The Pomperaug Trail is a 4.3 Mile CFPA Blue Blaze trail near Southbury that connects The Kettletown State Park and Jackson Cove Recreation area in Oxford. The trail passes through wetlands and woodlands, overlooking Lake Zoar and has rocky outcrops which are encrusted with garnet which was harvested in the garnet mine below the trail.

In Depth Guide

This 4.2 mile trail has stunning woodland with large rocky outcrops. Its not an easy trail under foot, and has some areas with a bit of clambering or picking your way along rocks but its well worth the effort. In the summer this trail will give you plenty of shade from the heat and with a cooling breeze from lake Zoar give you more reasons to spend time on it.

You may also be interested in my bigger guide to the Best Trails of CT here.

Kettletown State Park

The Kettletown State Park is located on the eastern shore of Lake Zoar which is actually made up from the Housatonic River. About half way along the trail you will likely hear the sounds of engines of boats and jetskis in the summer months, but the good news is that you only hear them shortly before and after the shoreline. You cannot park in this area without a permit.

Jackson Cove Recreation Area

This area is for playground, picnics and launching boats and is likely to be busy in the summer months. There are toilet facilities there too.

Lake Zoar Views

The lake was created by flooding an area named “Pleasantvale” or “Pleasant Vale”, which had been part of Oxford. The southern half of the trail has a decent lookout of the lake early on too.

Garnet Rocky Outcrops

Connecticut is one of the finest sources in the world of the almandine garnet, named the state mineral by the 1977 General Assembly. On the second half of the trail north of the Lake Zoar shoreline you may want to opt for the Crest Trail which is marked and runs parallel to the main trail but gives you lots of lookouts that the Pomperaug Trail doesn’t have. The trail terrain under foot is easier for the northern half of the trail too.

Summary

The Pomperaug Trail is a 4.6 Mile CFPA Blue Blaze trail near Southbury that connects The Kettletown State Park and Jackson Cove Recreation area in Oxford. The trail passes through wetlands and woodlands, overlooking Lake Zoar and has rocky outcrops which are encrusted with garnet which was harvested in the garnet mine below the trail.

The Northern Trail head also attaches to the Kettletown Brook Trail Cascades which are half a mile of beautiful cascades that are also well worth walking along and also link the trail to the Miller Trail.

Parking info

Southern Trail Head . look for the trail start hidden off the right hand side of the large private gates you see directly in front of you at the end of the road.

Northern trail head in Kettletown State Park here