If you love long rides with an ocean breeze at your back, the bike path from Cedar Creek to Captree is pure magic. I’ve ridden it more times than I can count, and it still takes my breath away. Miles of smooth open trail, salt marshes shimmering in the morning sun, and that unmistakable smell of the bay. For triathletes and cyclists logging serious training hours, this stretch feels like a gift.
And when the full path is open, it’s a dream for anyone chasing a strong build phase. You can zone in, hold your pace, and just fly.
But right now, there’s a problem you need to know about before you clip in.
A Beautiful Route Meets a Rough Reality
A few months ago, the Town of Hempstead closed the section from Cedar Creek to Jones Beach for repairs. Great news, right? We all cheered. A refreshed path meant safer, faster training for the whole community.
Then the reality set in.
The work has been, well, disappointing. Instead of a smooth ribbon of pavement, we got a patchy, uneven surface that rattles your teeth and your bike frame. If you ride aero, you already know how sketchy uneven ground feels at speed. Your front wheel catches, your line wobbles, and suddenly your focus shifts from training to survival.
And that’s just the pavement.
The Three Bridges: An Accident Waiting to Happen
Here’s where it gets genuinely scary. There are three bridges on the way to Jones Beach, and after the “repairs,” they’re actually narrower than before.
Think about that for a second. Narrower bridges on a path that sees heavy two-way traffic. When you pass another cyclist on one of these bridges, you’re close. Uncomfortably close. Handlebar-to-handlebar close. One small wobble, one gust of wind, one distracted rider, and you’ve got a crash with nowhere to go but down.
For those of us pushing pace during a training block, that margin for error basically disappears. And it’s not just the fast crowd at risk. Even casual weekend riders are squeezing through those tight spots, hoping everyone else holds their line.
The Rule Nobody Follows
Technically, you’re supposed to walk your bike across each bridge. It’s a sensible rule on paper.
But let’s be honest with each other. Almost nobody does it.
When you’re deep in a triathlon build, grinding through a long ride with heart rate zones to hit and intervals to nail, unclipping and walking three separate bridges kills your rhythm. The same goes for cyclists chasing a Gran Fondo or a century. Even the folks out for a relaxed cruise tend to roll right across.
I’m not here to lecture you. I get it. I’ve rolled across those bridges too. The point is that the rule exists precisely because these bridges are dangerous, and the recent work made them worse, not better.
How to Stay Safe Until This Gets Fixed
Until the Town finishes the job properly, protect yourself out there:
- Scout the hazards. The path isn’t fully done. Watch for loose gravel, rough seams, and uneven patches, especially near the bridge approaches.
- Slow way down at the bridges. Even if you won’t walk your bike, slow down and stay predictable.
- Call your pass. A clear “on your left” gives the other rider time to hold their line in those tight spots.
- Ride single file near the bridges. Give oncoming riders every inch you can.
- Save your hard efforts for the smooth, open sections. Do your intervals on surfaces that actually support them, and treat the bridges as recovery.
Let’s Push for a Better Path
This route has so much potential. When it’s done right, it’s one of the best training stretches on Long Island, and we deserve a version that’s actually safe.
If you ride this path, speak up. Reach out to the Town of Hempstead, share your experience, and let them know cyclists and triathletes need those bridges widened and that surface fixed properly. The more of us who raise our voices, the harder it is to ignore.
Have you ridden the Cedar Creek to Captree path lately? Drop your experience in the comments and tell me how those bridges felt to you. Let’s keep each other informed, ride smart, and keep pushing for the safe, beautiful trail we all want.
Stay safe out there, and I’ll see you on the path.