Central Connecticut has an abundance of multi-use paths, rail trails, hiking paths, and nature preserves. I grew up riding on the Farmington Canal Trail, a paved path on the former Central New England Railway running past river views, old water mills, rundown factories, waterfalls, and dams.

While I appreciate the well-maintained trails, I have been on the hunt for off-the-path gravel routes to mix it up and see new views.

The Barkhamstead Reservoir, Lake McDonough, Nepaug Reservoir, Tunxis State Forest, and Satan's Kingdom Recreational Area create a perfect loop of gravel paths, access roads, and single-track trails. This area combines isolated and quiet roads of hard-packed dirt & stone dust with beautiful views of the Farmington River and local forests.

Highs from the Central Connecticut Gravel Loop:

• The Goose Green Road segment had beautiful water access points. Countless spots to sit in the shade and watch the boats and kayaks.

• A mix of terrain types - sand and gravel mixture, hard-packed gravel, asphalt, and dirt roads. A perfect mixture of everything

• Navigation is relatively easy since for the most part you just follow the reservoir boundaries

• Isolated routes away from the busy rail trails in the area

Lows from the Central Connecticut Gravel Loop

• Bear Crossing warnings to keep you on your toes and alert

• Certain "paved" paths are crumbling and cause inconsistent terrain

• A few unexpected hike-a-bike sections due to newly fallen trees

• The trail in Tunxis State Forest reached a 13-14% grade with very chunky, loose gravel -making it nearly impossible to have traction