Hiking at Gillette Castle

Gillette Castle State Park has six short blazed trails that add up to about 3.8 miles on DEEP's map, most of them on the bed of William Gillette's miniature railroad. The longest is the Purple Train Trail at 1.14 miles, and DEEP's featured walk links it to the Blue Trail for about 1.5 miles, easy to moderate, through a 75-foot tunnel to the river. The trails are free, open 8 a.m. to sunset, foot travel only, and leashed dogs are welcome.

The Trails

DEEP's trail map (dated June 26, 2020) gives these lengths:

• Purple (Train Trail): 1.14 miles, the old railroad bed with trestles and the tunnel (train trail).
• Orange: 0.67 miles.
• Yellow: 0.65 miles.
• Red: 0.49 miles.
• White: 0.49 miles, near the Goldfish Pond.
• Blue: 0.34 miles, to the Osaki house and the Aunt Polly wreck (Aunt Polly).

The map also shows unblazed paths, the paved park roads and gravel roads. The Friends of Gillette Castle State Park say the trails were re-blazed when DEEP updated the map in 2020. See the trail map page for what else the map marks.

The Best Walk: Train Trail to Blue Trail

DEEP's featured route is the Train Trail (Purple) to the Blue Trail, about 1.5 miles along the converted railroad path and a former driveway. You wind through the woods on the purple blazes, over footbridges and trestles and through the dark 75-foot tunnel, then join the Blue Trail to Yukitaka Osaki's house and the wreck of the Aunt Polly, Gillette's houseboat, which DEEP says is best seen at low tide.

What the Walking Is Like

The Friends say many trails are holdovers from Gillette's train system, built fairly wide and level to suit the train. Gillette's own paths are another matter: DEEP describes near-vertical stone steps, stone-arch bridges and wooden trestles up to forty feet long. The Friends add that none of the trails are paved and that wet weather softens the ground, with roots on some stretches. Wear shoes with grip.

Ponds and Views

The trails pass woods, two ponds, picnic areas and views of the Connecticut River. The Friends describe the Goldfish Pond by the park road and the Frog Pond beyond it, linked by a footbridge, with a path back to the main parking lot. The castle terrace and the Grand Central picnic shelter both look out over the river.

Hiking With a Map

• DEEP's trail map has a printable version and a mobile version.
• The Friends publish a Hiking and History Map that layers stories about Gillette's estate onto DEEP's map.
• The East Haddam Garden Club's Tree Walk identifies trees, shrubs and ferns along part of the railroad route (train trail).

Accessibility

The Friends say most trails do not work for people with mobility challenges. For a motorised wheelchair with wide tyres, the White Trail near the Goldfish Pond is the best option, with some gradual grades and uneven spots; a push wheelchair can only go a short way there. The paved park roads give views of the castle and the Goldfish Pond without trail surfaces (plan your visit).

Winter Hiking

The grounds are open all year. The Friends note that the park roads are plowed but the trails are not cleared of snow and ice.

Trail Rules

• Foot travel only on the hiking trails (DEEP map).
• Dogs on a leash; not inside the castle or on its decks (rules).
• Open 8 a.m. to sunset; parking is free (hours, parking).

Good For / Maybe Skip If

• Good for: a short walk with history built in, families, and pairing with a castle tour.
• Maybe skip if: you want a long day hike. The whole blazed network is under four miles; for more distance, DEEP's Machimoodus State Park in Moodus has 4.5 miles of trails (things to do in East Haddam).