It’s National Bike Month-Get Out & Ride!

It’s National Bike Month-Get Out & Ride!

May 17, 2021

May is National Bike Month!  What better way to get to know Queen Anne’s County than to explore it by bicycle! From popular road routes to Nature Parks and paved bike trails, there are routes for both the novice and advanced cyclists.

Cross Island Trail

Enjoy the view while exploring our most popular route, the Cross Island Trail! Once the rail corridor through Kent Island, this 7 mile protected trail spans from Terrapin Nature Park (additional trails can be found within the Nature Park) to the Kent Narrows Waterfront wandering through farmlands, meadows, and woods accented with ornamental trees. Flanked by park benches, the trail crosses several creeks with wooden bridges, offering a spectacular view of waterfowl and wetlands. This is a relatively flat, well-maintained paved trail that is suitable for all ages and abilities.

South Island Trail

The South Island Trail is the sister trail to our popular Cross Island Trail. The trail runs parallel to MD Route 8 South for its entire length. This 7 mile trail begins at Matapeake State Park and ends at Romancoke Fishing Pier, offering a paved off-road route for bicyclists as they travel through shaded wood areas and wide open spaces in Queen Anne’s County.

Combine both trails for a 28 mile round trip ride! Cross/South Island Trail Map

Reminder- trails can be crowded during peak usage, so this may not be the ride for you if the goal is speed.

Hit the Road!

With 7 different road routes to choose from, you’ll experience everything from water views to back country roads!

  • Centreville Central
    • The county seat and geographic center, this ride includes some nice forested sections, and a little more vertical relief than you’ll find on Kent Island. (18.9 miles)
  • Grasonville Flatlands
    • A nice mix of woods, farms, and residential with no reason to downshift. On this route consider stopping at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC) by bike or by car for some hiking, bird watching, or kayaking. (25.2 miles)
  • Quiet Kent
    • Ride some less-traveled roads with a mix of farmland, residential neighborhoods, and water views. Recommended for early morning weekends when traffic is light in Chester. (23.4 miles)
  • Smooth Up-Country Riding
    • Highways with smooth pavement and wide shoulders with five parks along the route make this a surefire favorite. It gets even better if you add in a couple of spurs to catch the action on the Chester River, or a bite to eat along the way. (36.5 miles)
  • The Monster
    • This ride will take you all over up-county, and features some of the best roads for bike touring; with great shoulders, smooth pavement, and not too much traffic. (58.9 miles)
  • Tuckahoe and Farm Country
    • A quiet ride with plenty of vistas, and open sky that ties into the jewel of Tuckahoe State Park. Roads are a mix of low volume local roads and Route 309, which has pristine pavement and wide shoulders. This is a perfect ride for people new to road bike touring. (17.9 miles)
  • Woods Wildlife and Water
    • This is a local favorite highlighting quiet roads, water views and plenty of forests. In the early morning hours you might see herons, osprey, fox or even albino deer. This area is a wonderful patchwork of roads! (22 miles)

 

Looking for a hard copy trail map? Visit us at the Chesapeake Heritage & Visitor Center!

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