Starting at the Bluff Point State Park parking lot, the Groton X-Town Trail heads east through the woods on mostly packed dirt, then crosses Fort Hill Brook right next to the Amtrak line and continues along until it meets the G&S Trolley Line trail. It follows this paved trail across the rail track, then heads east again through Haley Farm State Park. From the Haley Farm main entrance, it continues north through wooded area again, and crosses Route 215 at the Brook Street intersection.
On the town-owned Mortimer Wright Preserve, keep left and follow the ridgeline north. Continue onto the Merritt Family Forest, maintained by the Groton Open Space Association (GOSA). Here, the blue blazed X-Town Trail first heads to the right, staying on the lower side of the ridge, and then heads left, continuing east toward Fishtown Road. The trail then follows Fishtown Road south for about 500 feet - there is a sidewalk on the east side of the road; please take care when crossing and walking along the road.
About halfway between Rhonda Road and the school parking lot, a new section of the X-Town Trail winds through town-owned woods, along Sand Pit Pond and behind residential homes - please respect and stay off private properties. The trail continues past the Judson Avenue Trailhead and enters the woods of Beebe Pond Park. It loops around the pond, enters the Avalonia Land Conservancy's Moore Woodlands for a short detour, and then heads back into Beebe Pond Park and toward Noank Road.
After a short walk northward along Noank Road, the trail then enters Avalonia's Town's End Preserve on the right, and finishes at Beebe Cove. A picnic area and cove views reward the traveler.
Bluff Point State Park and Haley Farm State Park allow horseback riding and mountain biking - please be considerate of other trail users.
For Bluff Point and Haley Farm, please reach out to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP): Fort Trumbull.
For Mortimer Wright Preserve and Beebe Pond Park, please reach out to Town of Groton Parks and Recreation.
For Merritt Family Forest, please reach out to Groton Open Space Association (GOSA).
For Moore Woodlands and Town's End Preserve, please reach out to Avalonia Land Conservancy.
Take Exit 88. Turn right onto State Route 117 South. Turn right at the end onto Route 1 South. Take a left at the first light onto Depot Road. Park entrance is at the end of the road.
Be aware that during extreme high tides the lower parking lot is prone to flooding.
Take Exit 89. Turn right State Highway 614/Allyn Street. Take a right onto Route 215/Noank Road. Follow until you see Beebe Pond Park on the right.
There is legal off-street parking for Town’s End at the Beebe Pond Park entrance on Route 215.
If you want to start at a different location in the middle of the trail, such as Haley Farm State Park or Merritt Family Forest, click the links in the Details tab for directions.
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