Connecticut · Hiking

Charcoal Pit Trail

Charcoal Pit TrailPhoto: Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.3 mi
one way
350 ft
climb
1,546 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Jul–Oct
best months

Charcoal Pit Trail is an easy, short hike in Connecticut, about 2 miles from the town of Norfolk. The trail covers roughly 1.3 miles, with a one-way climb of 350 feet from a low point of 1,355 feet to a high of 1,546 feet. The route's steepest section comes around 0.6 miles in, with a grade of about 18 percent. Summer and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Norfolk put July highs near 78°F and September highs near 69°F, while winter brings frequent snow days from December through February. The trail works well as a quick outing. The Crissey Trail and the Overlook Trail both lie about 0.3 miles away, and the Tobey Bog Trail is about half a mile off. For climbing, Reed Brook Roof is roughly 7 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Jul–Oct

    Best time to visit Charcoal Pit Trail

    Best months: July–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.

    1. Jan

      30° / 14°

      13 wet · 9 snow

    2. Feb

      32° / 15°

      12 wet · 8 snow

    3. Mar

      40° / 23°

      13 wet · 7 snow

    4. Apr

      54° / 34°

      13 wet · 2 snow

    5. May

      65° / 45°

      14 wet

    6. Jun

      73° / 55°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      78° / 59°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      76° / 58°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      69° / 51°

      11 wet

    10. Oct

      57° / 40°

      12 wet

    11. Nov

      45° / 30°

      12 wet · 3 snow

    12. Dec

      35° / 21°

      14 wet · 7 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Norfolk 2 Sw, CT, 0.4 mi away at 1,340 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Crissey TrailPhoto: feelsgoodlost, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Crissey Trail

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2.16-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 394 ft gain

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Number 4 Trail

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Overlook TrailPhoto: feelsgoodlost, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Overlook Trail

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1.03-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 225 ft gain

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Norbrook Woods Roads

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Tamarack TrailPhoto: Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Tamarack Trail

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0.46-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 82 ft gain.

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Norbrook Bike Trails

~9 min drive

8-mile point-to-point bike trail through Connecticut woodland.

Tobey Bog TrailPhoto: Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Tobey Bog Trail

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0.70-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 34 ft gain and 186 ft loss.

Crossover TrailPhoto: feelsgoodlost, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Crossover Trail

~1 min drive

0.42-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 34 ft gain.

Botelle Nature TrailPhoto: Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Botelle Nature Trail

~4 min drive

2.88-mile out-and-back hike in Connecticut with 586 ft elevation gain

Haystack Tower Loop TrailPhoto: pedrik, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Haystack Tower Loop Trail

~4 min drive

Point-to-point trail to historic Haystack Tower with scenic views.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors