# Duke Farms Trails



## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

Has anyone ridden the trails at Duke Farms? Would a road bike be OK? I was thinking of riding over there from Somerville on Memorial Day. Thanks


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

AlanE said:


> Has anyone ridden the trails at Duke Farms? Would a road bike be OK? I was thinking of riding over there from Somerville on Memorial Day. Thanks


i will guess there will be too many people/pedestrians/strollers/etc to bother...


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

RJP Diver said:


> i will guess there will be too many people/pedestrians/strollers/etc to bother...


I guess your guess is as good as mine, that's why I was looking for some actual information. Are you saying that you've actrually ridden there? I figure I'll probably be bored after a few laps of the ToS, and I'll be right there anyway, so it won't really be a bother. I was just wondering which bike to bring. The website says there are 18 miles of trails, 4 paved & 14 unpaved.


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

AlanE said:


> I guess your guess is as good as mine, that's why I was looking for some actual information. Are you saying that you've actrually ridden there? I figure I'll probably be bored after a few laps of the ToS, and I'll be right there anyway, so it won't really be a bother. I was just wondering which bike to bring. The website says there are 18 miles of trails, 4 paved & 14 unpaved.


Have not yet been. I would guess (yeah, another guess) that the unpaved stuff won't be well packed as of yet. Plus, it's supposed rain all week, no?


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

RJP Diver said:


> Have not yet been. I would guess (yeah, another guess) that the unpaved stuff won't be well packed as of yet. Plus, it's supposed rain all week, no?


I guess I'll play it safe and take the CX.


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

I decided to take the guess-work out of it and rode to Duke Farms to check out the trails for myself. The paved "trails" are actually single lane paved roads, perfectly suitable for a road bike. The unpaved trails are a mixed bag - some dirt & gravel roads, some fine gravel foot-paths, and quite a bit of foot-paths composed of wood chips. I rode my cross bike with 32F/35R tires, and except for the wood chips, had no problems. Not many people there today, no strollers.

The place is pretty spectacular. It's a chance to see how 1% of 1% of the 1%'ers used to live. BTW, the building in the photos are the "barns" - I couldn't get to where the main house is located.


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## RJP Diver (Jul 2, 2010)

Nice - thanks for taking the time to share the info and photos!

:thumbsup:


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

As it turns out, bikes are not allowed on the woodchip paths, but there were no posted signs. The only indication was upon close examination of the legend on the more detailed map provided at the visitors center.


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## AlanE (Jan 22, 2002)

RJP, 
I may have misunderstood your comment:
"i will guess there will be too many people/pedestrians/strollers/etc to bother..."

Perhaps you were referring to the Tour of Somerville ?


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