Length: 21.7 miles

Elevation change: 1806 ft.

Surface: 32% on gravel (dirt) roads

Difficulty: Advanced

Bike recomendations: a gravel bike with good tires and strong legs or an e-bike with appropriate tires.

Updated 11/16/2023

Description:

Ashford has lots of scenic roads but 6 of them are designated as such. This bike route is designed to combine all 6 into a beautiful loop ride. All of the scenic roads are gravel and some are challenging to bike. This route criss-crosses the Mount Hope River valley two times so there is a lot of elevation change as you climb out of the valley on both sides. Most of the route is on smaller local roads. There is a stretch on Route 89 but it has a good wide shoulder. The route does have several crossings of state roads all of which require care.

Parking: Park on the east side of Lipps Road by the intersection with Pease Road. This is right at the spot where Lipps road switches from paved to gravel.

Route Directions:

• Start by heading south onto the gravel (dirt) portion of LIpps Road. Lipps Road is the first scenic road on this route. Follow it 1.1 miles until the end.

• Turn right onto Perry Hill Road.

• Follow this 1.6 miles taking your second left onto Amidon Road.

• Follow until 2.3 mile mark taking your first left onto Seckar Road. Seckar Road is the second Scenic Road on this route.

• Stay on Seckar Road until the town line at 2.9 mile point. The road switches to pavement at this point.  Turn around and double back on Seckar Road.

• Go straight at the stop sign crossing Amidon Road and continue on Seckar Road.

• Seckar Road turns into Howey Road at mile 4.1. Continue to the stop sign at 4.3 mile mark.

• Turn left onto Zaicek Road at the 4.3 mile mark. 

• Follow it until the end at Chatey Road at mile 4.9.

• Turn Right onto Chatey Road. Follow it until the stop sign at 5.6 mile mark and continue straight on Westford Hill Road for a short distance.

• At the sharp right turn you go straight onto the gravel road, Oakes Road. This is your third scenic road.

• Follow Oakes Road until the stop sign at the end at mile 6.7. The blue blazed Nipmuck Trail travels along this road for a bit.

• Turn right onto Route 89 (Westford Road). Follow Route 89 south to the center of Ashford and the stop light. Mile mark 9.5.  It is the only stop light in town.  Side note - Cumberland Farms is a short distance to the right on Route 44 if you are in need of refreshments.

• At the light at 89 and 44 continue south on 89 just through the intersection and then take a sharp left up Slade Road. And now you must climb out of the river valley.

• Stay on Slade Road until the end at mile 10.6.

• Turn left onto Bebbington Road.

• Turn right at the first right onto Kennerson Reservoir Road at mile 11.

• Take the first right onto Pumpkin Hill Road at mile 11.5. Climbing again.

• Take the first right onto Colts Pond Road at Mile 12.6. This is your fourth scenic road on this route and the start of your descent back into the river valley.

• The first section of Colts Pond Road is very bike friendly. After the turn at mile 13 it is not maintained. This entire section is downhill but needs to be taken slowly. The surface is rocky and there are washouts.

• The last hill at mile 13.5 is the hardest to bike. Some riders may choose to walk down this hill. It is less than .2 miles long.

• Turn right onto Bebbington Lane at the end of Colts Pond Road at mile 13.7. Bebbington Lane is an easier gravel road. It is your fifth scenic road on this tour.

• At the stop sign (mile 14.6) turn left onto Bebbington Road. Follow this to mile 14.7 and turn right onto Bicknell Road.

• Follow Bicknell until its end at mile 15.3 and turn left onto Route 89.

• Take your first right onto Varga Road at mile 15.7.

• Varga Road bears left  and then turns into gravel and the scenic portion at mile 16.6. You continue up the hill on your sixth scenic road, Varga Road.

• Take Varga Road to the stop sign at mile 17.1 and turn right onto Wormwood Hill Road.

• Follow Wormwood Hill Road to the stop sign at Route 44 at mile 17.8.

• This is a dangerous crossing because of poor line of sight to the right. Go straight across onto gravel Upton Road.

• Follow Upton Road all the way through bearing right at the fork up to Route 74 near the Ashford Transfer Station at mile 18.9

• Cross Route 74 (again a dangerous crossing) onto Krapf Road. Follow Krapf Road until the stop sign at Mile 20.

• Turn left onto Perry Hill Road.

• Take the first right onto Lipps Road at mile 20.6. 

• Bike to your parked car at the northern end of the gravel portion of Lipps Road at mile 21.7.