Pleasure Pedaling on the East Coast
No need to be a hard-core cyclist to embark on a long-distance two-wheeled tour of America’s East Coast.
Pedal for pleasure past cranberry bogs, rivers, the Eastern Continental Divide, and more along these three stand-out bike trails:
> Swamp Rabbit Trail (South Carolina):
Opened in 2009, the 18.7-mile Greenville Health System trail in the foothills of upstate South Carolina winds from Greenville‘s downtown along the Reedy River to the small town of Travelers Rest. Formerly an old railbed, the multiuse greenway is beloved by residents, including Tour de France veteran cyclist George Hincapie.
Grab a sandwich and scone to go at the trailside Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery, and picnic on the leafy Furman University campus near the end of the route.
> Great Allegheny Passage (Pennsylvania and Maryland):
More than 35 years in the making, the 150-mile GAP opened in 2013, linking the onetime rail route between downtown Pittsburgh and Cumberland, Maryland, with a nearly level crushed limestone path. Pedal past forests, farms, and parks, crossing the Eastern Continental Divide and the Mason-Dixon Line. For long-haul bikers, there are campsites along the way, and inns within a quick detour.
Not long enough? Ride an additional 185 miles to Washington, D.C., on the C&O Canal towpath.
> Cape Cod Rail Trail (Massachusetts):
Forged by the Old Colony Railroad Company in 1848, the Massachusetts route from Boston to Sandwich—and later, to the tip of the peninsula—popularized Cape Cod among New Englanders. The railroad is long gone, save for 22 miles of the corridor from Dennis to Wellfleet that has been repurposed as a bike trail.
Ride from village to village, passing cranberry bogs, salt marshes and pine forests. Go the extra mile beyond the trail’s end to Maguire Landing Beach for an ocean swim.
This piece, written by Margaret Loftus, first appeared in the August/September 2015 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine.
You May Also Like
Go Further
Animals
- Cougar travels 1,000 miles in one of longest recorded treksCougar travels 1,000 miles in one of longest recorded treks
- Rare gray whale spotted in the Atlantic—and it's only the beginningRare gray whale spotted in the Atlantic—and it's only the beginning
- Why 'funga' is just as important as flora and faunaWhy 'funga' is just as important as flora and fauna
- Termite fossils prove mating hasn't changed in 38 million yearsTermite fossils prove mating hasn't changed in 38 million years
Environment
- Why the 2024 hurricane season could be especially activeWhy the 2024 hurricane season could be especially active
- Mushroom leather? The future of fashion is closer than you think.Mushroom leather? The future of fashion is closer than you think.
- This deadly fungus is hitchhiking its way across the worldThis deadly fungus is hitchhiking its way across the world
- Why 'funga' is just as important as flora and faunaWhy 'funga' is just as important as flora and fauna
- This exploding mine holds a treasure that may change the worldThis exploding mine holds a treasure that may change the world
History & Culture
- See the story of Jonah and the whale like never beforeSee the story of Jonah and the whale like never before
- This ancient mosaic offers extraordinary insights into the pastThis ancient mosaic offers extraordinary insights into the past
- These are the real dunes that inspired Dune—and you can visit themThese are the real dunes that inspired Dune—and you can visit them
- Meet the only woman privy to the plot to kill Julius CaesarMeet the only woman privy to the plot to kill Julius Caesar
Science
- Women’s bodies are understudied—but that’s starting to changeWomen’s bodies are understudied—but that’s starting to change
- Hundreds of tiny arachnids are likely on your face right nowHundreds of tiny arachnids are likely on your face right now
- What's worse than a hangover? Hangxiety. Here's why it happens.What's worse than a hangover? Hangxiety. Here's why it happens.
Travel
- A taste of West Bengal, from curries to Kolkata street foodA taste of West Bengal, from curries to Kolkata street food
- Discover southeastern Spain's secret coastal regionDiscover southeastern Spain's secret coastal region
- All aboard Norway's slow train under the midnight sunAll aboard Norway's slow train under the midnight sun