Trails

Mooween State Park in Lebanon, CT is home to southeast Connecticut’s newest trail system. Set on the shores of Red Cedar Lake, the former summer camp for boys provides a variety of terrain for riders of all abilities. Throughout the fall and winter of 2016, a dedicated crew of trail builders roughed in and sculpted a network of nearly 10 miles of singletrack trails. Existing double track, park roads and the new flowing beginner and intermediate level trails wind through stone walls and the old abandoned summer camp. Along the way are opportunities to play on advanced technical features including giant boulders, steep rollers, log skinnies and 3 foot hucks.

The parcel is home to a section of the former Navy Fit trail. Because of its nearness to the Recreation Center and existing trails, this parcel had been identified by several mountain bike enthusiasts in the Brunswick community as a good location for beginner-friendly mountain bike trails. The midcoast region has a lack of beginner trails, and with the highly successful new Youth Mountain Bike Program being offered by Brunswick Rec Department looking for trails, the project seemed like a great opportunity. Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust worked closely with community partners to develop the most effective way to proceed. In the end, MRRA generously donated the land to the Land Trust to hold for recreation and conservation in perpetuity, while the fledgling Six Rivers chapter of the New England Mountain Bike Association (6R-NEMBA) designed and built the trails.

Northwood Meadows State Park spans 674.5 acres in a wilderness setting. This wooded park has a vast wetlands area and is excellent for nature walks and picnicking. The park includes a pond created by a damned brook - a popular place for fishing and non-motorized boating. The easily accessible trails also make the park an ideal place for biking, hiking, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing. This riding area also extends beyond the state park into adjacent conservation lands.

Today the park’s recreational landscape compliments the historic landscape of yesterday. One of Connecticut’s best short hiking trails is a case in point. Hikers may access the trail by crossing Furnace Brook opposite the picnic area and locating the light blue blazes on the trees. Any question of effort will prove worthwhile with the panorama from the rocky outcrops. The view, from 200 feet above the valley, is described by some as stunning, and encompasses Half Hill Pond (also known as Upper Ross Pond) in the immediate foreground and in the distance an unobscured view across eastern Killingly and beyond into Rhode Island. A lush mix of deciduous and coniferous tree cover surrounds the lowland wetlands and adds a special mix of vibrant color in the fall.

Pittsfield State Forest is a great place to ride mountain bikes. For those who don't know the state forest, it's roughly 8 x 2 miles (10,000 acres) along the Taconic Ridge, sandwiched between downtown Pittsfield and the NY state line. A DCR trail map is available at the state forest, and the following description uses trail names from that map. The best map for "the big picture" is the Rubel Bike Map for Western Massachusetts (bikemaps.com). To get to the state forest, go west on West Street from downtown Pittsfield and follow state forest signs (via Churchill and Cascade Streets). Over the last few years Berkshire NEMBA, working with DCR staff, have put in a highly enjoyable network of trails in the eastern section of the forest. A very detailed map of these trails is available as a handout at the guard shack at the forest's entrance.

Trail system located on the Nathan Hale-Ray Middle School property that is open to the public for mountain biking and hiking/trail running during non-school hours. The system includes 8-9 miles of flowy singletrack, bench cut climbing trails, fast descents, fun features, and even a bermed flow trail Additional trails and features are being added on a regular basis.

This 244-acre parcel is almost completely surrounded by protected open space and has trails on both sides of the Airline Trail. The property was logged about 10 years ago and is now an early successional forest. It is part of a wildlife corridor made up of more than 2,000 acres of open space. There are 2 inland wetlands and a pond on the property. They can be accessed from several points along the airline trail. The trails at Pomfret are meticulously maintained, have lots of optional features, and cater to beginner and advanced riders alike.

Swan's Trails at Perch Pond are groomed for Winter riding once there is at least 12-18" of snow cover. What is a typically a rough and rooty cross country Summer riding experience, Swan's becomes a flowy dream in Winter. 100 Acre Wood and Ladies First usually get groomed first, but Dumbo's, Bo's and the Shore trail are soon to follow.  Accessible via connectors and entrances from Kirkland and Poplar Rd. Follow our social pages for grooming updates. Go explore, in daylight or via headlamp. You're sure to enjoy a fat biking trip to Swan's. Near by, there is boat launch access to Perch Pond from Sewall Park (also great night sky viewing). Tell the gnomes we said Hi! 

Riverlands Flow Trails is a 4 mile moderately popular intermediate route located near Sturbridge Massachusetts. This mountain bike primary route can be used one direction and has a moderate overall physical rating. This route includes 7 trails. This route climbs 556 ft with a max elevation of 819 ft then descends -557 ft.

The Rockhouse Hill Sanctuary (RHS) is 600, town-owned acres of preserved, forested watershed of Four Mile Brook and the Housatonic River. The Town and the Oxford Land Trust share land-management responsibilities. Over the last 20+ years, 15 miles of trails have been developed and upgraded by the Oxford High School Youth Conservation Corps (OHS YCC), through Boy Scout Eagle projects, and by members of the Land Trust. Tens of thousands of volunteer hours have been invested and additional work has been ongoing.