Rail-Trails Southern New England: The definitive guide to multiuse trails in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island - Softcover

Conservancy, Rails-to-Trails

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0899978991 ISBN 13: 9780899978994

Publisher: Wilderness Press, 2018

Synopsis

Explore 52 of the best rail-trails and multiuse pathways across three states.

All across the country, unused railroad corridors have been converted to public multiuse trails. In this official guide, the experts from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy present the best of these rail-trails, as well as other multiuse pathways, in Southern New England. You’ll appreciate the detailed maps for each trail, plus driving directions to trailheads. Quick, at-a-glance icons indicate which activities each trail can accommodate, from biking to fishing to snowmobiling. Best of all, the succinct descriptions are written by rail-trail experts, so you know it’s information that you can rely on!

Explore two Hall of Fame Rail-Trails: the Minuteman Bikeway, with its historical connections to the American Revolution, and the East Bay Bike Path, with its quintessential New England waterfront views. Discover paths that traverse the quiet woodlands of Connecticut and the charming communities of Rhode Island. Learn about ambitious trail projects across Massachusetts, like the Border to Boston Trail. Whether you’re on feet, wheels, or skis, you’ll love the variety in this collection of multiuse trails―from beautiful waterways and scenic areas to the hustle and bustle of the states’ urban centers!

About this title

About the Author

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to converting former railroad corridors to public, multiuse recreational trails that offer easy access to runners, hikers, bicyclists, skaters, wheelchair users, and equestrians. It serves as the national voice for more than 160,000 members and supporters, more than 22,000 miles of open rail-trail across the country, and more than 8,000 miles of potential trails waiting to be built―with a goal of ensuring a better future for America made possible by trails and the connections they inspire. To find out more about Rail-Trails, check out the Conservancy's official website at railstotrails.org.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Air Line State Park Trail

Numerous bridges enhance the trail experience.

The Air Line State Park Trail winds nearly 55 miles from the northeast corner of Connecticut, where the state borders Massachusetts, down to East Hampton in the heart of the state. The pathway is nearly seamless, with only one major gap through Putnam. Over the state border, you can make a contiguous connection to the Southern New England Trunkline Trail, which heads more than 20 miles east to Franklin, Massachusetts.

The rail-trail showcases the engineering behind the Air Line Railroad, laid down through this hilly region in 1873 as part of a direct route between Boston and New York. As the railroad’s name implies, the tracks ran flat and straight, like a line in the air. The Air Line employed the finest trains of the day, featuring the Pullman Palace Car, marketed as the White Train for its luxurious white-and-gold decor.

Northern Section: East Thompson to Thompson

If you begin your adventure on the trail’s northern end, note that parking is not available at the tip. Instead, find parking 0.5 mile farther at the intersection of New Road and Thompson Road in East Thompson. From there, you’ll head southwest on the trail. The trail feels completely secluded, as it has few entry points and no view of the roads or sound of traffic for miles.

A word of caution about the trail’s surface, however: The original ballast covers this 6-mile northern section and it becomes bumpy and rocky at various points. Riders often have to dismount due to the uneven nature of the ballast, so a fat-tire bicycle is highly recommended. The trail ends in the southern outskirts of Thompson, near the border of neighboring Putnam.

A gap of 7.5 miles lies between the northern and southern sections of the Air Line State Park Trail. Pick up the pathway again at the intersection of Averill Street and Railroad Street in Pomfret Center, a small village nestled within the larger Pomfret, one of the oldest towns in the state with its incorporation in 1713.

Southern Section: Pomfret Center to East Hampton

From Pomfret Center, you’ll follow the pathway just over 19 miles southwest to Willimantic, skirting Mashamoquet Brook State Park, Natchaug State Forest, and Goodwin State Forest, which offer numerous recreational options such as hiking and equestrian trails, camping, and wildlife viewing.

When you arrive in downtown Willimantic, you’ll find that the trail ends at Jillson Square Park, but with a short bit of on-road riding, you can pick up the trail again just south of the intersection of Bridge Street and Riverside Drive. Traveling west along the Willimantic River, you’ll see the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum in 0.8 mile. For history buffs, its vintage locomotives and railroad buildings are well worth a visit. The museum is also adjacent to a juncture with the Hop River State Park Trail (see page 26), a scenic route heading 20 miles northwest to Manchester. Both trails are part of the East Coast Greenway, which will connect communities along the Eastern seaboard from Maine to Florida.

Heading southwest down the trail, you’ll arrive at a fork in Hebron after 8.3 miles. Keep right to stay on the main Air Line State Park Trail; the other option is a 3.5-mile spur to Colchester. Though the trail is primarily dirt here, this section offers many attractions that make it worthwhile. From the fork, it’s 1.4 miles to beautiful Grayville Falls Town Park, which offers waterfalls and wooded hikes. Nature abounds as you continue along the corridor, and you’ll have access to Raymond Brook Marsh and Salmon River State Forest.

Numerous bridges offer lovely views, including the Blackledge and Jeremy River crossings. When you reach the Bunk Hill Road trailhead parking, you can take an on-road side excursion of 1.4 miles to reach the Comstock Covered Bridge. Originally built in 1791, it’s one of the last remaining historical covered bridges in the state.

From the Bunk Hill trailhead, you’re only 3.6 miles from trail’s end, but there’s still more to see. You’ll cross the Rapallo and Lyman Viaducts, which were originally built in the 1870s and offer stunning views of the surrounding hills and forests. The trail ends in East Hampton, once known as Bell Town for the 30 bell-making companies that settled here.

Counties: Middlesex, New London, Tolland, Windham
Endpoints: CT–MA state line near E. Thompson Road, 0.7 mile east of New Road (East Thompson), to Riverside Dr. and Old Route 12 (Thompson); and Averill St. and Railroad St. (Pomfret Center) to Main St. between Summit St. and Walnut Ave. (East Hampton)
Mileage: 54.6
Type: Rail-Trail
Roughness Index: 2–3
Surfaces: Ballast, Dirt, Gravel

Directions

With such a long trail, there are numerous parking locations. Below are a few options; use the link above or TrailLink.com to find others.

To reach the northernmost parking area, take I-395 to Exit 50, and head east on CT 200. In 0.6 mile, turn left onto CT 193 N, and go 1.6 miles. Turn right onto E. Thompson Road, and go 3.1 miles. Parking is available at the trailhead near the intersection of New Road and E. Thompson Road.

To reach trailhead parking in Pomfret, take US 44 to Pomfret (about 40 miles east of Hartford), and turn north to remain on US 44. In 0.6 mile turn left onto Railroad St., then immediately take a right onto Averill St. The trail parking lot is on your left. To reach the Air Line State Park Trail in Willimantic, take I-384 to US 6, and continue east on US 6 for 10.8 miles. Continue straight onto CT 66, and go 1.9 miles. Turn right onto Cards Mill Road. In 1 mile, turn left onto Baker Hill Road (which becomes Kingsley Road in Lebanon). In 0.6 mile, the Air Line State Park Trail crosses the road; park along the right side of the road.

To reach the southernmost parking location in East Hampton, take CT 2 to Exit 13 and follow CT 66 south 4 miles. Turn left onto CT 196/Lakeview St. and drive 0.5 mile, then turn left onto Flanders Road and drive 0.25 mile. Turn right onto Smith St.; the trailhead is on the left.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wilderness Press
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 0899978991
• ISBN 13: 9780899978994
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 216