Rail Trails

Here's a list of some of the wonderful rail trails in New England.

Massachusetts

The 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail is the granddaddy of eastern rail rides. It has been completely refurbished over the last two years.

The Ashuwillticook Rail Trail, runs 11.2 miles in western Massachusetts from the Lanesborough/Pittsfield town line through Cheshire and into the center of Adams.

The 11-mile Nashua River Rail Trail  is completed and ready to ride.

The 8.5 mile Norwottuck Rail Trail  in Northampton, Hadley, and Amherst will eventually anchor one end of the 104-mile Massachusetts Central Rail Trail. This trail will lead all the way to Boston.

Connecticut

The 20-mile Southern New England Trunkline Trail runs between the Franklin and Douglas State Forests along the Rhode Island and Connecticut borders.

The Air Line Rail Trail  in East Hampton, Connecticut is just a few minutes southeast of the junction of Interstates 84 and 91 in Hartford. Only the southern section, 22.7 miles long, from East Hampton to Windham is complete. Eventually this trail will eventually stretch more than 50 miles to the Massachusetts border.

Vermont

Up in Vermont, the spectacular 12-mile Island Line Trail  actually crosses a portion of Lake Champlain between Burlington and South Hero. You'll never ride anything quite like it.

The Missisquoi River Rail Trail offers 26.2 miles from St. Albans to Richford Vermont.

New Hampshire

The Northern Rail Trail runs for 23 miles from Lebanon to Grafton. Eventually, this one will stretch from the Vermont border to the state capital in Concord.

Maine

Up in Maine, there's a whole slew of rail trails in the area just north and west of Bangor.

The Lagrange to Medford trail is 11 miles long,.

The Newport to Dover-Foxcroft is 26 miles. 

The Kennebec River Rail Trail is short -- only 6.6 miles from Gardiner to Augusta. But it's long on scenery. The trail, scheduled to be complete in September 2007, closely hugs the shore of the breathtaking Kennebec River, passing through the historic city of Hallowell and ending in the state capitol city. Bald eagles and osprey are plentiful on this stretch of the river. The KRRT and other Maine trails are scheduled to connect with the East Coast Greenway. This 2,300 mile trail will go from Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida, and will include the capitols of each state.