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165:. The line was built in 1870. Passenger service on the branch line was available into town until 1925 and freight service lasted until 1964. While the area had been mostly farmland with a mill or two, the announcement of the railroad encouraged development. It included more mills, stores, a hotel, a machinery factory, a noted mineral quarry, a post office, and a school, which still stands.
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and opened
December 11, 2000. Connecticut Light and Power owns the abandoned rail corridor and built the rail trail at no cost to the town of Ridgefield. The project was spearheaded by First Selectman Rudy Marconi as an enhancement to open space and as the town's first ever off-road trail.
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The
Ridgefield Rail Trail is managed and maintained by Connecticut Light and Power. In certain situations, local Ridgefield residents have volunteered to help with maintenance. This has particularly occurred in an effort to paint over graffiti which have appeared on electrical poles.
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193:. The majority of the trail is made of crushed cinder. The trail is asphalt at the entrance, exit and at all street crossings. The trail width varies throughout, ranging between six and ten feet (1.8 and 3.0 m).
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The trail can be used for walking, jogging, and cross-country skiing, and it is open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week throughout the year. The trail is lined with many trees native to
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The
Ridgefield Trailhead is the most used entrance to the trail. It also displays the trail guidelines.
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The
Ridgefield Rail Trail going from the Branchville Trailhead towards the Ridgefield Trailhead.
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126:. It follows an old rail corridor for 2.3 miles (3.7 km) from downtown Ridgefield to the
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Each year the
Ridgefield Rail Trail hosts numerous hikes which are organized by
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276:. Ridgefield, CT: The Ridgefield Conservation Commission. 2006. p. 56.
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Parking is available at the
Ridgefield trailhead on Halpin Lane and at the
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139:"Take only photographs, leave only footprints, keep only memories"
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The trail was designed by Bill O'Neill from the engineering firm
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Cinder (with asphalt at all trailheads and street crossings)
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Tourist attractions in
Fairfield County, Connecticut
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347:Transportation in Fairfield County, Connecticut
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257:Template:Attached KML/Ridgefield Rail Trail
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16:Rail trail in Ridgefield, Connecticut, US
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168:The Ridgefield Rail Trail was built by
68:Walking, Running, Cross Country Skiing
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287:Marcia Kendall (14 December 2009).
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317:Ridgefield Democrats New Archives
289:"Vandals Graffiti the Rail Trail"
224:The Ridgefield Discover Center
157:Branchville was named for the
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163:Danbury and Norwalk Railroad
170:Connecticut Light and Power
107:Connecticut Light and Power
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337:Rail trails in Connecticut
30:2.3 mi (3.7 km)
43:Branchville, Connecticut
342:Ridgefield, Connecticut
124:Ridgefield, Connecticut
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145:Historical development
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116:Ridgefield Rail Trail
22:Ridgefield Rail Trail
274:Ridgefield Walk Book
261:KML is from Wikidata
198:Ridgefield Playhouse
210:mile (320 m).
191:Fuss & O'Neill
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177:Trail development
159:Ridgefield Branch
130:section of town.
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97:Ridgefield Branch
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92:Right of way
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135:New England
128:Branchville
59:Branchville
331:Categories
230:References
120:rail trail
73:Difficulty
55:Ridgefield
50:Trailheads
39:Ridgefield
214:Community
298:23 April
239:KML file
35:Location
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161:of the
82:Surface
27:Length
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300:2012
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
