Ride the State

Join us for the 15th annual Ride the State: From the Boathouse to the Statehouse – June 28, 2025!

We’re back for another unforgettable Ride the State event! Join us on this 67-mile journey as we highlight the need to close the remaining gaps in the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and Hartford Connector segments of the East Coast Greenway.

Limited to 200 participants, this ride has sold out for three consecutive years. This year’s newly updated route will take riders from the Canal Dock Boathouse on Long Wharf Drive in New Haven to Connecticut’s Old Statehouse at Statehouse Square in Hartford. The fully supported ride kicks off at 8 a.m. and continues until 4:30 p.m. in Hartford. Participants can return to New Haven via the CTRail – Hartford Line, with free train tickets for the first 100 registered riders and affordable fares available at the station.

The majority of the ride follows the scenic, flat and paved Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and the Hartford Connector, including newly completed sections in Simsbury and Bloomfield. Midway, we’ll stop for lunch. Additional rest stops and a support vehicle will be available throughout the ride.

The scenic route passes through the following towns: New Haven, Hamden, Cheshire, Southington, Plainville, Farmington, Avon, Simsbury, Bloomfield and Hartford.

Don’t miss this opportunity to experience Connecticut’s premier greenway route while advocating for its completion.

Ride Details:

• The ride will take place, rain or shine.
• Helmets are required.
• Parking will be available near the ride start, location TBA.
• The 67-mile ride follows the scenic, flat and paved Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and the Hartford Connector, including newly completed sections in Simsbury and Bloomfield. Approximately 11 miles of the ride will be on road.
• Lunch will be provided, conveniently located along the trail.
• Additional rest stops and a support vehicle will be available throughout the ride.
• If you signed up for a train ticket, you will be transported by train back to New Haven. Affordable tickets are also available for purchase at the station.
• Bikes will be returned via truck. More details about bike transport will be provided closer to the ride.

Ride Schedule:

• 7-7:45 AM – on-site check in
• 8-9 AM – ride start with pace-based groups
• 11 AM – 1 PM – lunch available in Avon
• 2:30-5 PM – end of ride celebration at Old State House in Hartford
• 4:30 PM – course closes, riders must be completed or picked up by SAG
• 2:59 PM, 4:05 PM, 5:30 PM – return train options back to New Haven. Trucks will be at train stations to transport bicycles.