Bethel, and near Bethel

  • Bethel Pathway — Just about 1 mile of paved path along the river, plus an extra mile of paved sidewalk on the way to Valentine Farm. Easy going and pretty.
  • Valentine Farm — A wheelchair accessible 1.2-mile trail with nice views and a charming creek. And additional 1-mile loop circles the meadow, and an 0.8-mile extension connects the farm trails to Bethel Pathway. Check out the pollinator garden!
  • Bethel Village Trails — A wonderful groomed system of x-c trails in the winter, and biking trails in the summer.
  • Carter’s X-C Ski Center — When I tried to ski here, I left disappointed. Perhaps it is better mid-winter. Call ahead to see how many trails are groomed for skiing.
  • McCoy-Chapman Forest — You can do several different walks here on this 500-acre preserve. A good one is a 2.3-mile hike, one way, to a high point with a view. 
  • Bethel Community Forest — Part of a huge, and I think growing, area of contiguous protected land. The community forest has many miles of hiking and biking trails to views and waterfalls.
  • Mount Will — A moderate three-mile loop on a smallish mountain with views from the south- and north-side ledges.
  • Kendall Brook Forest — A huge tract of protected land, this forest spans both Bethel and Greenwood. The trails are mostly gravel roads and old woods roads, with the latter offering some enjoyable walking. Overall, I recommend biking or trail running here.