This riverside city in central Connecticut is famous for being “the insurance capital of the world”. It’s also steeped in a rich history, with some of the oldest schools, parks, newspapers, and museums in the nation, and home to the Mark Twain house, where the Connecticut Yankee penned some of his most famous works. Since the days of Twain, Hartford has experienced somewhat of an economic decline, and lacks some of the infrastructure that promotes running and destination travel in other cities. But there are some good places for running in Hartford.
The best places to run in Hartford include the Riverwalk along the Connecticut River, and the greenery of doiwntown’s Bushnell Park and Elizabeth Park. Visitors can enjoy runseeing Hartford with a historic tour around downtown’s most interesting sights, or do as the locals do and run a circuit around the Reservoir system of West Hartford. There is also some lovely residential neighborhood running, particularly in West Hartford. For a longer off-road run, the Hop River State Park trail runs east of Hartford from Manchester to Columbia. A worth-it destination run is the scenic Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail, just north of Hartford. Runners should also take note of Connecticut’s extensive state park system, with miles of trails — including the 60+ mile Metacomet Trail — within easy reach of the city.
The Hartford Dash shuttle is a free and easy way to get around the business district, riverfront, hotels, and arts and entertainment hubs, though you may need a car for transport to some of the West Hartford routes and trails.
