Explore the best rated trails in Hampton Bays, NY, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Niantic Bay Boardwalk and Norwalk River Valley Trail . With more than 22 trails covering 215 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
I took a ride on a gravel bike from Putnam to Willimantic and back yesterday. I crossed the bridge in Putnam from Kennedy Drive (a nice paved path there along the north shore of the river!) to pick up the Air Line, which my map app shows as starting there. Though there were some short bits of various trails there, none of them went anywhere. I ended up back on roads and made my way to Town Farm road where the Air Line commenced, with signage. However, the next several miles were very rough, and I would not recommend riding there except with a balloon tire mountain bike with front and back suspension. But from the Pomfret Station on to Willimantic, it was either beautiful, or at least fine, except for some road crossing s with very steep and rocky ramps on both sides. For most riders, those ramps have to be negotiated off the bike. But overall, I had a great experience!
Haven't ridden the trail since 2023. Rode from Cheshire down to New Haven, Saturday July 19th. Absolutely awful; entire section needs repaving and upkeep. Constant cracks in pavement and much debris on surface; plus glass and homeless down by the Wharf. Connecticut should take notice from Mass and NY on trail up keep. Both states's trail are far superior to CT. Also, difficult to navigate at trail end in New Haven if you don't know the city; poor signage.
Only about 7 miles round trip but a lot of gear changing and climbing! Great workout.
Use gps route its not well marked like others have said but part of the fun was planning the route and then finding your way as you go.
The path is nicely paved and a lot of it goes thru wooded areas. There are a few hills that can challenge the casual rider.
Beginning perhaps 2 miles north of the Simsbury Airport and continuing north for at least a few miles the trail will be closed for construction (looks like repaving + ?). I was on this trail yesterday and the "Will Be Closed" signs are abundant.
I rode 20.5 miles of the southern section of the Air Line Trail from East Hampton to Willimantic on a very hot day in June. This section of the Air Line Trail offers gorgeous scenery, peaceful seclusion and a tightly packed gravel surface that is in very good condition throughout. Despite the heat the trail is very shaded which provided much needed relief from the sun. There are a fair amount of road crossings, most are very small, quiet roads and all of the busier roads have warning lights that can be activated to let motorists know you are crossing.
The only two small complaints I have is there is a lack of signage along the trail. There is one very short on road section that I almost missed getting back on the trail due to there being no signage, I just rightly assumed the small unmarked path on the road was the way to get back on the trail. The gates at the road crossings are on the narrow side which can make navigating through the road crossings difficult. I feel these two issues do not at all detract from what this section of the Air Line Trail has to offer.
I just rode the trail from Cheshire to New Haven Harbor. It gets confusing because of the lack of signage once you go under the Temple St Garage in New Haven. You get dumped out into a street and don't know where to go. The trail is on the road or sidewalk depending on what you prefer. Take a left onto Grove St. continue to the end and take a right onto Olive ST. Follow Olive St. to the end and pick up the trail again on Water St. Cross Brewery ST and take a right to continue on Brewery. Brewery changes to Sargent Drive. Take a left to go under I95 and the water will be in front of you. If you take a right and continue down for a little, along the water's edge, you will find dozens of food trucks to buy lunch before a return trip. It was well worth the trip.
This morning May 25, 25 we saw a doe and larger buck between east of Old Town Road.
I rode the entire northern section of the Farmington Canal Trail from Plainville into MA on a windy Easter Sunday. The trail itself is fully paved, in very good overall condition (there are a few bumps and cracks but nothing major). Simsbury offers a great stopping off point to get refreshments just a quick turn off from the trail. The scenery changes from light industrial parks, residential, marshes, a little farmland and some nice wooded areas.
I have one complaint that prevents this from being a five star trail. The signage could be better. There are times in the more urban areas that I lost the trail, a quick look at Google Maps got me back on and I never was too lost. There are a few signs that were helpful so just a few more would make this a five star trail.
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