Find the top rated birding trails in Torrington, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Started at Tony Williams Park and rode to Walk Across the Hudson and onto the Dutchess County trail. The view from the bridge was spectacular. We were very excited to see that a lot of work was being done to extend the trail west into NewPaltz and presumably linking up with the Wallkill Valley rail trail.
The signs are clear but be prepared to go w traffic in certain areas of trail. There are also markings where the trail is to be repaired but hasn’t begun yet. Overall GREAT trail!
I rode this trail a week after it opened in September 2018 because I live here. In the village of New Paltz, the east end is at the bridge over the Wallkill River with a small parklet and benches. This is very close, maybe 100 feet, to get onto the 22 mile, unpaved Wallkill Valley Rail Trail which runs from Gardiner, through New Paltz and Rosendale, to Kingston, NY. Soon to be completed is a bike lane on nearby Henry Dubois Road which will lead to a 20-something-mile fully paved trail of various names New Paltz, Highland, Poughkeepsie, Hopewell Junction. Hudson Valley Rail Trail, Walkway Over the Hudson, and Dutchess County Rail Trail. Having ridden trails all across the Northeastern states, this combined trail is in my top 3 anywhere for quality, beauty and amenities.
The River-to-Ridge is not a rail trail, it is a newly constructed gravel and dirt trail to get bikers off the main roads. There is a nice parking lot, and after you cross the road going west there is a hill and beautiful views of the Shawangunk ridge. At the west end there is access to the private lands of Mohonk Resort. Maybe (maybe not) there will be someone collect fees to ride Mohonk property. The roads also lead to Minnewaska State Park where there are many carriage roads for biking.
Parked at western end of trail in a very new parking lot on Rt 299 across from the Lowe's. Trail is beautifully paved all the way to the Walkway Over the Hudson, some of the pavement appeared to put down only days before we rode on it. State of NY is doing a fantastic job making this and the Walkway a great destination ride, installing modern bathrooms/visitor center on each side of the Walkway (open already on the west side of the river and under construction on the eastern side). On eastern side, seamlessly connects to another 13 mile rail trail. You will have to ride very slow over the Walkway, as there are a lot of walkers, but you're going to want to stop and take pictures anyway!
We enjoyed the ride through the country side and found the trail fairly empty on a early October Wednesday morning. Several parts of the trail were muddy and narrow. The best stop was the Rosendale Trestle with spectacular view. Worth riding again.
We parked at Tony Williams Park rode past the Walkway over the Hudson down to mile marked 8 on the Duchess Trail where we stopped on a bench for lunch. The path is wide and mostly smooth and only one construction area (putting in a modern restroom on southside of the Walkway). We would rate this the best trail we have ever been on as far as access, parking, restrooms (including port-a-potties in some areas) and very few rode/driveways to cross. We rode on a Thursday morning early October and the path was not crowded. Our 20 mile round trip was Fantastic!
I love to walk the trail and have since 1971, the cross over on Whitney Ave in Trumbull is Terrifying, The cars cannot see any one passing the road way until they are in the roadway. The line of sight is completely obscured by vegetation and the small sign in the middle of the Street??? I have seen people run right across the road with out even slowing down prior to or while crossing Whitney Ave. I personally saw a woman hit the side of a car as she could not stop running in time to avoid the car. This section is an accident waiting to happen. Whitney Ave. crossing needs to be safer for both motorist and trail user.
The trail is in good condition, flat, clean, and scenic. It checked all the boxes.
In April 2018 the Windham Town Council approved $1,300,000 for rehabilitation on the Willimantic River bridge behind Mackeys. This would include 800 feet of trail. It was put out for bids due on July 26th. I haven't seen any work yet. There is still the bridge over the Hop River which looks to be in terrible shape and may never be repaired.
Quick update that a stretch of trail less than one mile between Cornwall Av. and West Main St. in Cheshire is now officially opened, avoiding a detour onto Willow St. There is now a continuous, paved, off-road stretch of trail some 25 miles from Temple St. in downtown New Haven to Lazy Lane in Southington.
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