The Housatonic River Bikeway (HouBike Trail) seeks to make the breathtaking beauty of the Housatonic River Valley accessible in order to increase public appreciation and enjoyment of the river. The route runs along the river for approximately 45 miles through scenic areas of Salisbury, Canaan (Falls Village), Cornwall, Kent, and New Milford. The route is across the River from North Canaan and will pass through parts of Sharon.
Low volume-low speed roads, ideal for walking and biking, already parallel the river for 35 miles, and originally existed for the full 45 miles. These “River Roads,” as most are named, were the original routes chosen for relatively level travel by horses and wagons. Some of the roads remain gravel; they see little car traffic, and they offer intimate views of the River.
The river roads meander through varied parcels of state, national and locally preserved land and also provide access to the centers of Falls Village, West Cornwall, Cornwall Bridge, Kent, and New Milford. From Ashley Falls to New Milford, there are only two sections where river roads are no longer available: from west Cornwall to Cornwall Bridge, and from Cornwall Bridge to Kent. Those sections total about 10 miles.
Most of the banks on both sides of the River in this section either have river roads that are not “through roads,” or are already in public ownership. The exceptions are a one mile section on the east bank from Cornwall Bridge to Swift’s Bridge Road, and a half mile section on the west bank south of West Cornwall.
Get the brochure!
Contact us and we’ll mail you a copy of the HouBikeWalk brochure (pictured right).
View and print!
View and print these bike route maps for a great experience.