YMCA Camp Sloper
Campground
Campground · 3.2 mi from the trail
Connecticut · Hiking · Near Middletown
Blue-Orange Trail
- 0.7 mi
- one way
- 220 ft
- climb
- 486 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
- Apr, Jun–Oct
- best months
The Blue-Orange Trail is a short, easy hike in Connecticut's Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve, a point-to-point route of about 0.7 miles with a total elevation gain of 220 feet. It starts at a low point of about 245 feet and reaches a high of about 486 feet, with the steepest stretch at roughly 0.47 miles in, where the grade reaches about 13 percent. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Meriden run to highs around 70°F in May and 75°F in September, and the preserve sits higher than that station, so temperatures on the trail run a little cooler. The trail makes an easy pairing with other routes in the preserve. The Blue-White Trail and Blue-Red Trail both lie about 0.6 miles away, and the Orange Trail is about 1.5 miles off. Climbers can find Nyack Beach State Park about 0.6 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Bella Pizza
Restaurant
On your way back · 1 mi
If it rainsJoe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsDavison Art Center
Gallery
In townUniversity art museum in Middletown, Connecticut
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)
More in MiddletownBest time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct
Best time to visit Blue-Orange Trail
Best months: April and June–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
37° / 19°
10 wet
Feb
39° / 20°
9 wet
Mar
47° / 28°
10 wet
Apr
60° / 38°
11 wet
May
70° / 48°
13 wet
Jun
79° / 57°
12 wet
Jul
84° / 63°
12 wet
Aug
82° / 61°
12 wet
Sep
75° / 54°
11 wet
Oct
64° / 42°
12 wet
Nov
52° / 32°
10 wet
Dec
42° / 24°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Meriden Markham Muni Ap, CT, 8.5 mi away at 103 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: ragesoss, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Yellow Trail
~7 min drive
Quick point-to-point Connecticut trail under half a mile.
HIKE
Tunxis Trail
~11 min drive
A 45-mile point-to-point Connecticut trail through forests and highlands.
Photo: christinejwarner, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Yellow Trail
~8 min drive
Yellow Trail is a 0.88-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 275 ft of elevation gain.
Photo: christinejwarner, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Red Trail
~9 min drive
A short point-to-point trail under a mile in Connecticut.
Photo: supa_pedro, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)White Trail
~10 min drive
Easy 1.2-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut.
Photo: daveclausen, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Blue-Red Trail
~12 min drive
0.83-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 186 ft of elevation gain.
HIKE
Blue-White Trail
~1 min drive
0.52-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 191 ft gain.
HIKE
Blue-Red Trail
~1 min drive
A 3-mile point-to-point Connecticut trail blending blue and red-marked routes.
HIKE
Blue-Yellow Trail
~1 min drive
0.88-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 65 ft gain and 294 ft loss.
HIKE
Orange Trail
~3 min drive
0.45-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 332 ft gain
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
