Last summer, when we recommended five car-free bike rides, hundreds of readers spoke up in the comments to share their most treasured routes, the kind that remind cyclists what they love about the sport.
Out of all those tips, we picked four picturesque paths in the Pacific Northwest and Midwest (two regions readers emphasized), and one underrated Northeastern trail, all perfect for fall. As crimson and gold foliage tints the horizon, pump up the tires and get ready to roll.
Washington
Olympic Discovery Trail
On the northern edge of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, this wondrous trail weaves through scenic landscapes for 92 car-free miles between Port Townsend and the Pacific Ocean at La Push — also the western terminus of the Great American Rail-Trail. If a multiday out-and-back journey is a stretch, the four distinct segments of varying grades, surfaces and distances offer a more tailored excursion. If you just had one day to ride about 10 miles round-trip on the trail, Ian Mackay, the founder of Ian’s Ride, a nonprofit that promotes outdoor accessibility, recommends the Spruce Railroad Trail in Olympic National Park. “You’ll experience a smooth, paved trail along a crystal clear, emerald blue lake with great views of mountains while riding under some giant trees,” he said.
WISCONSIN
Elroy-Sparta State Trail
The first designated rail trail in America, the 32.5-mile Elroy-Sparta State Trail, in western Wisconsin, gave birth to a movement when it opened in 1967. Marianne Fowler, the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s senior strategist for policy advocacy and a longtime proponent of rail trails, said Elroy-Sparta helped give credibility to the “value of rail trails and what they could bring to the community.” For a round-trip ride of roughly 54 miles, start at the Kendall Trailhead, moving under maple trees, through a timeless countryside and all three of the route’s hand-carved train tunnels (where riders must dismount) before reaching Sparta. As the tunnels are dark, damp and cool, bring a headlamp, layers and a water-resistant shell, Ms. Fowler suggests. She also recommends fatter tires, as on a hybrid or gravel bike, to make the most of the trail’s crushed-limestone surface. (The tunnels are closed from November to May.)
Illinois
Chicago Lakefront Trail
The 18-mile Chicago Lakefront Trail sets a high bar for urban rides in America. Linking the neighborhoods of Edgewater and South Shore, where the trail ends one mile from the Obama Presidential Center, this route is beloved for its combination of city views and Lake Michigan beaches. The ride passes through an energizing landscape that includes the Montrose Beach Bird Sanctuary, bustling harbors, Navy Pier, the Field Museum and peaceful hideaways like La Ronda Parakata Gathering Space. “The vibrant blues of the lake contrast with the greenery found along the trail, and as you ride north from the South Side and come around the bend, the looming skyline reminds you that you are very much still in Chicago,” said Alex Valladares, a program manager at Blackstone Bicycle Works, a nonprofit that offers free bicycle education to young people.
Oregon
Banks-Vernonia State Trail
The Banks-Vernonia State Trail, a 21-mile route framed by a majestic green corridor of Coast Range woods and open spaces, has been a favorite ride for local cyclists since it became Oregon’s first rail trail in the early 1990s. This trail “should be on every rider’s bucket list,” said Douglas Myers, president of the Portland Bicycling Club, which helps maintain the path. “The countryside transitions from bucolic to sylvan as the grasslands enter a mixed conifer forest,” said Mr. Myers, who enjoys traversing the trail’s 13 bridges, including the 80-foot-high wooden Buxton Trestle above Mendenhall Creek. With more than five access points available, including L.L. Stub Stewart State Park, which sits midway and features some steep switchbacks, cyclists can opt for shorter distances that still deliver an immersive spin through nature. And the trail’s southern end is a quick drive from Willamette Valley vineyards.
Massachusetts
Shining Sea Bikeway
Get a glimpse of an active cranberry bog and admire sparkling views of Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound on the 10.7-mile, paved Shining Sea Bikeway, which runs between North Falmouth and Woods Hole, Mass. This trail, less known than the longer Cape Cod Rail Trail, is named after “America the Beautiful,” written by Katharine Lee Bates, a Falmouth native. The salt marshes of West Falmouth are stunning, said Noah Pring, 23, who works at Corner Cycle bike shop, a two-minute ride from the trailhead. “You come out of the trees, and suddenly everything opens up,” he added, citing the wildlife, the sand dunes and “the ebb and flow of seawater rolling in from high tide.” At the turnaround in Woods Hole, you can stretch the day a little further by taking a 35-minute ferry ride to Martha’s Vineyard (adult fare, including bicycle: $32.50 round-trip).
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