Our hiking adventures to Gillette Castle State Park took place over the pandemic when our family was looking for hiking spots in Connecticut. We use the app AllTrails which is a fitness and travel mobile app used for outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, climbing and snow sports. The AllTrails app has been such a vital part of our planning and the service allows users to access a database of trail maps, which includes plenty of valuable reviews and images.
We planned our hiking adventures to Gillette Castle State Park which is situated in East Haddam, Connecticut and is part of the Connecticut state park system. According to Wikipedia, Gillette Castle State Park was purchased by the state of Connecticut in 1943. The medieval-inspired mansion is a historical treasure that was built decades earlier by William Gillette, a native son of Hartford, Connecticut.
Gillette Castle State Park which straddles the towns of East Haddam and Lyme, Connecticut, sitting high above the Connecticut River. We left home after a hearty brunch of pancakes, sausages and fruit salad and couldn’t wait to get our hiking adventures started.
It was a nice walk from the parking lot to the rocky pathway and it’s important to navigate safely, especially if you have young kids. We struck gold with the perfect weather and enjoyed the gorgeous nature all around us.
We were excited to reach the castle and explore at our heart’s content. However, Gillette Castle is currently closed for tours, for the season, due to renovations. Tours will resume on May 27, 2023. The park grounds and hiking trails will remain open daily from 8:00 AM until sunset for all visitors. For more information, you can go to the Friends of Gillette Castle State Park.
We took a nice break for rest and snacks and definitely to take in the breathtaking view. We couldn’t stop raving about the castle and we look forward to come back when it’s open for tours in the Spring. Overall our hiking adventures to Gillette Castle State Park averaged about 2.2 miles and it took us about 1.5 hours to complete.
We started our hiking adventures during the pandemic and I am so glad that Connecticut offers so many beautiful outdoor spots to explore our natural surroundings. Thank you for joining us in our family hiking adventures and we hope that you find value in the fun family resources we offer here on the blog. Merci et Bisous!
