ADA-Accessible Bridge and Trail in Hidden Valley Preserve | Planning/Design, Construction, Equipment, Amenities | $495,000.00 |
| Thomaston, Town of | Thomaston Naugatuck River Greenway Section 2 | Planning/Design, Construction | $200,000.00 |
| Torrington, Town of | Red Mountain Trail Bridge Phase - Design | Planning/Design | $81,750.00 |
| Trust for Public Land | Mono Pond State Park Phase I Trail Construction Project | Planning/Design, Construction, Maintenance, Publications, Outreach | $415,000.00 |
| University of Connecticut | UConn Trails Program: Integrating Trails and Active Living | Education, Publications, Outreach | $492,874.00 |
| UR Community Cares, Inc. | Manchester Mobility Project | Equipment, Amenities | $21,068.00 |
| Vernon, Town of / Hop River Trail Alliance | Hop River State Park Trail - Road Crossing Safety and Parking Assessment | Planning/Design, Outreach | $61,700.00 |
| Western CT Council of Governments | East-West Trail Study | Planning/Design, Outreach | $500,000.00 |
| Wethersfield, Town of | Heritage Way Trail Improvement Project at Cove Park | Planning/Design | $50,000.00 |
| Winchester, Town of | Completion of the Sue Grossman Still River Greenway | Construction | $749,000.00 |
| Windsor, Town of | Windsor River Trail Phase II Planning | Planning/Design | $188,320.00 |
| Wolcott, Town of | Town of Wolcott-Scovill Trail Extension Design | Planning/Design | $112,000.00 |
| Connecticut DEEP State Parks | Hurd State Park ADA Accessible Trail Improvements | Construction | $123,555.00 |