Connecticut · Hiking

Sam Yankee Trail

1.0 mi
one way
200 ft
climb
1,583 ft
high point
Point to point
route
Jul–Oct
best months

The Sam Yankee Trail is a short, easy hike in Connecticut, about a mile long and with a 200-foot elevation gain. It is a point-to-point route, and the climb is gentle, with the steepest stretch at about 0.15 miles in from the start. The trail runs from a low point of about 1,398 feet to a high of about 1,583 feet, and the nearest town is Lower City, about 1.6 miles away. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 78°F with lows near 59°F, while winter brings highs in the 30s and regular snow days from December through February. The trip takes about half an hour, so it works well as a quick outing. Several other trails sit close by, including High Pocket Swamp Trail at about a mile, Crissey Ridge Trail at about 1.5 miles, and Iron Mountain Trail at about 1.9 miles. Climbers can find Reed Brook Roof about 4.8 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Jul–Oct

    Best time to visit Sam Yankee 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, 2.9 mi away at 1,340 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

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

Crossover Trail

~3 min drive

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

HIKE

Number 4 Trail

~3 min drive

8.0-mile out-and-back trail in Connecticut with 1,347 ft gain and 1,615 ft max elevation.

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

Tamarack Trail

~4 min drive

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

HIKE

Norbrook Woods Roads

~12 min drive

Moderate 7.59-mile point-to-point woodland trail through Connecticut forests.

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

Overlook Trail

~4 min drive

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

HIKE

Norbrook Bike Trails

~13 min drive

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

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

Crissey Trail

~4 min drive

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

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

Charcoal Pit Trail

~4 min drive

Charcoal Pit Trail is a 1.29-mile point-to-point trail in Connecticut with 77 feet of elevation gain.

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

Tobey Bog Trail

~5 min drive

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

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

East Summit Trail

~8 min drive

1.59-mile point-to-point hike in Connecticut with 370 ft gain

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors