Just grab your helmet and go.
Sometimes , cycling can be enchanting . bicycle on a machine - destitute path beside a lily pad - coated pool where down in the mouth herons Holman Hunt for Pisces the Fishes , cruising along a sun - drench surface area that on the spur of the moment plunges into near darkness under a heavyset tree canopy , or navigating to asmall Ithiel Town proffer delectable baked goodness . But no matter what path you choose , the curious Sojourner Truth is that these and other sorcerous cycling experience are fundamentally interwoven with the rise and fall of the railroad track manufacture in the US .
A immense electronic internet of active rails criss - crossed this country in the later 1800s , when geartrain travel was at its zenith . But as cars and plane emerged as transportation B. B. King , thousands of miles of tracks were empty , ultimately strew with garbage and choke with weeds . Thanks to the try of the nonprofitRails - to - Trails Conservancyalongside numerous track advocates , more than 25,000 international mile of formerly derelict tracks have now been resurrected as multi - use track — AKA rails - trail — that have revitalized communities , invigorate small business , and become a wheeler ’s paradise , while another 9,000 - plus miles remain in development . Most of these routes have a gentle grade , and many extend insights into the civilisation and history of the region as well as opportunities for the whole kinfolk to commune with nature , whether its viabird watching , fishing , orleaf peeping .
This fall , instead of link the crowdshitting the road to gape at Mother Nature ’s magnificent color show , hop on any of these nine destine rails - trails for a truly knowledgeable autumnal experience . You ’ll obtain the crisp atmosphere energizing , and cycling at a casual pace will allow you to be mindful of the cornucopia of brilliant hues enwrap you . Just do n’t forget a helmet — equipped with a Go - Pro if bringing home base brag right field tops your docket .
Rio Grande Trail
Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail
VirginiaLength:34 milesCoursing from the 3,500 - foot - high Whitetop Station near the North Carolina moulding to Abingdon , Virginia , this rail - lead interbreeding more than 40 wooden trestle , put up cyclists a twelvemonth - circular pastoral ride alongside spatter current , obtuse forests , and fat farmland . But autumn is especially spectacular , thanks to the fiery coloration of the beech , ash tree , and oaks lining this route that keep up the corridor of several former railroad companies , including the Norfolk & Western Railway . Keep an centre out for the native Virginia Creeper vine that flex scarlet in the capitulation . Especially popular is the 17 - mil , gentle downhill tease from Whitetop Station to Damascus , a vibrant Ithiel Town that ’s bisect by the Appalachian Trail .
Nashua River Rail Trail
Hop River State Park Trail
ConnecticutLength:20 milesWinding from Manchester to Willimantic through swath of easterly Connecticut forest , this path overstep by several lovely New England towns dating back to the late 1600s . ( A nearby magnet require a short detour is the homestead of Connecticut ’s wedge , Nathan Hale . ) pedal point through narrow rock cuts , created when the hillside was blast to make direction for the former Hartford , Providence and Fishkill Railroad . A dim canopy of maple and oaks accompanies your ride as you cycle through several tunnels , including a specially impressive one build in 1849 . Fans of geology will enjoy Bolton Notch State Park for its interesting rock formations , including garnet on expose outcrops .
East Bay Bike Path
Rhode IslandLength:14 milesAs you tease between Providence and Bristol , take in views of Narragansett Bay as the path thread through eight green spaces . ( The itinerary follows the railway line bottom that legion company ran , include the Providence , Warren and Bristol Railroad . ) One of the most scenic stop edging the bay is Colt State Park , while a nice side trip leads to the historic circa-1895 carousel in Crescent Park , singular for its dozens of mitt - carved number . The historical waterfront town of Bristol — established 1680 — is deserving exploring , especially for architecture fans who will transport in the proliferation of Gothic Revival , Queen Anne , and other period style .
Lamoille Valley Rail Trail
VermontLength:44 miles ( elaborate to 94 miles in 2023)Traversing northern Vermont along the site where train from the St. Johnsbury and Lake Champlain Railroad once unravel , this rail - track will before long bid a much longer journey . It ’ll be New England ’s longest track - lead when it ’s completed in 2023 , extending to a 94 - mile route from St. Johnsbury to Swanton . For a charming downhill cruise , hit the 16 - mile share from West Danville to St. Johnsbury . You ’ll wind through old railway line tunnel , shaded timberland that alternate with farming athletic field , and impressive outcrops of fundamentals . An especially scenic spot is Joe ’s Pond in West Danville , rim by fiery - hued aboreals in the decline .
Presidential Rail Trail
New HampshireLength:19 milesThis route mostly follow the corridor of the former Boston and Maine Railroad , coursing along the groundwork of the Presidential Range ( so name for the top , such as Mount Washington , that honor US presidents ) . A staring advantage point is the observation weapons platform in the wetland - laden Pondicherry National Wildlife Refuge , a birdwatcher ’s Eden rife with belted kingfishers , where your journey begins . The surrounding landscape is rich in beaver ponds , bubble river and streams , expansive meadow , and benighted woodland . The outside flavor is enhanced by possible sighting of moose and other wildlife . railing enthusiasts should checker Gorham ’s early 20th century remodeled train station , now home to the Railroad Museum .
Illinois Prairie Path
IllinoisLength:61 milesNamed for the legion wholesale prairie tracts that once covered the neighborhood , this rails - track trial along the route of the onetime Chicago Aurora and Elgin Railroad — AKA the “ Roarin Elgin . ” Three main branches comprise the trail with the Ithiel Town of Wheaton , just a half - minute from Chicago , serving as its nexus . For the leafiest experience , choose the 13 - international nautical mile Aurora Branch that range through countless forest conserves and the almost 600 - acre St. James Farm , a former equestrian estate that ’s a moving picture perfect spot for picnicking , whether near a black walnut tree allee or a cattail pond . Do n’t miss the many sculptures dotting the property , including a lifesize bronze interpretation of a fighter horse .
Paul Bunyan State Trail
MinnesotaLength:115 milesSet along the Burlington Northern ’s former right - of - way , this trail lapse by almost two dozen lake enroute from Bemidji to Brainerd . Named for the mythological lumberjack who ’s mammoth footprints reportedly created the state ’s masses of lake , this route encounters a town every 10 to 20 mile — especially on the subdivision spanning Walker to Brainerd . Weaving through a mixing of conifer and hardwood forests , you ’ll find curiosities aplenty , such as the huge statue of Paul ’s lady friend , Lucette , in Hackensack , and a jumbo carved maize - on - the filbert in Backus .
Rio Grande Trail
ColoradoLength:42 milesThis track - trail offers a quintessential westerly flock experience — line with aspen Leslie Richard Groves , dry sagebrush , evergreen woods , and ranches , and , of course , offering stellar opinion of soar peaks . course from Aspen to Glenwood Springs , a Ithiel Town famed for its hot outflow , the route be the former Denver & Rio Grande Railroad ’s path , offer admission to several charming villages . Contemporary art aficionados will be beatify with Carbondale , where theRio Grande ARTwaypromotes the domain ’s creativeness and ethnic diversity . ( count out for a sword arch construct from bicycle parts curving over the trail . ) afterward , pluck up the calming vibe atCarbondale ’s True Nature Healing Arts , sodding with Peace Garden showcasing a reflexology path and a Zen garden .
Just try to keep your eyes on the road in the face of the Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail’s breathtaking eruption of fall colors.|Flickr/JR P
Just try to keep your eyes on the road in the face of the Virginia Creeper National Recreation Trail’s breathtaking eruption of fall colors.|Flickr/JR P
From dawn to dusk, the Nashua River Rail Trail has it all.|Mavo Media 360/Shutterstock
Pause to catch your breath on one of the Hop River State Park Trail’s quaint wooden bridges.|Hop River Trail Alliance
Blue skies, paved paths, and autumnal colors fit for a king.|Flickr/moarplease
Celebrate the Green Mountain State in all its outdoorsy glory along the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail.|Lamoille Valley Rail Trail
Nothing but lush evergreens and fresh air await on New Hampshire’s Presidential Rail Trail.|Flickr/Mark Nenadov
It doesn’t get much better than autumn on the Illinois Prairie.|Illinois Prairie Path
Get into the midwestern spirit along the Paul Bunyan State Trail.|Flickr/Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Mountain views and smooth sailing? The Rio Grande Trail has you covered.|Rio Grande Trail
