Bloomfield Greenway Multi-Use Trail is 1.8 miles between Bloomfield and Simsbury. The trail is envisioned to someday act as a connector between the City of Hartford and the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. The trail demonstrates how trails can fit into different kinds of spaces: a utility easement, a former railroad corridor, and a highway right-of-way. The trail occupies a corridor on which the Connecticut Western Railroad once ran, a pathway that is now the site of overhead power lines owned by Eversource. A small portion of the trail travels along State Route 189.
The rail-trail's southern trailhead is found on Day Hill Road at the Bloomfield/ Windsor town line. From there the trail heads west along Day Hill Road to SR 189 (Tunxis Avenue) and then pivots north parallel to SR 189. It peels away from SR 189 and continues within the utility corridor, with wooden power poles lining the trail on either side. The trail comes to Hoskins Road and Tariffville Road. Slightly north of this intersection is Old St Andrews Episocopal Church, which has a new parking area for trail users. The church building was erected in 1807 but the Anglican congregation of St. Andrews started before the Revolutionary War. Another 1800 feet along the wooded corridor leads to the end of the trail, at a point a short distance short of SR 189.
There are two dedicated parking areas. The first is the trailhead on Day Hill Road. The second is near the north end of the trail, at Old St. Andrews Episcopal Church (59 Tariffville Rd, Bloomfield).
A sidepath has been constructed adjacent to Route 189 to Main St in Tariffville. Trail is now about 3 miles long. It will be designated as part of the East Coast Greenway and is visible on Google Street View.
This is a great ride for me to test my novice skills. I find myself coming back to here twice a week after work just to get a quick workout in
Phase 1- the makings of a wonderful trail! Anxiously waiting for the completion of phase 2.
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