Naugatuck Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Geological Significance · River/Creek

This trail is a Connecticut Forest and Park Association blue-blazed trail

This trail used to begin at a roadside parking area on Route 42, but for the 2024 season the eastern terminus has been moved to the base of the Whitmore trail, with a dedicated parking area and a freshly blazed segment running northeast to rejoin the old route a bit south of the takeoff to the Beacon Cap Trail. The fresh segment is a gradual uphill through forest.

Here the trail continues to ascend and roll slightly until it passes the Beacon Cap Trail which is a yellow and blue blazed spur to the right. After this point, the terrain is level for a mile or so and the trail passes the Whitmore Trail on the left. Next, the trail comes to what some maps call a "gorge."

While in reality, it is nothing so grandiose, the trail descends here with a nice brook. After crossing the brook, the terrain becomes relatively flat for another 2 miles. The trail then turns and double tracks with another old forest road as it descends into the valley below.

When the trail levels off again it provides a wonderful view of the cascades on Egypt Brook. After continuing just a bit farther the trail provides fairly breathtaking views of the bluffs across Route 8 in the forest's eastern block. The rest of the trail is very flat as it continues next to the highway to the parking area at its western terminus.