This guide will give you everything you need to enjoy this trail including parking, pictures, gpx files and videos as well as some background history and hints and tips.

Speedy Summary

This 2.1 Mile Blue Blaze Trail is near Killingly in Connecticut and has easy parking at both ends of the trail. The trail has a superb and wide variety, including woodland areas, steep cliff lookouts and bog sections. Its popular half way along with climbers too. This trail has relatively easy terrain and is a good trail to take the whole family too. I also recommend an ‘out and back’ where you return along a path closer to the sheer ridge lookouts ( not marked on the map) so that you can enjoy different and more dramatic scenery. I’ve included GPX files for both the standard Blue Blaze Route and the suggested alternative return route. The paths only real challenge is that the blue blazes are faded and can be confusing in places.

Full Guide

The Old Furnace Trail is 2.1 miles long and set through Old Furnace State Park which was used in the past as a site for an Iron Furnace. The land was gifted to a State Park Status around 100 years ago.

History

The Trail

Shona and I parked on the southern end of the trail on a hot August day. There is a layby off the road for about 3 to 6 cars. We headed north on the trail following the blazes ( which are faded so make sure you keep track of where you are and keep looking hard on the trees). We quickly worked our way through a beautifull woods which had deep layers of ferns and woods, dramatic traprock cliffs to our left and small ‘steps’ of tree roots on the path.

The Viewpoint

About half way along the trail from either end is a stretch of about 1/4 of a mile or more than has various points for great lookouts across the ponds below. The climb is not to tricky up to it on the winding paths. If you strictly follow the blue blaze trail you will actually miss much of the lookouts, so I suggest that if you do this trail as an out and back you can take in the blue blaze trail on the way ‘up’ then take the unmarked un blazed trail that follows the cliff line on the way back to enjoy the views.

Waterfall and Car Park

The northern terminus of the trail has a beautiful and gentle waterfall section to cross before finishing in the car park at the north. On the way back (if you are doing a 4.2 mile out and back) then I suggest deviating from the blue trail when you are in view of the cliff lookouts and following the path along there before it rejoins the blue blaze trail later on about half a mile later.

Verdict

This 2.1 Mile Blue Blaze Trail is near Killingly in Connecticut and has easy parking at both ends of the trail. The trail has a superb and wide variety, including woodland areas, steep cliff lookouts and bog sections. Its popular half way along with climbers too. This trail has relatively easy terrain and is a good trail to take the whole family too. I also recommend an ‘out and back’ where you return along a path closer to the sheer ridge lookouts ( not marked on the map) so that you can enjoy different and more dramatic scenery. I’ve included GPX files for both the standard Blue Blaze Route and the suggested alternative return route. The paths only real challenge is that the blue blazes are faded and can be confusing in places.

Distance and Elevation – 2.1 miles and 255 ft of elevation gain.

Parking – Southern parking here

Northern Parking Here

Garmin Connect GPX file and track info here

Map