Growing up in New England, I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Rhode Island. My grandparents lived just across the border in Connecticut and my mom now lives in the southwest corner of the state.
Despite its diminutive size, I’ve discovered that Rhode Island is actually home to a lot of great biking opportunities. There are awesome mountain bike trails (seriously!), scenic bike paths, and excellent cycling routes.
While I’m a mountain biker at heart, I do love a good spin on skinny tires. My first taste of road riding in Rhode Island (pun intended!) was a bike tour with Little Compton Adventures. I loved it so much that after that excursion, I took it upon myself to explore all of Rhode Island’s bike paths.
I had a great time and was really impressed with the trails that this little state has to offer! If you’re in Rhode Island and want to experience it on two wheels, here is my guide to the best Rhode Island bike paths.
1. Blackstone River Bikeway
The Blackstone River Bikeway is the crown jewel of Rhode Island bike paths, in my opinion. It’s super scenic and passes by a number of interesting attractions and historical sites. You can learn about the American Industrial Revolution and see remnants of that day in age like the old Slater Mill. If you only have time to do one bike path in Rhode Island, make it this one!
I rode the Blackstone River Bikeway as a 20-mile out-and-back. I started at the Lonsdale parking area just north of Providence and pedaled north to its end at River’s Edge in Woonsocket where I turned around.
The paved multi-use stretch of the Blackstone River Bikeway is 10 miles (one-way), but the vision is to build an uninterrupted 48-mile path between Worcester, MA, and Indian Point, Rhode Island. This stretch is known as the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, which is a National Parks Service National Historic Park.
2. East Bay Bike Path
The East Bay Bike Path stretches continuously for over 14 miles from the outskirts of Providence all the way down to the quintessential Rhode Island town of Bristol. I really liked this ride, but because of its proximity to the city as well as its beautiful water views and path-side restaurants, it can definitely get busy. But for good reason!
The sailboat-studded vistas out onto the bay are beautiful and there are tons of great stops along the way depending on what you’re interested in: delicious food, museums, beaches, and more.
I rode the full path as an out-and-back and also included a loop around Colt State Park (see below). If you just want to do part of the path, I recommend starting in Colt State Park and riding north. The views are prettier on this end.
Bonus: Colt State Park Loop
A great addition to the East Bay Bike Path is a loop around Colt State Park. Admittedly, I kind of got lost doing this loop, but Colt State Park is really beautiful, so it’s hard to get frustrated if you get lost there 🙂
3. Ten Mile River Greenway
Located in the northeast corner of Rhode Island, I really enjoyed my pedal along the Ten Mile River Greenway. It’s scenic, quiet, and has nice views out over the James Turner Reservoir where you can watch birdlife. When I rode it, there were actually dozens of swans hanging out on the lake, which was really cool to see.
This bike path is also one of the few bike paths in Rhode Island that was not built on a former railroad. As such, it follows the natural contours of the land. While it’s still pretty darn flat, the paved path is a bit more undulating than the other bike paths on this list.
Tip: Check to see if anything is happening at Slater Memorial Park, which the path passes. There is often live music or art exhibits at the Rhode Island Watercolor Society.
4. William C. O’Neill Bike Path
The William C. O’Neill Bike Path (formally known as the South County Bike Path) follows a portion of the railbed of the Narragansett Pier Railroad, which ran from 1876 to 1981. I rode it with my mom (on her birthday!) and we had a great time cruising along the pretty paved path through densely wooded areas and exploring the Narragansett Pier. The path also passes through the Great Swamp, which is the largest swamp in New England and a great place to watch for migratory birds.
The trail ends behind the Narragansett Elementary School, but there are plans to extend it another mile to the Narragansett Pier.
If you’re up for a bit of off-road adventuring, there is actually a dirt trail – the Canonchet Farm Trail – that continues from the Community Center down to Narragansett Beach. I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re on a road bike, though. Alternatively, you can hop on Mumford Road from the Community Center and then take a left on Kingston Road, which will take you down to the pier.
I also recommend checking out the South County Museum to learn about the history of what it was like to live in coastal Rhode Island a hundred+ years ago.
Important note: There are a few sections of this bike path that are on quiet roads. Just keep following the signs for the bike path.
5. Washington Secondary Bike Path
At 19 miles long one-way, the Washington Secondary Bike Path is Rhode Island’s longest bike path. It’s actually a link-up of several independently-named bike paths including the Cranston Bike Path, Warwick Bike Path, West Warwick Greenway, Coventry Greenway, and the Trestle Trail.
Tip: Summit General Store near the Trestle Trail parking is supposed to have great sandwiches. Grab lunch and find a nice spot to enjoy a picnic!
Trestle Trail & Coventry Greenway
Starting in the west, the Trestle Trail and Conventry Greenway make up about 5 miles of the Washington Secondary Bike Path and these miles are by far the most scenic.
If you’re looking for a nice 10-mile pedal, I recommend just doing this portion of the bike trail. The trail passes through verdant forest (in the summer) and past small ponds and marshes. It’s quite nice!
West Warwick Greenway, Warwick Bike Path, & Cranston Bike Path
I thought the remaining 14 or so miles of the Washington Secondary Path into the outskirts of Providence were meh. There are some scenic stretches, but also has quite a few road crossings and passes through not-so-nice industrial areas.
The pavement isn’t as great either thanks to roots and frost heaves. This part of the path is great for locals who live in the area, but could definitely be skipped if you’re just visiting Rhode Island.
Bike rentals
I actually had a difficult time finding a road bike rental. I called several shops and even though they said they offered rentals on their site, they didn’t have any available. So I was super stocked when Dan from Little Compton Adventures had a bike I could use. As an added bonus, he gave me a private tour around Little Compton, which was awesome and beautiful!
Have you explored any of these Rhode Island bike paths? Which one is your favorite or which one do you want to check out? Leave a comment below!
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