The Hop River Trail Alliance brings together volunteers, local communities, and public agencies to care for and improve the Hop River State Park Trail. Our work helps create a safer, more consistent, and more enjoyable trail experience across all seven trail towns.

Our History

The Hop River Trail Alliance began as a grassroots initiative led by volunteers from Bike Walk Bolton. These volunteers recognized the need for greater consistency along the trail, trail-wide improvement projects, and better coordination among the state, towns, and community groups involved in maintaining and supporting the trail.

In June 2021, Bike Walk Bolton volunteers organized a meeting in Andover that brought together approximately 40 people, including Connecticut State Parks management staff, town employees, volunteers, and interested residents. During the meeting, participants discussed the need for an alliance that could help coordinate efforts across the entire trail.

Representatives from each of the seven trail towns were invited to participate in a second meeting and continue attending regular meetings. In 2022, the Hop River Trail Alliance officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Today, the Alliance continues to bring trail partners together, coordinate improvements, support volunteers, and advocate for the long-term care of the Hop River State Park Trail.

How We Are Organized

The Hop River Trail Alliance is led by a Board of Directors consisting of one town-appointed representative from each of the seven communities along the trail:

• Windham

• Columbia

• Coventry

• Andover

• Bolton

• Vernon

• Manchester

The organization also includes four volunteer officers.

Quarterly coordination meetings bring together the agencies, organizations, businesses, and volunteers involved with the trail. Participants may include:

• Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the trail’s owner

• Connecticut Department of Transportation

• Town representatives

• Loom City Cycles in Vernon

• Vernon Greenways Volunteers

• Bike Walk Bolton

• Community volunteers and trail supporters

By working together, these groups can share information, identify trail needs, coordinate projects, and support improvements across town boundaries.

Working Together for the Trail’s Future

The Hop River Trail connects seven towns, numerous communities, and thousands of trail users. The Hop River Trail Alliance works to strengthen those connections through collaboration, volunteer involvement, thoughtful improvements, and long-term stewardship.

Whether you walk, run, bike, snowshoe, cross-country ski, volunteer, or simply enjoy spending time outdoors, you are part of the community that makes this trail special.

Interested in helping? Learn more about volunteering with the Hop River Trail Alliance.

The milestones and achievements belong on the About page as a timeline. They help show the Alliance’s history, credibility, and impact. The blog would be better used for individual project updates, event recaps, volunteer stories, trail news, and announcements.