Entrance to the Colchester Spur Air Line Trail

Today my friend and I jogged along the Colchester Spur, a stonedust and dirt trail that was formerly a railway.

Back in the 1800s, the Colchester Spur Railway connected with the Air Line Railroad, a project attempting to provide the shortest route from New York to Boston. Heavier freights that weren’t compatible with the viaducts along the line ultimately caused the Air Line Railroad’s decline. But in 1996, Connecticut’s DEP proposed to turn the old railway into a multipurpose trail for cyclists, hikers, joggers, equestrians, and cross-country skiers.

We ran about 2 miles up the path, but the entire length from the parking lot to the main Air Line Trail is about 3.4 miles. The course was flat, and there was plenty of room for two people to run side by side. It was quite a pleasant run, although I would definitely suggest wearing bug spray as it did get quite buggy as we passed by a swamp.

I will create a full description for the Colchester Spur on the Running Routes page after I run the whole length. If you live in the area, this is a great place to run because you can jog a range of distances in an out-and-back. The Air Line Trail itself measures over 20 miles. And although the Colchester Spur is flat, from what I’ve read and heard, and also from my experience running part of the Air Line Trail during the Salmon River 5.5 mile race, the Air Line Trail is hilly. So there is variation in difficulty level as well.

The Colchester Spur

Directions: From Route 2, take Exit 18 to Route 16 East. At the traffic light with Route 85, bear left and take the first right onto Lebanon Ave (Route 16 East). You will see a sign for the Air Line Trail Spur on your left before an antiques store. Follow the dirt road to a small parking area.