Trestle Trail

18-mile converted rail trail through western Coventry into Connecticut

The Trestle Trail runs roughly 18 miles from Coventry through the forests of western Rhode Island and into eastern Connecticut, following a former rail corridor that was converted to multiuse trail in the 1980s and 1990s. The surface is packed gravel and crushed stone, making it well-suited for cycling, walking, and cross-country skiing in winter. The western sections are particularly quiet, passing through second-growth forest and wetlands with very little road crossings.

The trail takes its name from the wooden trestle bridges that carry it over stream valleys and boggy lowland — several are still original structures, repaired rather than replaced. The most scenic sections are in the middle stretch, where the trail passes through unbroken woodland far from any road. Mountain bikes handle the surface well; road bikes less so. The eastern trailhead is accessible from Coventry's town centre; parking is available at several points along the route.

things to do outdoors
A story
The rail line that became the Trestle Trail was built in the 1870s to connect Providence with the inland towns of Connecticut. By the late 20th century it had been abandoned, and the old railbed was gradually converted into a multiuse trail — one of the longest in Rhode Island. The wooden trestles that give the trail its name span several of the swampy lowlands and small rivers that the original engineers bridged to keep the line level.