Putnam River Trail

Connecticut

8 Reviews

View Trail Map
View Map
Print
Complete
Favorite
Send to App

Register for free!

Register for free with TrailLink today!

We're a non-profit all about helping you enjoy the outdoors
  • View over 40,000 miles of trail maps
  • Share your trail photos
  • Save your own favorite trails
  • Learn about new trails near you
  • Leave reviews for trails
  • Add new and edit existing trails

Putnam River Trail Facts

States: Connecticut
Counties: Windham
Length: 2 miles
Trail end points: Providence Street and Arch Street
Trail surfaces: Asphalt
Trail category: Rail-Trail
ID: 6166491

Putnam River Trail Description

The Putnam River Trail extends between Arch Street in the Putnam District and Providence Street to the south. The trail follows the east bank of the Quinebaug River between the river and Kennedy Drive, with views of Cargill Falls. The trail passes through the town of Putnam, known for its antique shopping, and through local parks.

Along the way interpretive displays tell about Putnam's railroad history, textile mills, the 1955 flood and the area's founding citizens. One 200-foot pedestrian bridge is built on the stone foundation of an old railroad trestle. The trail offers scenic views of the river along its route.

Parking and Trail Access

There are several parking lots along Kennedy Street.

Putnam River Trail Reviews

artwork ¿

Wow! I was pleasantly surprised by all the lovely artwork along this trail. The river, falls, and arch are all so pretty. Glad I went exploring ¿¿¿¿¿

artwork

Loved all the amazing pieces of art on this trail. The views of the river were very nice. Nice to see a trail being enjoyed and shared without being overcrowded.

Nice Trail

This trail was nice. We found parking at the rotary park lot. There were outhouses at this lot. Another parking lot was across from the Pall Corporation. It is busy with street sounds near the downtown area but it quiets down as you continue. We did not do the whole trail- we actually were on foot to see what it was like. We will go back on the bikes later. I wish that the shrubbery by the river was cut; I would have liked to see more of a view. There is a dog park at one end of the rt we saw as we drove by. Since we didn’t do the whole walk my question was if it circles around on the other side of the river or if it is a there and back walk

Great trail for many purposes

I have used this trail for many purposes. First off, I love finding dog parks and having one right on this trail is a great asset. While it is not my favorite, and dogs being there is rather hit or miss most days, it is still functional for what it is and my dog enjoys going there before or after our walks. There are also a few places where the dogs can access the water if they are into swimming.

Second, it is a pleasant walking trail that is both scenic and urban. It leads from the dog park, follows the river, and into downtown Putnam where lots of shops, restaurants, and more await. As a dog trainer, I highly recommend the trail because you get all kinds of training done in one location (dog on dog greeting, urban walking, trail walking, and socialization with all kinds of people and places).

Also, I recently took up Inline Skating, and this trail is perfect for it! It is smooth all the way, and while there are a couple hills, they aren't very hard to go up or down. I couldn't be happier with my skating experience here.

Lastly there is always a lot of available parking at various points along the trail: at the dog park, near two river access points, near picnic areas, near a band stand, and of course in downtown Putnam itself. It is so convenient! I love this trail and visit it often.

Accordion

Nice But Noisy

This trail is perfect for families or anyone wanting to walk, run, or bike, in a safe place.
It has a nice dog park, a bike repair station, picnic tables, benches, canoe launch, and other things that make this place very inviting. I love how it follows the river with scenic views.
The town seems to be committed to expanding and improving the trail, although the picnic table need some work.
The one drawback is the road is too close and has very heavy traffic and noise!
I guess we can't have it all :-)

Nice walk

I have been currently going to the dog park in Putnam and today my dog and I walked the two miles from the dog park to Davis Park and back. I am not sure who was more dog tired !
I found the walk to be pleasant and even since we had the option of grass or walk way. Liked the fact that there were places for the humans to stop and "go".
My only wish is that there be more places to reach the river for those of us with "water" dogs. Other than that, it really is a great place to go and walk.

on the fence with this review

It's a beautiful walk for sure. Nice place for a family to try out the training wheels an picnic. Too short with too many traffic lights for most adults on bikes. No geese or signs of them when we went. The BIG drawback is that it's beautiful on one side of a major ride i! If you look to the other side you have cars trucks passing by

Ok little trail

Rode this trail yesterday afternoon. I wanted to go somewhere flat for a change, and escape the hills and valleys near my home. This trail is flat, but even on a Monday, it was very crowded. There were a LOT of dog walkers there. It's a beautiful ride, and would be great for somewhere to ride with small children. The neighborhood seems quite safe, and the people I passed were very friendly. There was just one problem on my ride. I literally ran into a flock of very aggressive Canadian geese. According to the park regulars, the geese will only leave you alone if you have a large dog with you. I came around a corner to find the geese meandering back to the water's edge, and I couldn't stop in time to avoid a collision. I fell over, and was helped up by several goose-savvy folks that didn't even laugh. The trail is beautiful and very well kept. There are little kiosks around the trail detailing local history. Since I'm more of a road cyclist anyway, I'll probably only come here with my sister when she visits from out of town. This is a perfect ride for anyone with kids still in training wheels or just starting out. Excellent family trail.

Nearby Trails

Go Unlimited Today!

  • FREE Account
  • View over 40,000 miles of trail maps
  • Post your trail reviews
  • Share your trail photos
  • Save your favorite trails
  • Learn about new trails near you
  • Get a free map in the app!
Register for FREE
  •  
Purchase Unlimited

Explore by City

Explore by City

Explore by Activity

Explore by Activity

Log in to your account to:

  • View trail paths on the map
  • Save trails to your account
  • Add trails, edit descriptions
  • Share photos
  • Add reviews

Log in with Google

Log in with Apple

OR

Register for free!

Join TrailLink (a non-profit) to view more than 40,000 miles of trail maps and more!

Register with Google

Register with Apple

OR

Your account has been deleted.