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Mountain Bike Trails

This section details some of our favorite mountain bike trails in and around the Central Connecticut area. These are directions on how to get to the trails and where to park. Because trails and their conditions are dynamic beings and can change at any time, we don't have specific trails or loops listed. Please be respectful of the rules of the trail, don't ride without a helmet and have fun!

Middlesex Trails

Our 'backyard' trails. Home of Pedal Power's Tuesday Night Mountain Bike Rides. Lots of variety here. Everything from gravelly fire-roads to twisty singletrack. Something for everyone. 

 
Trail Access: About 500 yards down on the right hand side of the road is a cattle gate. You can park here. Enter through this cattle gate, or the one at the intersection of Brooks and Cedar (that you just passed).
 

Wadsworth Trails - Middletown

Trail notes: These trails are fairly flat and fast. Only a couple of technical sections makes it a great place for beginners or if you're looking for an easy ride.

Trail access: You can head into the mansion area and park. There are trails that flank both the left and right side of the mansion. You can ride here but please be respectful of the hikers as there are many on these trails. If you want longer trails, head to the right side of the mansion, down the hill and cross Laurel Grove Rd. There are a bunch of loops here. Relatively flat, fast and fun! Again, these are multi use trails and you should expect to encounter hikers as well as equestrians.

 

Tyler Mill - Wallingford

Trail Access: Go around the guard rail at the end of the lot. Head left and the trail goes in on the Right over the makeshift bridge.

 

Salmon River - East Hampton

Trail Access: Cross covered bridge and head left up the east side of the river.

 

Meshomasic - Portland / Glastonbury

Note: These trails are the easiest to get lost in, and kind of difficult to find. If you are interested in riding here, but have never been, consider riding with us on a Sunday Morning to learn the loops.

  • From Middletown, take Rt 66E heading over the Arrogoni Bridge to Portland
  • Stay straight onto Rt 17 A North (Main St, Portland)
  • At the intersection of 17 and 17A, go straight through the light (onto Sage Hollow Rd)
  • Go up the hill, following the road to the right (onto Rose Hill Rd)
  • Slow down after the running trail and take a Left onto Cox Rd
  • You will pass Penfield Hill Rd (on Right) and Great Hill Rd (on Right)
  • Cox Rd will turn into a dirt road and you will stay Left (Cox turns into Mulford Rd)
  • Just over the hill is a pull off on the Right. Park here but do not block the access road.

Trail Access: Keep going on the dirt road and the trail will pop in by the boulders/brush and culvert about a 1000 feet down the road.

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Case Mountain - Manchester

From Middletown, take Rt 9 N to 91 N. Take the Rt 3 connector to Rt 2 E.

  • Take Rt 2 E to Exit 8 (Hebron Ave, Rt 94)
  • Take Left at the end of the ramp.
  • Follow Rt 94/Hebron Ave for several miles. Take a Left onto Birch Mountain Rd at the top of the hill.
  • Park in the pulloff by the radio tower building on the right about and 1/8th of the mile down the road.

Trail Access: Head down the road about 500 more feet and the trail is on the left. It is Blue blazed.

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Cockaponset - Haddam / East Haddam

  • Take Rt 9 South to Exit 8
  • Park in the commuter parking lot on the SW side of the highway.

Trail Access: Take a left out of the parking lot and about a 1/4mi down the road on the left, the trail begins.

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