Bear Creek Campground
Campground
Campground · 1.7 mi from the trail
Connecticut · Hiking · Near Middletown
Steep Climb Connector Trail
- 0.5 mi
- one way
- 341 ft
- climb
- 865 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
The Steep Climb Connector Trail is a 0.53-mile point-to-point hike in Connecticut, about 3 miles from the town of East Bristol. It gains 341 feet in elevation, from a start near 863 feet to a high point of 865 feet. The climb is short, and the route is rated easy, making it a quick addition to a walk in this part of the state. The trail's steepest stretch comes around 0.39 miles in, where the grade reaches about 15 percent. The total descent is 376 feet, so the route works well as a loop with a nearby trail or as a connector between two longer outings. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Burlington run from highs around 70°F in May to 75°F in September. That station sits about 360 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the summit run a little cooler. The Tunxis Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and the Steep Climb Trail is 0.4 mile off. Paddlers can reach the Quinnipiac River about 2.8 miles away, and Bradley Mountain, a climbing area, is roughly 5.3 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Beach Bar
Bar
On your way back · 1 mi
If it rainsStaib, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Staib, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)
More in MiddletownBest time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Steep Climb Connector Trail
Best months: April–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
36° / 17°
10 wet · 4 snow
Feb
39° / 18°
9 wet · 3 snow
Mar
47° / 26°
10 wet · 2 snow
Apr
59° / 36°
11 wet
May
70° / 47°
12 wet
Jun
78° / 57°
11 wet
Jul
84° / 62°
11 wet
Aug
82° / 60°
10 wet
Sep
75° / 53°
9 wet
Oct
63° / 41°
10 wet
Nov
52° / 32°
9 wet
Dec
41° / 24°
11 wet · 2 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Burlington, CT, 11.6 mi away at 505 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
