Welcome to Our Genesee Recreation Area

Located off Route 79 in Madison, CT, our Genesee trails wind through watershed lands in Guilford and Madison and along the site of the “Little Genesee Settlement.”

Choose from six trails covering more than nine miles of rolling wooded land. Most of these trails run along service roads that provide access to our forests. We also have 8.3 miles of trails open to biking. As you explore, remember that you are sharing the trails with woodcutters, hikers, bicyclists, horseback riders and Regional Water Authority workers who use these roads.

The Authority’s land is managed as a Tree Farm. In addition to providing clean water, wildlife habitat, and recreation, this forest provides timber for building homes and furniture, railroad ties, and hundreds of other wood products. Timber harvesting is carefully supervised by our foresters to protect the environment.

Please stay within the boundaries of the recreation area at Genesee. Your safety and the safety of our drinking water are our primary concerns. Please abide by our rules and regulations and encourage others to do the same.

A Guide to the Trails at Genesee

Here is a brief description of the trails at Genesee.

Remember: Permit holders receive easy-to-read trail maps with detailed descriptions. As a permit holder, you can also enjoy the convenience of free parking and a system-wide trail guide as well as invitations to guided nature walks, our annual kids fishing derby and other special events which are only open to our permit holders.

Goat Lot Trail

2.3 Miles

This trail begins at the parking area and serves as a link to the other trails. Watch for old house foundations and stone walls, remnants of the Little Genesee Settlement established about 1770 and abandoned between 1850 and 1875. During that time, nearly all the land on both sides of the trail was cleared for farming.

Cooper Lot Trail

1.3 Miles

Here you will find more evidence of the Genesee settlers. According to folklore, the families who settled in the area were originally headed to the Genesee Valley of New York. When they broke a wagon wheel here, they decided to stay and farm the land.

Durham Trail

1.9 Miles

Many years ago part of this trail was an important highway linking the docks on the Connecticut River in Haddam with inland areas stretching as far west as North Branford. The other part of the trail follows an abandoned logging road through low-lying areas containing the most fertile soils of Genesee. Red oak, hickory, beech and sugar maple thrive and interesting rock outcrops add to the scenic charm of the trail.

Grandma Hall Trail

0.9 Miles

Named after an early resident of the area, a great-grandmother of one of our employees, this quaint old logging road was once used as a cart path. This trail skirts the northwest corner of the property, past a large wetland and along upland where, 20,000 years ago a glacier scraped off most of the topsoil. As a result the trees grow slowly and compete with each other for water and nutrients.

Bushwhack Trail

0.6 Miles

CLOSED TO BICYCLES. Unlike most of our trails, Bushwhack was blazed specifically for hiking. As you walk along this trail, look for evidence of deer browsing and notice some of the large old trees that provide homes for forest animals. This is a connector trail, so the arrow will change color to indicate which trail you are heading towards.

Pine Trail

1.1 Miles

Together with the connecting part of Goat Lot Trail, this forms a nice loop over gentle grades. Red and white pine here are subtle reminders that this was open pasture and crop land less than a century ago.

Stream Fishing at Genesee

Stream fishing is available at our Genesee Recreation Area. For more information, please call the Regional Water Authority Recreation Department at 203.401.2654.

Horseback Riding at Genesee

Horseback riding is available at our Genesee Recreation Area. For more information, please call the Regional Water Authority Recreation Department at 203.401.2654.

Bicycling at Genesee

Bicycling is available at our Genesee Recreation Area. For more information, please call the Regional Water Authority Recreation Department at 203.401.2654.