Air Line State Park Trail facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Air Line State Park Trail
Air Line Trail northeast of Black Spruce Pond in Hampton, CT (Pine Acres Lake View Trail intersection near Goodwin Conservation Center)
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Location	Connecticut, United States
Area	40 acres (16 ha)
Established	1969
Governing body	Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Website	Air Line State Park Trail

The Air Line State Park Trail is a cool path in Connecticut. It's built on an old railroad line! This trail is a "linear state park," meaning it's long and narrow. It's perfect for walking, biking, and even horseback riding. The trail is split into different parts. These parts connect towns like East Hampton, Windham, and Putnam. There's even a part that goes all the way to the Massachusetts border! In 2002, the southern part of the trail was named a national recreation trail. This shows how special it is!

History of the Air Line Trail

The Old "Air Line" Railroad

Imagine a super-fast train line from New York to Boston! That was the idea behind the "Air Line" railroad. It got its name because it was built to be very straight. This meant building huge bridges called viaducts. These bridges helped the trains travel fast and smoothly.

The railroad opened in 1873. It connected New Haven to Willimantic. Sadly, the company went bankrupt soon after. But the line was later taken over by another railroad.

Today, parts of the old railroad are still used. Some sections are active train tracks. Other parts, like the one in Willimantic, have museums. Here you can see old train buildings. The most famous parts are the Rapallo Viaduct and the Lyman Viaduct. These are two of the longest railroad bridges in the whole U.S.!

Lyman Viaduct, one of two towering iron trestles built for the Air Line

Turning Rails into Trails

Most of the old railroad line was no longer used. So, the state of Connecticut bought it. They decided to turn it into a public trail! This started in 1969. The first part of the trail opened for people to ride horses.

Over the years, more and more sections were opened. In 1986, the southern part became a trail. The section in Thompson opened in 1992. In 2015, a new bridge opened over the Willimantic River. This connected even more parts of the trail.

The Air Line State Park Trail has three main sections:

• South section: This runs from East Hampton to Windham.
• North section: This goes from Windham to Putnam.
• Thompson section: This part stretches from Thompson to the Massachusetts state line.

The North section is even part of the East Coast Greenway. This is a huge trail that will go all the way from Florida to Maine!

Making the Trail Longer

The trail has been growing over time. People wanted to extend it further south. They wanted to connect it to downtown Portland.

In 1999, students from the United States Coast Guard Academy helped build a bridge. This bridge helped extend the trail. More sections were added in 2011 and 2012. These new parts brought the trail right into downtown East Hampton.

Later, grants helped fund more extensions. In 2017, a new section opened from Main Street to Aldens Crossing. More work continued to connect the trail to the town line. In 2018, a new part of the trail opened in Portland. This section is 2.3 miles long. It connects to the trail from East Hampton.

Future plans include extending the trail even more. It might reach downtown Portland. It could even go along the Connecticut River to Glastonbury!

South Section of the Trail

What the South Section is Like

This part of the trail is finished and ready to use. It has a smooth surface made of packed stone dust. You'll find benches in pretty spots where you can rest. There are also bike racks.

New bridges built by students from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy cross rivers like the Blackledge and Jeremy. You'll also cross the famous Rapallo and Lyman Viaducts. These are huge bridges that carried the old railroad. Now they carry the trail across wide valleys. There's one small detour where the trail goes onto a road for a short distance.

Willimantic River to Bridge Street

This part has a wooden path over the Willimantic River. It uses the old railroad bridge for support. After the bridge, the trail becomes paved. It meets the Hop River State Park Trail here. You'll see a sign telling you about both trails' history.

The trail then goes past the Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum. It leads to the trailhead near Bridge Street. This section can be a bit noisy. It's close to an active freight train line.

Where to Access the South Section

The trail crosses many roads. These crossings offer places to get onto the trail. Some have parking areas.

County	Town	Street		Coordinates
Middlesex	East Hampton	Route 196, Main Street	municipal parking area, railroad bridge	41°34′32″N 72°30′01″W / 41.5755°N 72.5004°W / 41.5755; -72.5004
		Watrous Street
		Smith Street	parking area	41°34′42″N 72°29′33″W / 41.5782°N 72.4924°W / 41.5782; -72.4924
New London	Colchester	Bull Hill Road	parking area	41°33′56″N 72°26′35″W / 41.5655°N 72.4430°W / 41.5655; -72.4430
		River Road	parking area; railroad bridge	41°34′50″N 72°25′30″W / 41.5805°N 72.4249°W / 41.5805; -72.4249
		River Road
		Route 149	parking area	41°35′06″N 72°24′00″W / 41.5850°N 72.4000°W / 41.5850; -72.4000
Tolland	Hebron	On road: under Route 2 via Route 149
		Old Hartford Road	parking area	41°35′30″N 72°23′29″W / 41.5918°N 72.3914°W / 41.5918; -72.3914
		Jeremy River	river crossing	41°35′54″N 72°22′37″W / 41.5983°N 72.3769°W / 41.5983; -72.3769
		Grayville Road	parking area	41°36′53″N 72°21′59″W / 41.6147°N 72.3664°W / 41.6147; -72.3664
		Old Colchester Road	parking area	41°37′13″N 72°21′35″W / 41.6204°N 72.3598°W / 41.6204; -72.3598
		Route 85	parking area	41°37′56″N 72°20′37″W / 41.6322°N 72.3437°W / 41.6322; -72.3437
		North Pond Road		41°38′01″N 72°20′35″W / 41.6336°N 72.3430°W / 41.6336; -72.3430
		Route 207	parking area	41°38′23″N 72°20′22″W / 41.6397°N 72.3395°W / 41.6397; -72.3395
New London	Lebanon	Leonard Bridge Road	parking area	41°39′09″N 72°18′12″W / 41.6525°N 72.3032°W / 41.6525; -72.3032
		Chesbro Bridge Road	parking area	41°39′46″N 72°17′25″W / 41.6629°N 72.2902°W / 41.6629; -72.2902
Tolland	Columbia	Route 87		41°40′27″N 72°16′05″W / 41.6742°N 72.2681°W / 41.6742; -72.2681
New London	Lebanon	Cook Hill Road	parking area	41°41′07″N 72°15′54″W / 41.6852°N 72.2651°W / 41.6852; -72.2651
		Village Hill Road	parking area	41°41′50″N 72°15′04″W / 41.6973°N 72.2511°W / 41.6973; -72.2511
		Kingsley Road	parking area	41°42′31″N 72°14′30″W / 41.7085°N 72.2418°W / 41.7085; -72.2418
County Line	Town Line	Willimantic River	river crossing	41°42′48″N 72°14′16″W / 41.7134°N 72.2379°W / 41.7134; -72.2379
Windham	Windham	Paved Section begins		41°42′50″N 72°14′15″W / 41.7138°N 72.2375°W / 41.7138; -72.2375
		Hop River State Park Trail	leads to Bolton and Hartford area
		Bridge Street ( CT 32)	Opened in 2015, parking area	41°42′44″N 72°13′23″W / 41.7122°N 72.2230°W / 41.7122; -72.2230

North Section of the Trail

What the North Section is Like

This section is open to everyone. However, different parts are in different stages of being finished. Some parts are smooth with signs. Other parts are cleared but still a bit rough. They might not be good for road bikes. Some areas are still wild and overgrown.

Good news: there are no big missing bridges on this section. Even though some parts are not fully developed, this area doesn't have as many river crossings as the southern section.

The trail continues west of Route 66. It becomes the Veterans Greenway. This is a town-owned bike path that leads to downtown Willimantic.

Windham to Hampton

This part has been improved a lot recently. The first quarter-mile is paved. The state and towns have cleared, leveled, and added signs. They also put down a smooth stone-dust surface. A new trail bridge was built over Boulevard Road.

Abutment of the former Parker Road overpass, which collapsed onto the trail in May 2016

Hampton to Pomfret

This section was cleared by the National Guard in the 1990s. The surface isn't fully finished. Some parts are rough, and some areas can flood. There hasn't been much upkeep lately. So, some cleared areas have grown in a bit. Still, it's good for hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers. There are plans to add signs and finish the surface.

Pomfret to Putnam

This part of the trail is still undeveloped. It hasn't been cleared and is very overgrown. The surface is rough. There are fallen trees and wet spots. You might have to climb up hills to cross roads where old bridges used to be. It's really only for walking if you try it.

There are plans to clear and improve this section. A big project is underway with a budget of $5.5 million. They plan to build two new pedestrian bridges. They will also fix drainage issues. This work is expected to finish in Fall 2020.

Where to Access the North Section

The trail crosses many roads. These crossings offer places to get onto the trail. Some have parking areas.

County	Town	Street		Coordinates
Windham	Windham	Union Street	Terminus	41°42′40″N 72°12′31″W / 41.7112°N 72.2087°W / 41.7112; -72.2087
		Milk Street	parking area	41°42′45″N 72°12′23″W / 41.7124°N 72.2064°W / 41.7124; -72.2064
		Valley Street		41°42′45″N 72°12′22″W / 41.7125°N 72.2062°W / 41.7125; -72.2062
		Route 195		41°43′08″N 72°11′58″W / 41.7190°N 72.1994°W / 41.7190; -72.1994
		Natchaug River	river crossing	41°43′17″N 72°11′49″W / 41.7213°N 72.1970°W / 41.7213; -72.1970
		Private Drive		41°43′49″N 72°11′10″W / 41.7303°N 72.1861°W / 41.7303; -72.1861
		Route 66		41°43′56″N 72°11′05″W / 41.7322°N 72.1848°W / 41.7322; -72.1848
		Next to road: Tuckie Road	No junction
		End of the Veterans' Memorial Greenway (improved section begins)		41°44′06″N 72°10′46″W / 41.7349°N 72.1795°W / 41.7349; -72.1795
		Route 203		41°44′46″N 72°09′22″W / 41.7462°N 72.1560°W / 41.7462; -72.1560
		Boulevard Road		41°44′56″N 72°09′07″W / 41.7488°N 72.1520°W / 41.7488; -72.1520
Tolland	Chaplin	Chewink Road	parking area	41°45′05″N 72°07′15″W / 41.7515°N 72.1208°W / 41.7515; -72.1208
Windham	Hampton	South Brook Street	Shared Intersection	41°45′56″N 72°05′39″W / 41.7656°N 72.0942°W / 41.7656; -72.0942
		Parker Road
		US Route 6	Overpass - no connection	41°46′09″N 72°05′26″W / 41.7692°N 72.0905°W / 41.7692; -72.0905
		Potter Road	parking: Goodwin Conservation Center	41°46′40″N 72°05′12″W / 41.7777°N 72.0866°W / 41.7777; -72.0866
		Estabrooks Road		41°47′55″N 72°05′27″W / 41.7987°N 72.0908°W / 41.7987; -72.0908
		Station Road		41°48′27″N 72°04′12″W / 41.8074°N 72.0701°W / 41.8074; -72.0701
		Griffin Road		41°49′11″N 72°03′58″W / 41.8196°N 72.0661°W / 41.8196; -72.0661
		Little River	river crossing	41°49′20″N 72°03′26″W / 41.8223°N 72.0571°W / 41.8223; -72.0571
		Kenyon Road	parking area	41°49′21″N 72°03′23″W / 41.8225°N 72.0563°W / 41.8225; -72.0563
		Lewis Road		41°49′37″N 72°02′29″W / 41.8270°N 72.0414°W / 41.8270; -72.0414
	Pomfret	Route 97		41°50′01″N 72°01′09″W / 41.8336°N 72.0192°W / 41.8336; -72.0192
		Brooklyn Road		41°50′03″N 72°00′45″W / 41.8343°N 72.0126°W / 41.8343; -72.0126
		US Route 44	underpass/no access	41°51′33″N 71°59′59″W / 41.8593°N 71.9998°W / 41.8593; -71.9998
		Covell Road		41°51′46″N 71°59′31″W / 41.8628°N 71.9919°W / 41.8628; -71.9919
		Babbitt Hill Road		41°51′51″N 71°59′00″W / 41.8641°N 71.9832°W / 41.8641; -71.9832
		Route 169 / US Route 44	parking area	41°52′04″N 71°57′40″W / 41.8678°N 71.9611°W / 41.8678; -71.9611
		Needles Eye Road		41°52′29″N 71°56′59″W / 41.8746°N 71.9496°W / 41.8746; -71.9496
		Wright's Crossing Road		41°52′39″N 71°56′31″W / 41.8776°N 71.9420°W / 41.8776; -71.9420
		Unimproved Section begins
		Holmes Road		41°52′56″N 71°56′04″W / 41.8823°N 71.9344°W / 41.8823; -71.9344
	Putnam	Modock Road		41°53′09″N 71°55′19″W / 41.8857°N 71.9219°W / 41.8857; -71.9219
		River Road		41°53′22″N 71°54′51″W / 41.8895°N 71.9141°W / 41.8895; -71.9141
		Town Farm Road		41°53′37″N 71°54′37″W / 41.8936°N 71.9104°W / 41.8936; -71.9104
		Private Road		41°54′28″N 71°54′29″W / 41.9078°N 71.9080°W / 41.9078; -71.9080
		Quinebaug River	river crossing	41°54′28″N 71°54′29″W / 41.9079°N 71.9080°W / 41.9079; -71.9080
		Kennedy Drive	Terminus	41°54′30″N 71°54′29″W / 41.9084°N 71.9080°W / 41.9084; -71.9080

Thompson Section of the Trail

What the Thompson Section is Like

A lot of work is being done to improve this part of the trail. The old train tracks have been removed. The trail surface is being leveled. Drainage is also being improved. When finished, the surface will be hard-packed dirt and gravel.

The trail is mostly clear of big obstacles. There is one missing bridge over a creek. You'll need to take a short detour on a path next to it. New parking areas have been built. These are at places where the trail crosses roads. You'll find signs and information kiosks there too.

As of 2017, the northern part of this section is not yet improved.

Where to Access the Thompson Section

The trail crosses many roads. These crossings offer places to get onto the trail. Some have parking areas.

County	Town	Street		Coordinates
Windham	Thompson	Route 193	Terminus (south of Thompson center)	41°56′51″N 71°53′06″W / 41.9475°N 71.8851°W / 41.9475; -71.8851
		Exit 49 ramps	Bridge over ramps - no connection	41°57′17″N 71°52′51″W / 41.9547°N 71.8809°W / 41.9547; -71.8809
		Route 200	Overpass - no connection	41°58′01″N 71°52′26″W / 41.9669°N 71.8740°W / 41.9669; -71.8740
		Sunset Hill Road		41°58′35″N 71°51′57″W / 41.9764°N 71.8658°W / 41.9764; -71.8658
		Lowell Davis Road		41°59′05″N 71°51′24″W / 41.9846°N 71.8566°W / 41.9846; -71.8566
		Interstate 395	Overpass - no connection	41°59′14″N 71°51′11″W / 41.9873°N 71.8531°W / 41.9873; -71.8531
		Route 193	Overpass - no connection (north of Thompson center)	41°59′34″N 71°50′38″W / 41.9929°N 71.8438°W / 41.9929; -71.8438
		Sand Dam Road		42°00′16″N 71°49′12″W / 42.0045°N 71.8201°W / 42.0045; -71.8201
		East Thompson Road	Connection with Southern New England Trunkline Trai	42°00′32″N 71°48′33″W / 42.0089°N 71.8091°W / 42.0089; -71.8091

The trail continues east and north into Massachusetts. It becomes the Southern New England Trunkline Trail. This is part of the Massachusetts State Park System.

Colchester Spur Trail

What the Colchester Spur is Like

This shorter trail is about 3.6 miles long. It has the same hard-packed gravel surface as the main South section. When you cross Route 85, there's a marked crosswalk. Other crossings are over smaller local roads without marks. The trail ends just east of downtown Colchester. It stops at the old train station and freight house.

Where to Access the Colchester Spur

The trail crosses these roads, providing access points:

County	Town	Street		Coordinates
Tolland	Hebron	Route 85		41°37′11″N 72°20′39″W / 41.6196°N 72.3441°W / 41.6196; -72.3441
		Crouch Road		41°36′50″N 72°20′34″W / 41.6139°N 72.3428°W / 41.6139; -72.3428
New London	Colchester	Old Amston Road		41°35′41″N 72°20′01″W / 41.5947°N 72.3335°W / 41.5947; -72.3335
		Route 16	Terminus	41°34′46″N 72°19′38″W / 41.5795°N 72.3273°W / 41.5795; -72.3273

Images for kids

• 

  The Airline Trail South bridge over the Willimantic River

• 

  The bridge from the Hop River Trail

See Also