Let’s hit the ( bike) trail!
Bicycling has always been popular, but with people stuck at home since the coronavirus struck, bicycle sales went through the roof at bike shops across the state, showing an uptick of over 100 percent from a year ago. Getting outside to exercise is also a proven stressbuster and a good way to keep healthy. Connecticut has an abundance of bicycle trails — from road trails that are paved to offthe- road trails designed for mountain bikes, as well as BMX racing courses.
Whatever your biking ability, there is a trail that will be just right for you. Children under 15 need to wear a bicycle helmet, and if you are riding on your own, you might be able to forgo a face mask but bring one in case you will be passing close to other cyclists and pedestrians. In the current pandemic, it’s best to ride alone or with your own family instead of in large groups. The New England Mountain Bike Association ( NEMBA) offers COVID- 19 tips for riders at nemba. org.
My husband and I used to ride around Lake Waramaug on Saturdays ( added bonus: car traffic was light). This is a nice looping ride and mostly flat so it was an easy ride for a novice cyclist. In an adventurous stage, we got mountain bikes and often rode in Huntington State Park. For tips on great places to buy or rent bicycles, as well as where to go biking, check out ctvisit.com. Traillink. com also has trail recommendations for every state and has over 30 Connecticut trails listed.
One of the most popular paved bike trails in the state is the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, which spans close to 50 miles from New Haven up the Massachusetts state line. The trail runs along the Farmington Canal, which was used in the 1800s to transport farm goods and then was superseded by train service. On this trail, you can ride through cities like New Haven as well as rural areas, even passing Sleeping Giant State Park at one point. The national rail- to- trail movement has seen many now- unused railroad lines repurposed for biking and walking, including this trail, which opened its first section in 1993. For more information and trailhead directions, visit traillink.com.
The canal trail also connects to both ends of the 16.5- mile Farmington River Trail, which runs in an arc between Simsbury and Farmington on asphalt and crushed stone. There is an area north of Canton where you have to share the road with cars but mostly the trail follows the old rail line. You are also treated to some nice views, including the Farmington River, mills, waterfalls, and more. The Norwalk River Valley Trail ( nrvt- trail. com) is still under construction and once completed, will run from Danbury to Norwalk. Right now, sections are open in Norwalk and Wilton, totalling 8.2 miles with the WilWalk connector, connecting the trail in these two towns; expected to begin construction this fall. The “Redding Mile,” a one- mile section, will start construction in August. The multipurpose trail is well suited for bicyclists, particularly families, as it is 10 feet wide with right of ways on either side, mostly featuring crushed stone or paved surfaces.
Bicycle riders often turn to technology to find and share good bicycling routes with each other; ridewithgps. com, for example, offers many local recommendations for routes that can even be customized.
Looking to get off- road? Huntington State Park in Bethel ( nemba. org) is well suited for both novice and expert riders with little and big hills. Spread out over 1,000 acres, there is a 10- mile system of carriage roads encompassing many trails offering varying challenges. The New England Mountain Bike Association built the Rock and Roll Trail here, a highly challenging trail that is just under a mile long but has riders fording streams and crossing over logs.
Cowles Park in East Granby has also earned rave reviews as having great biking trails, while the Blue Loop trail in Danbury’s Tarrywile Park ( mtbproject. com) offers a challenging route.
BMX bikers also have several places in Connecticut to go. Trumbull BMX ( usabmx. com) has been operating since 1982 and offers practice and racing May through December. Summer hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays. After being closed all spring, Bethel Supercross BMX ( bethelbmx. com) reopened for gate practice in July. Hosting races since 1995, Foothills BMX ( foothillsbmx. com) in Torrington is open Sundays at noon for races and practice. Falcon BMX in Meriden ( usabmx. com/ tracks) is open for practice Mondays with races Thursdays and Saturdays.
No matter what kind of bike you ride or your riding ability, there are plenty of choices for trails and places to ride in Connecticut this summer, and beyond.