Biking through New England
The 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway is under development from Canada to Key West
Everything we love about New England is better by bike. When you’re on two wheels, the air is crisper, the small towns lovelier, the coast a bit more like heaven, and the wild blueberries may even be sweeter.
Last summer, when I found myself without a bike while visiting family in Vermont, I rented one at Omer and Bob’s Sportshop in nearby Lebanon, New Hampshire, and rode part of the Northern Rail Trail. I pedaled on flat, easy terrain through a tunnel of brilliantly green trees and detoured to a sparkling lake. Since then, I’ve started jotting down names of other trails in the region that I want to bike this summer — probably many summers hence, by the length of my list.
The East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile bike route under development from Canada to Key West, Fla., is a good place to start. Bruce Donald, acting New England coordinator for the Greenway Alliance, said the region is further along than the rest of the East Coast in Greenway development. Many of the region’s trails are built on former railways, guaranteeing a relatively flat ride. Also appealing: the variety of cycling options in New England. “You have the urban areas where people are commuting and suburban sections with fewer cars,” Donald said, “and then you get to these bucolic places — in every state — and you’re literally in the woods with nature, with an eagle and the occasional black bear.”
Below are suggested routes by state — a mere sampling of biking trails in the region — followed by helpful links and tips for renting and riding. Begin here, but detour often.
Maine
The East Coast Greenway begins in Calais, Maine, at the Canadian border. The 87-mile Down East Sunrise Trail, on former logging roads in the Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge (you may see moose from afar), is the longest continuous stretch of Greenway to date. The route is stunning, passing through primeval forests and storybook villages. But keep in mind, this stone dusttrail is the only Greenway route that allows ATVS. If you hear one, pull over and yield to the motor.
In Portland, rent a bike at Gorham Bike and Ski, and hop onto the Eastern Trail, also part of the Greenway, in South Portland. The majority of Gorham’s rental customers bike down the coast and hit Portland Head Light, the lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth’s Fort Williams Park. From there, take the marked trail to Old Orchard Beach, Kennebunk and — if you’re ambitious — all the way to Portsmouth, N.H., and back, about 100 miles. Gorham has additional rental locations along the trail in Saco and Kennebunk.
New Hampshire
The Northern Rail Trail is built on the old railroad bed of the Boston and Maine Railroad’s Northern Line. The path begins in Lebanon, close to the Vermont border, and stretches 58 miles through Enfield, Canaan, Danbury and Andover, ending just past Boscawen. The section closest to Lebanon is the most scenic (and busiest), following the Mascoma River and passing Mascoma Lake about four miles from the shop.
If the flat rail trails leave your legs begging for more, head to the hills. Franconia Notch is a breathtaking mountain pass in the popular White Mountain National Forest, and Franconia Notch Bike Path is a nine-mile trail within the state park.
Vermont
Last August, I was in Burlington and somehow missed what must be one of the country’s most spectacular bike trails: the Island Line Trail. The 14-mile, kid-friendly route, which is part of the Lake Champlain Byway, is now high on my list; it follows Burlington’s waterfront and continues smack into the middle of the lake. Cyclists ride an old railroad causeway once used to export granite out of the state and take in an awesome panorama from the middle of Lake Champlain, with the Adirondacks to the West and Green Mountains to the east. The causeway continues nearly across the lake, save a 200-foot gap for boats. That’s where you walk your bike onto the bike ferry (naturally) to continue on the trail. Ross Saxton, a manager at Local Motion, an advocacy organization that has a trailside bike-rental shop, suggests crossing the lake to South Hero and pedaling to Hackett’s Orchard, where you can fill your backpack with apples, or Snow Farm, the state’s oldest grape winery (with its own vineyard). On the Burlington side, explore Colchester Bog Natural Area and Rossetti Beach Natural Area, then hit Switchback Brewing for lunch.
Massachusetts
In Boston, the Greenway follows the Charles River Bike Path for 12 miles, past the Museum of Science and the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation in Waltham. The path is heavily used by cyclists, as well as runners and walkers, who share the scene with rowers and sailors on the river.
Visitors to Cape Cod can try the Cape Cod Rail Trail, a newly expanded, 26-mile paved path that passes through a half-dozen coastal towns, from Wellfleet, near Cape Cod National Seashore, southwest almost to Yarmouth. Rail Trail Bike & Kayak, which has a rental fleet of 100 bikes and a website that details stops along the trail, is located roughly in the middle, near Nickerson State Park. For the adventurous: Bike the rail trail to Provincetown, board the ferry, then pedal along the Charles River in Boston.
Rhode Island
The Ocean State has an impressive network of bike paths and no shortage of killer water views. The Blackstone River Bikeway runs north and south for almost 12 miles, a continuous path that experienced cyclists can ride (on- and off-road) for an additional five miles to India Point Park in Providence, at the head of Narragansett Bay. The trail follows the Blackstone River and Blackstone Canal with views of waterfalls, marshes and wildlife, including great blue herons, cormorants, ospreys, eagles, foxes and muskrats.
From India Point Park, at the confluence of the Seekonk and Providence rivers, the mostly flat, 14.5-mile East Bay Bike Path follows the footprint of the former Providence, Warren and Bristol Railroad. For bike rentals, head to Dash Bicycle Shop or NBX Bikes, which has four locations.
Connecticut
The Farmington Canal Heritage Greenway is one of the favorite rides in New England’s southernmost state.
The nearly completed trail, part of the East Coast Greenway, runs for 47 miles in central Connecticut and extends to Northampton, Mass. Greenway Alliance’s Donald recommends starting in Simsbury for a “flat, scenic and historic” 28mile loop passing through five towns in the Farmington River Valley. The loop is all paved and offers access to small downtown areas with restaurants and inns.
Air Line State Park Trail begins in East Hampton and stretches to the eastern part of Connecticut, along the 1870s rail bed. Cyclists on this path — named because it was part of a straight run between Boston and New York — pass waterfalls and cross viaducts, sharing the path with hikers and horseback riders. In the southern section, East Hampton to Colchester and back is a 22-mile spin. Take the trail all the way to Thompson, in the northeast corner of the state, for a ride that tops 40 miles. Rent bikes at Pedal Power, which has four locations.