Anything less than 5 miles is short for me, so 10 miles round trip. I combined this ride with another in the area near City Island. After driving past this path so many times I sought out the name and finally rode it, very happily. Park at Fort Totten and enjoy the great scenery. Lots of traffic noise near the road, but a small inconvenience for the views.

A hot and humid Thursday in July 2020.
I started at the Kensico Dam in Valhalla and rode this path down to the first ending past White Plains. Twists, turns, over and under bridges and tunnels, it a very interesting and fun place to bike.

Make sure you ride up around the dam, both top and bottom for the glorious architecture, wonderful views and maybe a breeze. There is a quite steep and wide brick path to the right or east side when the greenway enters the park. If leaving the park it is on the left side. You will love it!

We rode this trail from Rt 85 parking lot to East Hampton and back on 8/1, about 20 total miles. We’ve always loved the Air Line…it has a varied feel as you proceed through the different town…the vast majority shaded, sections on a high ridge above a stream, two nice viaducts across what was once a trestle bridge, a section running through a nature preserve. There were a few sections a little rougher than others, and we observed a few places with protruding rocks that should really be removed (just keep your eye on the road), as well as some divots in the roadway, some caused by drainage. There are no major hills but you do have long gradual uphills like the one as you ride into East Hampton going west. But I think for most riders these will be small things in what, overall, is a great trail. Great to see many out on the trail on a sunny, warm day.

We did the loop trail starting in Collinsville. Initially started towards Canton but turned around as wasn't sure where to head after the first mile and half and did loop towards Unionville. Take note of the insets on map as trail needs better signage when you get to the towns. Nice ride along river and through towns but a lot of stop and go across highways, some being busy but with pedestrian lights to stop traffic. Be careful getting to the State Park as busy road and uphill. In the park again poor signage and ended up on an incorrect trail and had to back track. ( Take stone dust trail by covered bridge not the one by swimming area) Once out of the park the trail runs on the road for approx 3 miles- make sure you take Lawton Road! Would have given it 4 stars but the stop and go and poor signage as well as distance on road was frustrating and took away some of the enjoyment. Note: During this pandemic saw very few people wearing a mask on trail and trail is not as wide as some others we've been on.

Pros: Long trail with several entry points Mostly smooth Very nice tree coverage Nice trails for off ride riding Decent hills that challenge in a nice way Cons: Dangerous sharp blind turns Some slight ripples pavement at times Several stop and cross points

The MTA has increased their warnings complete with fines for all to stay off the trail. No doubt in my mind whether or not it’s open. https://maybrooktrailway.org/

Just finished a 30 mile ride on the trail. Started by VE Macy Park and ended right before Sleepy Hollow. Nice ride. The first 4 miles were bumpy but as you get further into Westchester the road gets smoother. Nice trail. Next time will ride 20 miles out.

Like many trails, it has its uses and limitations. If you live in the area and want to go for a quick run or walk, this trail is certainly a better alternative than the streets: more scenic and no traffic. And it is fine if you have kids and want to go on a short ride with them. But the trail is just too short to put the bike on the car and drive there.

The trail is over 50 miles so it’s tough to give it an overall rating as some stretches rate five stars, and some less than five stars. I’ll try to break down each town, starting at the southern end. I’ll note upfront that the entire trail is paved and well maintained and most stretches can get crowded. And the trail is mostly flat and straight but there are some hills and twists. New Haven: I’ve only been on the section a few times and they’re still working on finishing it. It’s a urban trail with little scenery and lots of street crossings. If you live in New Haven, it certainly is a great place to start a ride. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to ride on it. Three stars. Hamden: Overall, a good section as it is scenic and there’s a 6-7 mile stretch with no street crossings. This is the only section of the trail that is hilly, but they’re mostly short and not too steep. There are a few spots where the trail is bumpy. Five stars. Cheshire: another enjoyable stretch with nice scenery. There are a number of street crossings and for whatever reason, I’ve found the drivers in this area to be overly obnoxious and not letting you cross without an issue. But I could just be my bad luck in the area. Four stars. Southington: the southern end is fine. But I rarely ride the bulk of the trail in Southington. It’s crowded, not scenic, many street crossings, and little protection from the sun or wind. Also, the trail currently ends before I84. One plus is there are spots to stop for a bite to eat. Two stars. Farmington: the newly opened southern two or three miles is wide open with few trees to stop the sun or wind. There’s nothing wrong with it but it’s just not the nicest section. The original three or so miles is a five star section with lots of trees, scenery, and few street crossings. Another plus is you can connect with a 10 mile trail to Canton. Four stars. Avon: the first two or three miles is a great extension of the trail in Farmington. But the trail ends at the Avon public works garage and then it’s cutting through a parking lot, down a road, on a sidewalk, through the police department parking lot, on another sidewalk, and then crossing busy route 10. Overall, three stars. Simsbury: like Avon, a mixed bag. The southern section is going through residential sections, behind car dealerships, few trees, crossing route 10, and riding on sidewalks. Once you hit the downtown area, it improves. Overall, three stars. East Granby: a nice section with some minor hills, curves, open areas, and some flat areas with trees. This is one of my favorite stretches as it offers diversity. Five stars. Suffield: another good stretch. There’s a few spots where tree roots have pushed up the pavement but it’s not too bad. Five stars. Massachusetts: technically, it’s a different trail but it’s really a continuation of the same trail. I think there’s about seven miles currently paved with another mile or so planned. There are a few minor hills and there are some open sections with little sun or wind protection. But overall a nice ride. And this section generally isn’t too crowded. Toss a coin on whether it’s a four or five star stretch.