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East Weekender | ||
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Outdoor Explorer, May - June 2000 Issue | ||
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MARYLAND When Hillary Rodham Clinton proposed the Millennium Trails Initiative in 1998, she was standing on the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail after a morning of hiking. The B&A was named the Millennium Legacy Trail representing Maryland in the project, which was designated by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and the Department of Transportation, among other agencies, to promote the development of rail-trails across the country. The B&A is also an important link in the proposed East Coast Greenway, a 2,000-mile system of recreational trails that is to stretch uninterrupted from Maine to Florida by 2010. In the meantime, this 13.3-mile corridor of the old B&A Shortline Railroad awaits. Starting in Arnold, east of the Severn River, the paved route passes through suburban backyards, quiet woods and horse pastures. Two train stations are worth a stop: The brick station in Severna Park was built in 1912 and is currently home to the Severna Park Model Railroad Club; at Mile 7, you'll reach a Victorian-era building that has been refurbished and serves as a ranger station and trail headquarters. Soon you'll cross Marley Creek on a 140-foot-long bridge. The trail ends in Glen Burnie, a neighborhood that had a crime problem when the trail was established a decade ago. The meticulously maintained B&A is now the pride of the revitalized community, whose residents and businesses have worked hard and successfully to restore safety and good services. For more information, call Baltimore & Annapolis Trail Park (410-222-6244).
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NEW HAMPSHIRE Franconia Notch State Park Recreation Trail Tucked away in the heart of the White Mountains, this nine-mile path, New Hampshire's Millennium Legacy Trail, is a new charge of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. "The organization was founded on rail-trails but has expanded to include all recreational corridors," says Lara Caldwell, the RTC's communications coordinator. The trail starts at the Flume, an 800-foot-long gorge with steep, moss-covered walls no more than 20 feet apart. Cyclists must walk their bikes on the staircases and boardwalks that line the falls. Next stop is the Basin, a granite pool, or pothole, 30 feet wide and 15 feet deep. When Henry David Thoreau saw the Basin in 1839, he said," This is perhaps the most remarkable curiosity of its kind in New England." Continue on the paved trail for a view of Profile Lake and the state's official symbol, the Old Man of the Mountain. This 40-foot-high rock formation at the lake's edge, which resembles the chiseled face of a proud man, was immortalized in the story The Great Stone Face, by Thoreau's friend Nathaniel Hawthorne. "It seemed as if an enormous giant, or Titan, had sculpted his own likeness there upon the precipice," he wrote. Another stop is Echo Lake, whose crystal-clear waters reflect Mount Lafayette and Cannon Mountain. If you've worked up a good sweat, take a dip or park yourself at one of the lakeshore tables and have a picnic. Consider getting an early start on the Franconia Notch trail, because it's often crowded in the summer and early fall. For more information, contact Franconia Notch State Park (603-823-5563; www.nhparks.state.nh.us). * * * I've done this ride a couple of times. It's a great way to sightsee in the area since traffic and parking can really be a problem during the tourist season. There is one campground right off the trail. I've stayed at Franconia Campground (privately owned) just a few miles away (not many miles, but most of which is a long, steep uphill. The ride back, however, was really fast!). There is also limited camping at Cannon Mountain.
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RHODE ISLAND East Bay Bicycle Path It takes only five miles of pedaling to go from an industrialized section of Providence to the sheltered coastline of Narragansett Bay. No wonder many locals bike to the beach rather than deal with car traffic. The paved, 15-mile East Bay Bicycle Path, running along what was once the corridor of the Providence-Worcester rail line, heads southeast from India Point Park in Providence along the bay's scenic shores to the town of Bristol. Less than two miles into the ride, you'll begin to see fishing trawlers and sailboats to the right and small inlets and wetlands to the left. In the warmer months, you'll probably see locals clamming for littlenecks in the shallow waters along the route — quite a contrast to the Providence skyline you're leaving behind. As the city falls behind you, start looking for pelicans, egrets and the occasional swan. South of Riverside, the trail feels more secluded as it passes through groves of maples, oaks and evergreens. Before you've gone six miles, you'll reach Haines Park, the first beach along the route. The trail then swerves inland through the town of Barrington and crosses two rivers before reaching Warren, just past the 10-mile mark; to stock up on food and drink, plan to make a pit stop here. South of Warren, the trail once again hugs the shore of Narragansett Bay, which grows wider as it opens into the Atlantic. Soon you'll reach Colt State Park and Bristol Town Beach, the place to spread out a towel if sunbathing is on your agenda. The trail ends in Bristol at Independence Park, near a handful of seafood restaurants that almost always have freshly caught littleneck clams on the menu. For more information, call Colt State Park (401-253-7482) or visit www.riparks.com.
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NEW YORK Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway River lovers in New York's tri-city area (Albany, Schenectady and Troy) are blessed with the 35-mile Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway. Snaking through urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods, the paved trail follows the Mohawk and Hudson rivers. Starting at the Eratus Corning Riverfront Preserve in downtown Albany, you'll head north along the Hudson toward Watervliet and Cohoes. Look back for a view of Albany's state buildings; in Watervliet, keep an eye out for the Arsenal, the nation's oldest firearms-storage area in continuous use. At Cohoes, you'll follow the Mohawk west to Schenectady along the former route of the Troy and Schenectady Railroad. As you ride through thick woods of sugar maples, oaks and hickories, don't be surprised to find yourself sharing the trail with a deer or a red fox. Watch for signs to Lock 7, one of the many Erie Canal locks still in use. The trail passes through Schenectady's Stockade Area, where brownstones from Dutch settlers date back to the early 17th century. Turn right on State Street, pass Proctor's Theater — which has been around since the days of vaudeville — and stop at Erie Boulevard. To our left, a large General Electric sign flashes on and off, a reminder that this is the city where Thomas Edison started his company. Then continue another eight miles to the rail's end, in the town of Rotterdam. For more information, contact Rich Harris, the Niskayuna town planner (518-386-4530), or visit www. canals.state.ny.us.
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NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY Batt to Bear Trail Residents of New York City have an escape route: the Batt to Bear Trail, whose 53 miles hug the Hudson River from Battery Park to Bear Mountain. Cy A. Adler, author of Walking the Hudson, Batt to Bear (Green Eagle Press, $12.95), says, "The average walker can reach Bear Mountain in two to four days." Isn't it nice to know you can hike out if you ever need to? From Battery Park to 14th Street, bikers are welcome, and they come in droves — along with runners, walkers and skaters — particularly on weekends. The trail continues for hikers past Midtown, the Upper West Side and Harlem, then on to the Little Red Lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge. The view of the city and the river from the bridge, more than 200 feet above the water, is awesome. The trail descends into New Jersey's Palisades Park and for the next 13 miles follows the old path of the Jersey City rail line. You'll reenter New York State on a particularly scenic stretch, the three-mile greenway from Piermont to Nyack. Running along an abandoned commuter rail line, the shaded path offers excellent views of the river bluffs. Continue on to historic Haverstraw, and then to the maple and beech forests of Bear Mountain State Park. From there, strike out on the Appalachian Trail — north to Maine or south to Georgia; the city will still be there when you get back. For more information, contact Friends of the Batt to Bear Trail (212-663-2167).
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PENNSYLVANIA Three Rivers Heritage Trail Pittsburgh mayor Tom Murphy rode to victory in 1993 hammering home the theme of riverfront access. Long gone were Steeltown's glory days, when mills lined the rivers and churned out their product. When the bottom fell out of the steel market in the '70s, the mills shut down and their gargantuan shells were left to rust. But Murphy saw opportunity amid all the change, especially when it came to the rail lines that had hauled ore, coal and steel in and out of town. He has been working to turn Steeltown into Trailtown by supporting the creation of the 11.5-mile Three Rivers Heritage Trail, which by 2002 will snake along the rivers from the suburbs to downtown. One section has already been completed: the paved, 2.5-mile North Shore Trail. Starting at the Herrs Island trailhead, it passes behind the old Heinz factory and the new Alcoa headquarters building before skirting Three Rivers Stadium, where the Steelers and Pirates play (not for long, though, as the old stadium will be torn down next year). Then it's up and over the West End Bridge to the other side of the Ohio River, where the trail ends. Another Pittsburgh path, one that will eventually connect with the North Shore Trail, is the three-mile-long Eliza Furnace, known by locals as the "Jail Trail," one of the grittiest rail-trails in the country. It runs along the Monongahela River right by the county jail, past concrete walls adorned with graffiti. For more information, contact John Stephen at Friends of the Riverfront (412-488-0212) or visit www.atatrail.org.
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NEW JERSEY Patriots' Path Crossing Morris County, the Patriots' Path is a developing network of trails that links parks, watershed lands and historic sites. Forty miles are completed, including a 20-mile stretch from Morristown to Mendham Township. Two miles of the white-blazed route are paved, from Lake Road to Washington Valley Road in Morris Township, on the former bed of the Central Railroad of New Jersey; the rest is dirt or crushed stone. Most of the path, which runs through beautifully wooded areas, is level, but a few steeps and bridgeless fords keep things interesting. The most convenient access point is at Lewis Morris Park in Morristown. If you're mountain biking or trail running, warm up on the Patriots' Path, then hammer on the 5.2 miles of steep single-track just across Route 24 in the park. The Patriots' Path follows the Whippany, Black and South Fork of the Raritan rivers and leads to hidden gems like the Black River Wildlife Management Area. For viewing migratory birds such as woodcocks and wood thrushes, this stop beats the rest stops on the New Jersey Turnpike hands down. For more information, contact the Morris County Park Commission (973) 326-7600.
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WEST VIRGINIA Greenbrier River Trail Easily one of the finest rural trails in America, this 78-mile delight borders the Green brier River as it weaves its way through thick forests, open fields and two tunnels. Deep in the heart of West Virginia, the hard-packed gravel route passes such relics of railroad history as restored depots and vintage mile markers from the C&O Railroad, which used to haul timber on this line. It's also not unusual in these parts to spot ospreys, bobcats and black bears. For a good downhill cruise, start at the northern trailhead, in Cass; take plenty of food and water because there are few places on the trail to buy supplies, and take a headlamp for the tunnels. Near Marlington you'll ride through Sharp's Tunnel, a 511-foot-long passage hollowed out of stone in 1900, and emerge onto a wood-slatted bridge that hovers 30 feet above the rushing river. Stop in town to see the railroad depot (built in 1901) and the bright-red caboose, then push on to Watoga State Park, the trail's halfway point. You can camp here overnight, go swimming or fish the river for trout and small-mouth bass. South of the park, you'll coast through Droop Mountain Tunnel and ride along the remote river and its dramatic red-shale cliffs. The final 34 miles, from Renick to Caldwell, are a peaceful jaunt through deep woods and backcountry meadows; stop to swim or picnic whenever you feel the urge. If you've got the time, check out the nearby West Fork Trail, whose trailheads are in Durbin and Gladys. It cuts through the heart of the Monongahela National Forest, home to beavers, kingfishers and, in late summer, swarms of migrating monarch butterflies. For more information, call Watoga State Park (304) 799-4087; www.wvparks.com, the Greenbrier Ranger District of Monongahela National Forest (304) 456-3335 or Pocahontas County Tourism (800) 336-7009.
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Nancy A. Butler, Student |
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