Air Line State Park Trail - Trail Development

Trail Development

The abandoned rail corridor between East Hampton and the Massachusetts state line was acquired by the Connecticut State Park System with the section from Route 66 in Windham to US Route 44 in Pomfret opening to the public in 1969 as a bridle trail. In 1976, the trail designation was extended north to Town Farm Road in Putnam. The southern section from East Hampton to Willimantic was opened as a trail in 1986. The Thompson section was opened in 1992.

Air Line State Park Trail is divided into three sections:

• South section (from Smith Street in East Hampton to the Willimantic River)
• North section (from Union Street in Willimantic to Town Farm Road in Putnam)
• Thompson section (from Route 193 in Thompson to the MA state line)

The North section of the trail from Windham to Putnam is part of the East Coast Greenway, which will stretch from Florida to Maine.

The South and North sections are connected by the Veterans Greenway, a short town-owned rail trail on the northeast side of Willimantic, which is partially incorporated into the North section itself. The connection is not complete, as the Willimantic River bridge at the end of the South section is impassable and no trail connection has yet to be made through downtown Willimantic from the bridge to the Veterans Greenway. However a street connection is available joining the two sections by leaving the Southern section at Kingsley Road, continuing 2 miles (3.2 km) east to the Frog Bridge, crossing over the bridge, and accessing the North section via the Veterans Greenway.