Explore the best rated trails in Portland, CT, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Niantic Bay Boardwalk and G & S Trolley trail . With more than 58 trails covering 499 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.
The Northampton part, which is reallly the NORWATTUCK RAIL TRAIL is really 2 stars bc it's so confusing. Needs fundraising and signage. But the rest, Manhan Rail Trail, is really nice. 5 stars. We took photos to illustrate but I unfortunately deleted them by accident.
We had stayed at the Hotel Northampton & nobody could tell us for certain how to find the trail other than to mention the railroad tracks. We found a paved path by the tracks & headed left. We passed a stone that said <- BOS/NHV --> and that's all. (Couldn't imagine how Boston could be to the left or straight ahead.) Within about 20 minutes, that path ended by some really rundown stores. On an aerial Google map, it reads as NORWATTUCK RAIL TRAIL (& shows it as a hiking &rail trail on the east side of the railroad tracks) but there is no signage anywhere to guide you. So when we got to the end, we turned around & headed in the other direction (south). THIS NORWSTTUCK TRAIL definitely needs some help. (Or maybe some day to be extended.)
Back to where we started out & this time heading in the other direction the trail actually becomes nice & very well marked. It seems to become the NEWHAVEN AND NORTH CANAL RAIL TRAIL (BUT there are no signs to this effect).
Where you meet the MANHAN RAIL TRAIL the signage is very clear, even as you are going through a village center or crossing a street or road, & the trail is very nice. You're following the reservoir & get some nice riding in.
We just kept going until we reached Easthampton. There you can even pick up trail maps! Ride on, and by the Municipal Bldg there's a nice park & large pond where you can see Mt. Tom behind it. Lovely, relaxing, scenic.
Then the ride back to Northampton but this time we knew the trail well & just enjoyed it.
North of Ferry St., at Lower Mill Pond, the Manhan Trail branches off and follows the river, eventually reaching the Connecticut River & Mt. Tom State Reservation. Should be a lovely ride! (You can also turn off here when you're riding south from Northampton.
Mostly cinder. Started from access lot off of RT 7. Shared RT Trail with the Town Of new Milford. Parallels an active track. Good variety of terrain and scenery..
The Trailways Bridge over the river in Brewster is open, eliminating the on-road detour. The eastern end is currently at the NY/CT line at Farrington Woods (with trail parking) in CT. Long range plans are to develop the CT portion of the RR path to Danbury.
There are far more legit parking areas than currently shown on TrailLink. Services are few and some might seem close lack easy access from route to road. High point is Whaley Lake. The trail is in good condition for it's entire length.
From EBBP over mostly dedicated path or protected bike lanes:
Over Washington Bridge thru India Pt Park;
Under I-195 along S. Water St. crossing Wickendon St. onto bike path along Providence River;
Cross Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial (pedestrian) Bridge over river then head west uphill along Ship, Chestnut then Clifford Streets;
Clifford St over I-95 bridge, onto Friendship St downhill then left onto Broad;
Along Broad then right onto Peace St (next to St. Joseph's Med Ctr);
Peace turns into Waverly. Waverly left onto Cranston St.;
Cranston St. (unprotected) under Rte10 then left onto Depot St.;
Arrived!
Cranston St is very busy with moving and parked cars and peds. An alternative bypass: along Peace St as above, but at Dexter St crossing where it turns to Waverly, turn left onto Dexter. Then right onto Waldo St, down to the second side street left onto Brattle St; this tees into Potters Av (busy!), quick dogleg right/left onto Homestead Av, (which tees into) turn right onto Huntington Av. A few blocks later, you reach Cranston St. at the Rte 10 underpass; then continue as before. Note: the northbound Huntington Av here is a quiet side road after it splits from the main northbound side Huntington Av highway.
Great ride. First time on a gravel surface and found it pretty easy going with a few rough spots. It rained the night before and early morning, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Trail was damp but no big puddles. I took in 28 miles of the 40 out and back. Will do it again and try to get the whole distance.
Rode Simsbury down to Plainville. Simsbury to Avon was full of tree root bumps, and lots of branches & trail debris. It's almost as if Simsbury wants to keep cyclists out. ¿ However, Avon and Farmington were great rides, as was Plainville.
Trail was asphalt and exceptionally well maintained. At intersections, drivers in cars were most courteous I'd ever seen. Cars stopped to let bikers across; sometimes even when light was green. Heading West is a slight uphill, which makes return trip exceptionally easy. My daughter and I enjoyed many bridge crossing. Stopping at one bridge we encountered a resident feeding turtles off the bridge; carp on the Pawtuxet river took some meant for turtles. There were many nice graphics at stops explaining Coventry and other industrial towns along the way. Many beautiful old brick mill building were seen also. We passed three ice cream places, General store, and a tavern. Ride was quite beautiful and treed.
Rode from Avon, CT to Westfield, MA. Mass section in great shape. CT section is awful. Pavement is split, constant 'ka-thunk', pot holes not marked, just horrendous condition. Where is the CT DOT and our tax dollars? Stay away.
This trail was OK. The part along the river and in downtown was scenic and it was paved all the way.
However, it goes along the highway for a while with just a chain link fence as separation, which is not enjoyable at all (east of the gap is not scenic). It also has a lot of tree roots creating speed bumps. Finally, the gap between the river and the rest is significant (& don't take what looks like the most direct route as Pratt & Whittney has a security gate for part, so you can't get through unless employed there).
Why has this trail not been plowed?? It has been snowed over since December.
Currently there is a couple of sections that are really nice for the work thats been completed, but will be a fantastic trail once they have completed the sections necessary to connect them into one long trail. All the sections completed are mostly all paved and are great for walking/jogging/biking & wheelchair/stroller friendly. The only exception is tgr Naugatuck River Greenway section that starts at the Sullivan Senior Center, which has a paved trail that runs parallel to the the river and ends at the side road which you continue down a one way street that almost zig zags until you reach palmer bridge. Crossing the bridge and crossing to the paved trail that goes behind a condominium and continues until the end of the dirt parking lots (trail is paved) of John Toro Sports Complex, where the pavement ends towards the actual field. Then it transitions to the field with no defined trail. The Trail at that point isnt really distinct. I lived here most of my life and I didnt know until I saw a news article about The Rainbow Bridge and found that the trail in fact extended past where the pavement ends and continues straight past the dog park past both the first baseball field, the soccer field, and then about halfway through the 2nd baseball field there is a wide opening in the forest, where you then see the entrance to the Rainbow Bridge Trail. Which is an amazing small half looped trail, with some of the most beautiful works of art, and tributes to various pets (photos, stepping stones/memorial rock garden, a memorial fence, k-9 officers memorial bulletin board(s), sculptures, poems, signs, chairs, then the rainbow Bridge which is adorned with photos, momentos, stories, collars & tributes to pets of those who came to place their beloved pets memorials. After you find the exits shortly after that you can see the wide open pathway continues for a while on but ends at a fenced off area that currently is a business/underutilized "Sports park" that will eventually be replaced with a connector trail that will connect with other nearby trails.
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