Stay active and explore history: Family-friendly bike paths for outdoor fun

Whether in Nantucket or the northern reaches of Maine, you're sure to find a family-oriented bike path. (MOTT Photo)

Turning the pedals is not only a great way to stay fit, but a great opportunity for families to explore together. Here are five safe and family-oriented bike paths that offer glimpses into the past.

Franconia Notch Bike Path, New Hampshire

Because it provides breathtaking mountain views and access to several of the most popular destinations in the western Whites, Franconia Notch Bike Path is a favorite for everyone in the family. Start your 20-mile round trip at the Skookumchuck trailhead parking lot and ride south. Within two miles you’ll reach Echo Lake Beach at the foot of Cannon Mountain. Continuing on the path will lead you past the former Old Man on the Mountain site and down into the geological curiosity known as the Basin. The path ends at Flume Gorge Visitor Center, where you can dismount and check out the Glacial Boulders, Bear’s Cave and Liberty Gorge. www.cannonmt.com/things-to-do/activities/recreation-path 

Cape Cod Canal Bikeway, Massachusetts

Once upon a time they were U.S. Army Corps of Engineers service roads. Today, the Cape Cod Canal Bikeway runs for about seven miles on each side of Cape Cod Canal, offering birds-eye views of ships, barges and tugs navigating between Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod Bay. The bikeway is paved and wide, making it perfect for kids and novice cyclists. The path links several recreation areas along the way, including Buzzards Bay, Herring Run, Bourne and Tidal Flats. — www.savebuzzardsbay.org/places-to-go/cape-cod-canal-bikeway/

Lamoille Valley Rail Trail, Vermont

This spring offers a unique opportunity for adventure cyclists to be among the first to be able to ride the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail in its entirety. The 10-foot-wide multi-use path, scheduled to be completed by June, follows the former 93-mile Lamoille Valley Railroad line from St. Johnsbury to Swanton in northern Vermont. The LVRT spans five Vermont counties and winds through 18 towns along the way. In the warmer months, the trail can be utilized for walking, jogging, hiking, cycling and horseback riding. — vtrans.vermont.gov/lvrt 

Air Line State Park Trail, Connecticut

This old rail bed, dating back to the 1870s, once supported trains connecting New York to Boston. The eastern Connecticut Airline State Park Trail — named because the tracks ran flat and straight – winds 55 miles from the northeast corner of the state to East Hampton. The path might be straight, but the riding surface can be rough with limited access points onto and off the trail along the way. Bikes with wider-width tires are recommended. — portal.ct.gov/DEEP/State-Parks/Parks/Air-Line-State-Park-Trail

Kennebec River Rail Trail, Maine

This 6 1/2-mile paved stretch along the Kennebec River is part of the East Coast Greenway connecting Calais, Maine, to Key West, Fla. Begin your ride from the trailhead parking area in Augusta. The trail runs alongside the route of the Kennebec and Portland Railroad. Two miles outside of Augusta, you’ll arrive in Hallowell, the old logging and shipbuilding city that is also known as “The Little Easy” or “New Orleans on the Kennebec.” The trail meanders along the river into Farmingdale before ending at a shopping center in the former mill town of Gardiner, which is also home to the popular Gardiner Waterfront Park. — krrt.org