Touring - Bike Path Touring

I’m looking for suggestions for tours which are mostly or entirely on bike paths. My girlfriend said she would go on a multi-day bike tour if I could find one that was on a bike path. We’ll be riding road bikes and will do 30-60 miles a day. She is not a big fan of camping but would be OK with it.

Most of the bike paths I know of are 30 miles maximum. We live in Portland Oregon but would be willing to fly to almost anywhere in US/Canada if the bike path was nice enough. I did some on-line searching and found the following link:

http://www.kk.org/cooltools/archives/001903.php

This website is great but I thought I’d ask the list to find if I’ve missed anything.

Thanks, Scott

The only place I've found decent "bike paths" was in France. The tow paths along the canals there were great.

So far, anywhere else I've ever been, I wouldn't touch bike paths with a 10ft pole ... too many people walking, jogging, rollerblading, too many children dashing about, too many dogs, too much debris all over the paths, and too little maintenance.

I can normally maintain about 18-20 km/h when I riding a loaded touring bicycle ... on most paths, that drops to about 12-15 km/h because of the conditions of the paths. If I happen to get onto a path, I try to get off of it as soon as possible so that I can actually ride without having to dodge 101 things.

Would she be willing to ride on quiet country roads? I can suggest roads around where I live, for example, where the traffic volume is very low, and I'm sure others could do the same.

You can ride on bike paths for hundreds of kilometers in Quebec, from Mont Laurier (http://www.routeverte.com/rv/voyager.lasso?code=laurentides) down tthrough Laval (http://www.routeverte.com/rv/voyager.lasso?code=laval) and Montreal (http://www.routeverte.com/rv/voyager.lasso?code=montreal), east through Montérégie (http://www.routeverte.com/rv/voyager.lasso?code=monteregie) and Estrie (http://www.routeverte.com/rv/voyager.lasso?code=cantons), northeast to Victoriaville (http://www.routeverte.com/rv/voyager.lasso?code=centre-du-quebec), St-Agapit (http://www.routeverte.com/rv/voyager.lasso?code=chaudiere-appalaches) and Quebec City (http://www.routeverte.com/rv/voyager.lasso?code=quebec). and northwest on the Jacques-Cartier trail (http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/215168218_5Agtx-L-1.jpg).

It's mostly rail-trail and not always exciting but all on bike paths. Montreal and the surroundings can be confusing so allow time.

So far, anywhere else I've ever been, I wouldn't touch bike paths with a 10ft pole ... too many people walking, jogging, rollerblading, too many children dashing about, too many dogs, too much debris all over the paths, and too little maintenance.

This is especially true for urban areas and especially true for sunny weekends. Crushed limestone trails are great for getting rid of please-go-in-a-straight-line-so-i-can-pass-you-rollerbladers.

My suggestion would be the Route Verte (http://www.routeverte.com/ang/) in Québec. Huge interconnected bikepath network and a excellent potential for the trip you're describing.

I've heard good things about the Kettle Valley trail, which is one of the links you provided. Close to you, too...you could do the drive up in a day from Beaverton. There was a fire that took out some of the bridges a few years ago but I just read somewhere that the big bridge that burned was reopened this year. I also believe I saw some journals at crazyguyonabike covering that trail.

The Katy train in Missouri would work well. Bed and breakfasts are available about every 30-50 miles and the trail is flat covered with fine limestone gravel but easily rideable with a road bike unless there has been a lot of rain. My wife and I have ridden it with 25 and 28 tires with no problems. The stretch from Booneville to Rocheport then to Columbia could be done easily in 2 days with an overnight at Rocheport. I have not ridden east of Columbia but it is supposed to be very scenic. The trail is almost entirely flat which might be good for someone not used to riding but it can get a little boring if you are used to riding roads and hills. Scenery is very pretty - forests, farmlands and Missouri river.

+1 Katy Trail

I think about 225 miles long.

http://www.bikekatytrail.com/default.asp

Another vote for the Katy Trail.

Also nice, although not strictly a "bike path", is the Natchez Trace Parkway (http://www.nps.gov/natr/) - nice road, light traffic (no commercial traffic allowed), pretty scenery, etc.

Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) is fine for mountain bikes (with or without suspension) but, I wouldn't do it on road bikes.

The Quebec routes sound interesting (I'd love to do them).

If you're looking for something closer to home, check out the bike paths in the Victoria area including the Galloping Goose trail which offers a variety of surfaces. I've riden from the Swartz Bay ferry to Victoria (Lochside trail) on my touring bike. www.greatervictoria.com/gallopinggooselochsidetrail.htm
Variety of accomodations along the way. You could take the ferry to Victoria and start there or to Sidney from Annacortes and ride the Lochside Trail to Sooke via Victoria. I'd recommend this tour for someone who's new to touring because it's flat, bike paths, can avoid camping if you wish, minimal traffic and scenic plus, you wouldn't have to fly there.

Then maybe next year your girlfriend will be ready to try rural roads instead of bike paths.

Check out Rails to Trails (http://www.railtrails.org/) for bike path networks in the United States. Wisconsin (http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/trails/tbike.html) probably has the most extensive interlinked bike trail network, and I think they're lovely (I'm a sucker for that river and woods and farms landscape).

Wisconsin has really great free online bike maps (http://www.dot.state.wi.us/travel/bike-foot/bikemaps.htm) for roads, too -- I don't know how those guys got so far ahead of everyone else on these initiatives, but congratulations to them!

These trails mostly link small communities via long-abandoned rail right-of-ways and therefore have next to no traffic of any kind. The ones I've ridden in Wisconsin are quite well maintained -- any touring bike can negotiate them without modification. I couldn't recommend these more strongly, especially for a first tour for folks seeking to stay off roads.

The Route Verte and other trail routes in eastern Canada sound really terrific, too, though it's my impression that you'd want something closer to a mountain bike to follow many of these trails (I hope to be corrected if I'm wrong).

The Route Verte and other trail routes in eastern Canada sound really terrific, too, though it's my impression that you'd want something closer to a mountain bike to follow many of these trails (I hope to be corrected if I'm wrong).

They are paved or packed crushed stone. 28mm tires are enough.

They are paved or packed crushed stone. 28mm tires are enough.

Thanks -- good to know! I biked the Gaspe Peninsula fifteen years ago and it was an almost perfect touring experience, only spoiled by the goddamned whales who kept me up all night with their incessant spouting. Quebec is a tremendous place to tour, and I'm excited to check out these new paths sometime soon.

These trails mostly link small communities via long-abandoned rail right-of-ways and therefore have next to no traffic of any kind. The ones I've ridden in Wisconsin are quite well maintained -- any touring bike can negotiate them without modification. I couldn't recommend these more strongly, especially for a first tour for folks seeking to stay off roads.

Key word here is mostly.

Many of the state trails connect to the Madison trail system. If you hit Madison, expect traffic even if it's the middle of the day. Also, one of the state trails links Madison with the Milwaukee suburbs. I wouldn't expect low traffic on that one either.

If you are interested in a camping tour, the WI trail system is well connected with WI state parks. If you're not interested in camping, you will need *some* ability to handle a bike in traffic... the trails tend to run through towns so it shouldn't take much road riding (say, less than 5 miles) to find a B&B or motel.

IIRC the WI trail network is now connected with the IL state trail network. I don't know what that one is like, but if it's maintained like the WI network it should be quite nice.

Erie Canal, or Pittsburgh to DC.

The Kettle Valley Railway is worth cycling. For the distances you've suggested, you should be able to avoid camping each day as there are towns nearby. I've been on a lot of this trail, but not all. The Myra Canyon section near Kelowna, which was destroyed by wildfires in 2003, has now been rebuilt. Farther east, the section from Christina Lake to Castlegar is one of my favourite rides anywhere in B.C.

Quite a few sections of the KVR trail pass through farm land. You'll have to stop to open and close gates along the way. There are a few sections on the trail where there's loose gravel, but most of it is nicely packed and great for cycling.

They are paved or packed crushed stone. 28mm tires are enough.

+1

Even when wet, these trails are fine.

Of about 500 km of the Route Verte I've explored, I recall only 1km that was slightly annoying because the surface was a bit loose.

The only place I've found decent "bike paths" was in France. The tow paths along the canals there were great.


Depending on what "bike path" means, Australia (or at least Victoria) is pretty good. The rail trails are really underused, and the distances between towns mean few locals seem to use them - mostly just bike tourists, or sometimes horse riders.

Steve

Depending on what "bike path" means, Australia (or at least Victoria) is pretty good. The rail trails are really underused, and the distances between towns mean few locals seem to use them - mostly just bike tourists, or sometimes horse riders.

Steve

The ones I saw on the way out to Wilson's Prom were the crushed gravel variety, which just doesn't work for my tire width. However, you're right that there were hardly anyone on them. I think we saw one guy on a mtn bike.

Pave them, and I'd use them, at least on a few of the busier sections out to Wilson's Prom.

Katy Trail-No big grades (Rail to Trail)
Erie Canal Trail-No big grades (Old Barge Towpath)
The Great Allegheny Passage/C&O Canal-BIG Grade in the middle!!

One of the first Two may be a bit easier on the GF!!

All Of These are Epic Rides!!! Tough Decision

Key word here is mostly.
IIRC the WI trail network is now connected with the IL state trail network. I don't know what that one is like, but if it's maintained like the WI network it should be quite nice.

Torrilin, this sounds interesting. Can you point me to anything about the connection between Wisconsin and Illinois bike trails?

Katy Trail-No big grades (Rail to Trail)
Erie Canal Trail-No big grades (Old Barge Towpath)
The Great Allegheny Passage/C&O Canal-BIG Grade in the middle!!

One of the first Two may be a bit easier on the GF!!

All Of These are Epic Rides!!! Tough Decision

The grade is two percent uphill on the Great Allegheny Passage/C&O Canal going from Cumberland, MD, to Deal, PA. Hardly a Deal, err, deal breaker. Also, if you start in Pittsburgh, it's less than a 1 per cent grade up, and you have that nice 2 per cent going down.

... only spoiled by the goddamned whales who kept me up all night with their incessant spouting...

Yeah, don'tcha hate nature? ;)

The Katy Trail is a great place to start. It's scenic but has lots of services at relatively short distances. For lots of information check out the website www.bikekatytrail.com.

One thing that I don,t like about the crushed stone variety of trails such as the Erie Canal is with my bike loaded with front and rear panniers as well as fenders the dust gets so bad that everything on the bike ends up covered in a layer of lime dust. It even got so bad that I had to reguarly wash off my drive components in order to be able to shift gears.

There is a 100 mile PAVED trail that goes from Smyrna, GA(near Atlanta) to Anniston, AL. There are motels at Rockmart, the half way point and at Anniston. You could do a 4 day round trip easily with no camping. There is a 2+ mile stretch in the middle that won't be finished until the end of summer 2008, but there is a reasonable road detour around it.

http://pathfoundation.org/index.cfm?event=showSilverComet
http://epic.jsu.edu/clt/

Getting from the airport to the trail head might be an expensive issue, although there may be airport shuttles to hotels in the Smyrna area.

The ones I saw on the way out to Wilson's Prom were the crushed gravel variety, which just doesn't work for my tire width. However, you're right that there were hardly anyone on them. I think we saw one guy on a mtn bike.

Pave them, and I'd use them, at least on a few of the busier sections out to Wilson's Prom.

Hmm, haven't cycled down there. I think they're mostly like that - the only one I've used so far that wasn't is the "murray to mountains" rail trail, between Wangaratta and Beechworth (and possibly further). Sealed concrete virtually the whole way...wow. Yum. Yes please :)

Steve

I’m looking for suggestions for tours which are mostly or entirely on bike paths. My girlfriend said she would go on a multi-day bike tour if I could find one that was on a bike path.

Don't discount the possibility of touring on quiet back roads instead of on bicycle paths. In some ares, you can go days without dealing with heavy traffic, except, perhaps, when entering/leaving a town or city.

A few years ago, I rode from Toronto to Ottawa. About 80% was on roads with very little traffic, 15% with moderate traffic but good shoulders, and only 5% on iffy roads. I was on bicycle paths part of the time, but most were not as scenic as the quiet roads.

Agree on that last point, rail trails often aren't very scenic. Especially when they go through long cuttings or dense forest.

Steve

Torrilin, this sounds interesting. Can you point me to anything about the connection between Wisconsin and Illinois bike trails?

Ok, found it.

The Badger State Trail (http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/badger/) connects with the Jane Addams Recreational Trail (http://www.janeaddamstrail.com/) which claims to be part of the Grand Illinois Trail (http://www.bikelib.org/git/index.htm). Looks like the IL segments won't automatically fit the OP's "bike path" requirements tho, since some portions are listed as on roads. It's not clear from the maps how much is on road. Still, the idea amuses me since it enables getting from Madison to Chicago via bike.

The IL DNR pages (http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/Programs/Biking/BIKEGDE.HTM) are not as helpful as WI's DNR. It might be worth getting a paper map from them in hopes that it would have actual details. (While I was poking around I got curious and went looking for links to the MN trail system (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/index.html). The Gandy Dancer Trail links the two states. MN does seem friendlier than IL, since they have maps available online.)

It does seem like all 3 states want their trail systems somewhat connected. It doesn't look like there are any *good* city to city routes tho, since even Madison to Milwaukee has a decent sized gap between the Glacial Drumlin trail and the Hank Aaron Trail.

Only parts of the Grand Illinois Trail are actually bike paths, much or most are typical rural highways and you do have to pass thru larger cities like Chicago and Joliet, IL so probably not what you're looking for.

There are a couple of bike paths in the Idaho panhandle that look nice. Check out http://friendsofcdatrails.org/.

Ok, found it.

The Badger State Trail (http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/specific/badger/) connects with the Jane Addams Recreational Trail (http://www.janeaddamstrail.com/) which claims to be part of the Grand Illinois Trail (http://www.bikelib.org/git/index.htm). Looks like the IL segments won't automatically fit the OP's "bike path" requirements tho, since some portions are listed as on roads. It's not clear from the maps how much is on road. Still, the idea amuses me since it enables getting from Madison to Chicago via bike.

The IL DNR pages (http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/Programs/Biking/BIKEGDE.HTM) are not as helpful as WI's DNR. It might be worth getting a paper map from them in hopes that it would have actual details. (While I was poking around I got curious and went looking for links to the MN trail system (http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/index.html). The Gandy Dancer Trail links the two states. MN does seem friendlier than IL, since they have maps available online.)

It does seem like all 3 states want their trail systems somewhat connected. It doesn't look like there are any *good* city to city routes tho, since even Madison to Milwaukee has a decent sized gap between the Glacial Drumlin trail and the Hank Aaron Trail.

Thanks! I want to check out those Illinois connections. I'm sorry to report that the Minnesota trail system can be highly theoretical in my experience. The Gandy Dancer Trail in particular seems to be a good idea gone unthought -- I tried to find it at a number of places where it's supposed to be and found nothing. I think it's more of a suggested route or a plan for a future trail than an actual trail -- at least along the stretches I've investigated.

http://www.discoverytrail.org/index.html
From California to Deleware