Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Connecticut / Northwest Connecticut

Appalachian Trail: Ten Mile Hill to Mount Algo (Hoyt Road to CT 341)

Appalachian National Scenic Trail, northwestern Connecticut (Sherman to Kent)

The Ned Anderson Memorial Bridge over the Ten Mile River
“The Ned Anderson Memorial Bridge over the Ten Mile River” by Zeete , CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source · Resized for the web

The Appalachian Trail enters Connecticut from New York near Hoyt Road and climbs onto the long ridge of Ten Mile Hill, Schaghticoke Mountain, and Mount Algo above the Housatonic River. CNY Hiking describes this 11.5-mile first section as featuring the views from Ten Mile Hill and Schaghticoke Mountain, with two shelters and two designated campsites. It even dips briefly back into New York along the way.

Camping on the Connecticut AT is limited to shelters and designated sites, and campfires aren’t allowed.

The hike

CNY Hiking’s mileage table puts the New York–Connecticut line at Hoyt Road, near Wingdale, New York, at about 400 feet. The trail climbs to Ten Mile Hill at about 1,000 feet within the first couple of miles.

At 2.8 miles, CNY Hiking says, a blue-blazed side trail leads 0.1 mile to the Ten Mile River Shelter, built in 1996, which sleeps six and has a privy nearby. At 3.0 miles, the trail crosses the Ten Mile River on the 120-foot Ned Anderson Memorial Bridge, then passes under power lines and follows the riverbank.

The middle of the section climbs onto the ridge. CNY Hiking says the trail travels along the ridgeline of the Schaghticoke and Algo Mountains and wanders into New York briefly before crossing back into Connecticut at 7.3 miles. At 7.7 miles it reaches an outlook called Indian Rocks, and at 8.1 miles an open ledge with views of the Housatonic River.

The designated Schaghticoke Mountain Campsite comes at 8.3 miles, down a blue-blazed trail on the left, with tent sites and a privy. Berkshire Hiking lists Schaghticoke Mountain among the Connecticut AT’s no-reservation campsites.

Past the campsite, CNY Hiking describes a large rock with views to the south at 9.1 miles, a high point of 1,403 feet with views from ledges at 9.7 miles, and a crossing of Thayer Brook at 10.2 miles. The trail tops out on Mount Algo at about 1,190 feet. At 11.2 miles, a blue-blazed trail leads 200 feet to the Mount Algo Shelter, built in 1986, which sleeps six with a privy nearby. The section ends at CT 341 near Kent at 11.5 miles.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s state-by-state compendium sets the rules for Connecticut: no campfires, camping only at shelters and designated sites, no reservations, and no camping fees. Berkshire Hiking counts 15 campsites along Connecticut’s roughly 52 miles of trail.

Early Bird on the Trail breaks the Connecticut AT into seven legs and describes this area as part of its Bull’s Bridge to Mount Algo leg. AllTrails lists a separate Appalachian Trail hike from Hoyt Road to Bull’s Bridge as a popular shorter option.

Connecticut’s Appalachian Trail is short enough to hike end to end. CTvisit says about 52 miles of the AT run through the state, from the New York border to Massachusetts, and lists Indian Rocks among its landmarks. An AMC Outdoors writer who section-hiked the whole Connecticut AT in 2021 broke it into six days, with roughly 10- to 12-mile days between road crossings. The ATC also recommends that all overnight hikers carry a tent, since shelters can fill.

For the next section north, see St. Johns Ledges and the Housatonic River.

Tips

Camping

The ATC says camping on the Connecticut AT is permitted only at shelters and designated sites, with no reservations or fees and no campfires. This section has the Ten Mile River and Mount Algo shelters, each sleeping six with a privy, and the Schaghticoke Mountain Campsite with tent sites and a privy, according to CNY Hiking. The AMC’s Connecticut Chapter lists bear boxes at the Connecticut AT campsites in its table.

Inside Intel: The Schaghticoke Mountain Campsite, at 8.3 miles, sits right on the ridge between the Indian Rocks and Housatonic River views and the 1,403-foot high point, according to CNY Hiking. An AllTrails reviewer who hiked a longer stretch of the Connecticut AT noted at least five clearly marked camping areas over about 20 miles.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

When the shelter sleeps only six:

Connecticut's AT shelters fill up, so a tent is your backup at the designated sites. See which tents testers rate highest.

See the picks →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.