Camp Shalom
Campground
Campground · 9.0 mi from the trail
Connecticut · Mountain biking · Near Middletown
Backside
- 0.3 mi
- round trip
- 42 ft
- climb
- Singletrack
- surface
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Backside is a short, easy mountain biking route in Connecticut, set on Regional Agency Land. The climb is out and back, about 0.6 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 42 feet. The route rises from a low point of 457 feet to a high point of 509 feet, and the steepest section comes early, at about 0.1 mile in, with a grade of around 2 percent. The trail is a simple, low-key outing, best suited to a quick ride rather than a long day in the saddle. For comfortable riding, late spring and early fall are the sweet spots. Typical averages from the nearby Burlington, CT weather station put May highs around 70°F and September highs around 75°F, while July runs warmer at about 84°F. Several other mountain biking spots sit close by. Steven Sauter Rock is about 0.4 miles away, and Weha Duro is about 0.5 miles off. For hiking, the Orange Trail is about 1.1 miles away and Kenney Ridge is about 2.1 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after 
If it rainsDaderot, Public domain · Wikimedia CommonsA. Everett Austin House
Museum
On your way back · 4 mi
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Daderot, Public domain (commons)
More in MiddletownBest time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Backside
Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
36° / 17°
10 wet · 4 snow
Feb
39° / 18°
9 wet · 3 snow
Mar
47° / 26°
10 wet · 2 snow
Apr
59° / 36°
11 wet
May
70° / 47°
12 wet
Jun
78° / 57°
11 wet
Jul
84° / 62°
11 wet
Aug
82° / 60°
10 wet
Sep
75° / 53°
9 wet
Oct
63° / 41°
10 wet
Nov
52° / 32°
9 wet
Dec
41° / 24°
11 wet · 2 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Burlington, CT, 7.8 mi away at 505 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more rides worth the drive
RIDE
Steven Sauter Rock
Next door
0.60-mile easy out-and-back singletrack in Connecticut with 105 ft of elevation gain.
RIDE
Big Dipper
~15 min drive
0.36-mile out-and-back trail in Connecticut with 34 ft of elevation gain.
RIDE
Ernie's Run
~16 min drive
0.11-mile out and back singletrack in Connecticut rated black diamond / difficult.
RIDE
Sodom Mountain Road
~32 min drive
0.5 mi · Moderate
RIDE
Weha Duro
Next door
0.67-mile out-and-back trail in Connecticut with 121 ft of elevation gain.
RIDE
Black Mamba
~26 min drive
0.61-mile out-and-back trail in Connecticut with 88 ft elevation gain.
RIDE
Beast
~37 min drive
0.92-mile hard trail in Connecticut with 143 ft elevation gain.
RIDE
Thrush
~37 min drive
Thrush is a 0.51-mile moderate out-and-back trail in Connecticut.
RIDE
NET/M&M Trail (white)
~31 min drive
2.1 mi · Easy
RIDE
Black Mamba
~26 min drive
1.71-mile out-and-back trail in Connecticut with 223 ft elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
