The Airline Trail from Smith Street in East Hampton to Cook Hill Road in Lebanon, including the Colchester Spur, is a generally excellent trail to ride. One disadvantage of starting from East Hampton is that your last couple of miles will be mostly an uphill push. Use a hybrid or mountain bike since the trail surface can vary tremendously in quality from solid stone dust to softer dirt and rocks. When I rode the trail in June 2010, there were some trenches across the road cut by water overflowing the drainage ditches. With regard to the comments about "why would anyone ride this trail?" those comments apply to the trail NORTH of Willimantic, not this section of trail. I agree that the trail north of Willimantic (at least the portion I rode) had some very difficult sections to ride.

I've been walking and photographing the Air Line Trail daily for over 8 years. I never tire of it and am still regularly surprised to see some new plant or animal, a new aspect of animal behavior, or a superb sunrise. The trail is restored well into Lebanon now as far as Chesbro Bridge Road with plans underway for further extensions towards Willimantic. The railroad attempted the shortest route from New Haven to Boston "as if by a line drawn through the air", thus the name which is two words, not one. The penalty for the short route was the need to traverse north-south trending hills and valleys. The result for trail users is a series of rock cuts and viaducts, bridges and marshes in addition to woodlands and nearby waterfalls (e.g. at Grayville in Hebron). My favorite portion is Raymond Brook Marsh in Hebron. Lots of migrating waterfowl and songbirds spring and fall, plus nesting birds on the marsh borders through the summer. Waterlilies and other aquatic plants as well as diverse wildflowers including at least 3 species of orchids. At my web site, you'll find over 4,000 photos of the trail, accessible through seasonal galleries. You'll also find a printable PDF version of the color trail brochure (I'm proud to say illustrated with my photos). See: http://www.performance-vision.com/airline/index.htm

"For a trail I had low expectations of, I was thrilled! After reading some of the reviews over the last few years, I expected something pretty crummy, but what a pleasant surprise! I took the trail from the parking lot in East Hampton up to about where the Towns of Lebanon, Columbia and Windham all join. I also took the Colchester Branch on the way back to get some food. Net is, it's well worth doing, very quite, filled with great views and surrounded by nature, but be prepared and don't take your road bike, (I didn't)!

The trail is stonedust where improved and soft in most places & my skinny tire road bike would have been a big mistake. The unimproved section was OK except for about a one mile section that I'll tell you how to skip. If you've got knobby's on you'll be OK for it if you like riding on old railroad ballast, (I didn't have my knobby's on my AT Bike that day). You'd probably be OK on a Cross bike with tires wider than most road bikes - may just sink in a few times.

Take plenty of water if it's a hot day. There are no services, water, portapotties, etc.

To get around the one ""bad"" part as you come from East Hampton do the following:
1. After you cross CT 207( this is almost in Lebanon), get off at the next road, Pine Street in Lebanon and go about 1/2 mile to the right and take a left on Tobacco St.
2. Follow Tobacco Street about 1 1/4 miles and turn left at the next intersection.
3. About 150 yards down the hill, you can pick up the trail again after going down a short but steep trail on the right.

It's worth it & I'm ready to try the North next.

FYI, the Colchester Spur is a ""ho-hum"", but a short shot to get some food. Good pizza place and a good bakery close to end of the trail to the right, up a short hill.

Enjoy!"