Difficulty: Easy. Flat, paved rail trail. The Cranston Bike Path & West Warwick Greenway have issues with tree roots making for a sometimes bumpy ride.
To start from the Station Street parking lot in Coventry; From the junction of Routes 117 & 116, head west on Route 117. About a ¼ mile past the junction of Route 33, on your right, will be Station St. The parking lots are just up Station St on both sides of the road.
To start from the Horgan School parking lot in West Warwick; Take exit 10 off of I-95 to Route 117 west. Take a right onto Route 33 and head north. Route 115 joins Route 33. The old Royal Mills will be on your right and the Horgan School will be to your left. Behind the school is a parking lot next to the bike path, along Hay St.
To start from the Gibbs School parking lot in Cranston; From Route 10 southbound, take the exit for Garfield Ave. Across the street will be the entrance to the Gibbs School parking lot. Go in the entrance and turn right. The bike trail starts in the northwest corner of the lot. From Route 10 northbound, take the exit for Niantic Ave. Turn left (north) up Niantic Ave to Cranston St. Turn left on Cranston St, then left again down Garfield Ave. A little ways down on your right will be the entrance to the Gibbs School parking lot. Go in the entrance and turn right. The bike trail starts in the northwest corner of the lot.
The Washington Secondary Bike Path is made up of four interconnecting bike trails. The Cranston Bike Path, West Warwick Greenway, Coventry Greenway and Trestle Trail were built on old rail bed of the former Hartford, Providence & Fishkill Railroad, which was completed in 1854 and connected the two state's capitols. The Cranston Bike Path begins just outside Providence and heads south turning into the West Warwick Greenway, which then turns southwest where it becomes the Coventry Greenway traveling west. Also located in Coventry, the Trestle Trail continues west to the Connecticut border and contains a parallel Equestrian Trail.. In CT the trail is undeveloped through Sterling but becomes the MOOSUP VALLEY STATE PARK TRAIL in Moosup. A ½ mile spur trail is located in Cranston called the Tongue Pond Loop. For more information visit; BIKE RI . All of these trails are part of the EAST COAST GREENWAY .
Starting from the Gibbs School parking lot in Cranston; The paved Cranston Bike Path heads south behind Gibbs School. This is an urban corridor.
Note; The old rail bed continues north but is impassable and soon merges with an active RR.
After 0.2 miles you'll pass by a spur on your left for the Tongue Pond Loop Trail, a ½ mile paved loop trail around Tongue Pond. Next you pass by the Lowe's parking lot before crossing Garfield Ave. USE CAUTION, Busy Road. An old RR bridge takes you over Burnham Ave and a tunnel brings you underneath Gansett Ave before a crosswalk over Dyer Ave at 1.2 miles. Please USE CAUTION, as there is no crosswalk signal on this busy road. Cross-light over Park Ave at 1.6 miles. Ice cream stop here. Travel underneath Route 2 at 2.2 miles and Dean St at 2.9 miles. You'll pass underneath Route 37 at 3.7 miles. Here the trail parallels Route 5 and all its commercial establishments (another ice cream stop). Cross an old RR bridge over Wilbur Ave followed by a second bridge over Meshanticut Brook at 5 miles. A tunnel takes you underneath Route 33 before you travel underneath I-295 at 5.6 miles. You are now traveling along the West Warwick Greenway. Hold your nose as you pass by the water treatment plant before an old RR trestle takes you over the Pawtucket River. We spotted geese and even a white swan in the river. Pass by a spur trail leading to a Park off Sue St before a cross-walk takes you over East Ave at 6.3 miles. USE CAUTION, Busy Road. Cross-light over Route 33 at 7.2 miles. After crossing over the entrance to the Bradford Soap Works take a big whiff. Yes, that's soap you smell. Next you cross a long steel railroad bridge overlooking the Pawtucket River South Branch and an old stone mill complex (part of the Bradford Soap Works). Reach Hay St after 8 miles.
Note; If you head right it will bring you to Riverpoint Park where you'll find the Senator Donald E. Roch River Walk. A hard packed dirt trail that travels below the Park alongside the Pawtuxet River.
Note; If you head left you'll come to the big red "NY, New Haven & Hartford RR" caboose. If you continue down to Route 33 you'll spot the old Caybrook Company's Royal Mill with its two twin towers across the road. Now called the ROYAL MILLS RIVERPOINT the mills have been converted to apartments. A River Walk runs alongside the Pawtuxet River behind it.
Continuing along the trail you pass behind the Horgan School parking lot on your left and Riverpoint Park to your right. Cross an old RR bridge over E Main St, then use the cross-light over Route 33 where you come to a map board at 8.8 miles in Artic Village. To your left is the old Artic Mill, built in 1919. You ride above the Pawtucket River South Branch along a berm. Travel through a tunnel underneath Main St and cross Brookside Ave. Just before traveling underneath W Warwick Ave at 10 miles you transition to the Coventry Greenway. Here you'll find white mile markers located along the Coventry section. After several road crossings you'll come to a long bridge at 10.7 miles with promenades overlooking the river. A spillway (Clairiant Falls) is located here. Just before you cross Laurel Ave you pass by some old RR tracks and an old RR platform. To your right is another spillway and an old brick factory. You then pass by the Laurel Ave parking lot at 10.6 miles before crossing an old RR trestle bridge over the river. Cross another old RR bridge over Route 117 and you'll come to the Station Street parking lot after 11.6 miles. Across Station St is a second parking lot with a map board. Pass by an old section of track with two switches. A "blinking" cross-light takes you over Route 117 at 12.1 miles. USE CAUTION, Busy Road. Pass a spur trail down to an Equestrian parking lot off Route 117. The Equestrian Trail begins here. On your left is an overlook of the Pawtuxet River at 12.5 miles.
Note; The Equestrian Trail parallels the Coventry Greenway, sometimes right alongside it and other times separated by trees or brush. Please slow down when approaching and passing horses, as they may get spooked.
Cross Industrial Drive (industrial corridor) and come to a Spur Trail on your right at 13.3 miles.
Note; This Spur Trail takes you to the Coventry Town Hall & Library parking lot.
Cross a short causeway along the Flat River Reservoir leaving the town behind as the trail becomes more wooded. Cross a couple of small roads before coming to Raymond's Point Rd. Just past this road at 14.2 miles is "I believe" the start of the Trestle Trail section. The Trestle Trail runs through Coventry all the way to the Connecticut border. The white wooden mileage markers now become granite markers every 0.5 miles. Pass by the Pinehaven Road Equestrian parking lot at 14.6 miles where the trail parallels Route 117. Cross an old RR bridge over the Flat River at 15.1 miles. Pass by the Hill Farm Road auto & equestrian parking lot at 15.5 miles before crossing Phillips Hill Rd and coming to an old RR bridge next to Stump Pond (Coventry Reservoir). A Boat Launch parking lot is located to your left and a swimming hole is on your right. The trail now becomes a bit more isolated with a slight up hill grade. Just past the (7.5 mile) granite mile marker is an elaborate switchback ramp up to Williams Crossing Rd. A couple of small bridge crossings along this stretch. A cross-light takes you over Camp Westwood Rd at 18.2 miles. A long berm travels through a marsh followed by a rock cut as you travel underneath Route 102 at 18.8 miles. Cross-light over Log Bridge Rd at 19 miles brings you to the Railroad Street parking lot.
Note; The Trestle Trail currently ends here as of June 2015. Plans are in the works to finish the trail out to the Connecticut border and the start of the Moosup Valley State Park Trail.