Rail-Trail
State: MA Length: 2 miles Surface: Asphalt
Alewife Linear Park is a beautiful paved trail stretching 2 miles east from the Alewife T-station in Cambridge to Cedar Street in Somerville. The park came about after the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (the "T") put its Red Line ...
State: MA Length: 1.30 miles Surface: Asphalt
A lovely, albeit short, rail-trail in northeastern Massachusetts, the 1.3-mile Amesbury Riverwalk (a.k.a. Powwow Riverwalk) is the first completed section of the Coastal Trails Network, linking the four communities of Amesbury, Salisbury, Newbury ...
State: MA Length: 11.20 miles Surface: Asphalt
Nestled in the Hoosic River Valley, between Mount Greylock and the Hoosac Mountains in Berkshire County, the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail takes its name from a Native American word meaning "the pleasant river between the hills." Gorgeous views ...
State: MA Length: 5.60 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Assabet River Rail-Trail provides a forested escape from the surrounding urban bustle. Traveling 5.6 miles (with plans to expand it) the trail connects the towns of Hudson and Marlborough and parallels the scenic Assabet River. As of autumn ...
State: MA Length: 3.10 miles Surface: Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt
The Bedford Narrow-Gauge Rail-Trail shares its trailhead at Depot Park in Bedford with the Minuteman Bikeway and Reformatory Branch Trail. Serving mainly as a commuter route, this trail extends just over 3 miles north, past woods and residences ...
State: MA Length: 2.50 miles Surface: Asphalt
This 2.5-mile trail represents the first open segment of the Massachusetts portion of the Blackstone River Bikeway that will eventually link Worcester, Mass. with Providence, RI.
State: MA Length: 3.50 miles Surface: Dirt
The Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park recalls the role of canals in transporting raw materials and manufactured goods between emerging industrial centers. Walk along restored sections of the Blackstone River Canal and Towpath from ...
The newly open Bradford Rail Trail occupies the former Pan Am rail lines, beautifying an area that once lay strewn with garbage and weeds. The city and numerous dedicated volunteers created the mile-long path for pedestrians, cyclists, joggers ...
State: MA Length: 1 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Bridge Street Bike Trail begins near Curtis Park and travels south through downtown Salem, closely following the Bridge Street Bypass. The short trail runs through residential, retail and commercial areas, offering views of the North River ...
State: MA Length: 0.08 miles Surface: Gravel
The Bridge of Flowers is a 400 foot long former trolley line bridge that has been converted into a garden pathway. Open from April 1 to October 31, the bridge spans the Deerfield River between Shelburne Falls and Buckland. The bridge has been ...
State: MA Length: 3 miles Surface: Dirt, Sand
The abandoned rail bed is predominantly owned by the Town of Marshfield. Sections of the abandoned rail bed are open to the public and actively used for recreational uses such as walking, running, horse back riding, mountain biking and cross ...
State: MA Length: 6.80 miles Surface: Asphalt
Begins in Chelmsford at the Lowell/Chelmsford line, near Cross Point, passes through Chelmsford Center, and ends at Rt. 225 in Westford. This part of the trail covers a stretch of 6.8 miles.
State: MA Length: 3.27 miles Surface: Asphalt
This 3.27 mile trail starting at McClelland Farm Road and heading north on the old NYNH&H RR crosses the Connecticut River near the confluence of the Deerfield and the Connecticut Rivers. The river span here is reported to be one of the oldest ...
State: MA Length: 13.50 miles Surface:
The Cape Cod Canal Bikeway is an access road for non-motorized use, except for Army Corps of Engineer vehicles as needed. The bikeway extends 8 miles along the canal between the Bourne and Sagamore bridges.
State: MA Length: 22 miles Surface: Asphalt
The 22-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail serves up a genuine Cape Cod experience, stretching through quaint villages and along sandy beaches past a diverse landscape of salt marshes, pine forests and cranberry bogs. The trail is paved, with few inclines, ...
State: MA Length: 0.21 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Chicopee Center Canal Walk offers a short pleasant route in Chicopee, a small city on the outskirts of Springfield in southern Massachusetts. The pathway closely follows the slow-moving canal and is lined with tall elm, maple and sycamore ...
State: MA Length: 1.10 miles Surface: Asphalt
The 1.1-mile, multi-use Clipper City Rail Trail and Harbor Walk connects the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail station and the Merrimack River near downtown Newburyport. Though short, the trail traverses a mix of ...
State: MA Length: 4 miles Surface:
The Cochituate Rail Trail (CRT) is a proposed multi-use trail which will extend from the Village of Saxonville in Framingham to Natick Center, a distance of 4 miles. The Framingham section of trail has gone through its design phase. Construction ...
State: MA Length: 3.20 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Columbia Greenway is the name chosen for Westfield's Rail Trail. The trail when completed will extend from the Westfield River to the Southwick town line. The Columbia Greenway will traverse Downtown Westfield on an elevated line with bridge ...
State: MA Length: 3.70 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway is currently 3.7 miles long as it runs south from the Chicopee town line to the South End Bridge. Unique features of the trail include its path alongside an active train line, making it a "rail-with-trail," ...
State: MA Length: 5.12 miles Surface: Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel
The Danvers Rail Trail follows the historic Newburyport Railroad that used to carry goods and passengers between Danvers and Boston in the late 1800s. The abandoned corridor extends just over 5 miles from Peabody north through the heart of Danvers ...
State: MA Length: 7.40 miles Surface: Asphalt, Crushed Stone
The Independence Greenway runs 4.6 miles between Russell Street near the Ipswich River and the North Shore Mall on Route 128. The trail is mostly continuous except for one on-road segment between Peabody Road and Lt. Ross Park. From the park ...
State: MA Length: 2 miles Surface: Dirt, Grass, Gravel
Nestled in the woodlands on the northern end of Merrimac in the far northeastern corner of Massachusetts, lies the beautiful Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. The town, once known as West Amesbury, had a thriving industry of horse-drawn carriage shops. ...
State: MA Length: 1.20 miles Surface: Asphalt, Dirt, Grass
Although short, the scenic Little River Bike Path (also known as the Little River Nature Trail) travels through forests and pastures full of birds and wildlife. The asphalt pathway parallels the eastern side of the present-day Interstate 95 ...
State: MA Length: 1.90 miles Surface: Asphalt, Concrete
Lowell's Canal Sytem Trails are part of Lowell National Historical Park in Lowell, Massachusetts. The park preserves some of America's industrial past: its 19th-century textile mills formed the first large-scale planned industrial city in America. ...
State: MA Length: 9 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Manhan Rail Trail wends its way between Easthampton and Northampton, with a spur trail leading out The Oxbow near Mt. Tom. Easthampton is a typical New England factory town brimming with commerce and community, as well as historical and ...
State: MA Length: 4.10 miles Surface: Asphalt, Gravel, Sand
Shaped like a Y, this 4.1-mile rail-trail connects Marblehead, Salem and Swampscott. From the trail junction in quaint Marblehead, one branch meanders through conservation areas and past harbor overlooks to Salem, notorious for its 1692 witch ...
State: MA Length: 29 miles Surface: Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass
A 104 mile rail line was shattered by hurricane in 1938. Now, more than 60 years later, dedicated volunteers in 33 communities are working to reconnect it. Instead of trains there will be cross-country skiers, bicyclists, hikers, and joggers. It ...
The Mattapoisett Rail Trail is a work in progress. As of autumn 2011, it runs for just more than 1 mile between Reservation Road at Mattapoisett Harbor and the Phoenix Rail-Trail in Fairhaven, joining the latter at Shaw Road. The trail occupies ...
State: MA Length: 11 miles Surface: Asphalt
You won't get lonely on the Minuteman Bikeway. The 11-mile rail-trail through suburban Boston is one of New England's most popular trails. Warm summer weekends in particular bring folks of all ages and abilities elbow to elbow along the asphalt ...
State: MA, NH Length: 12.30 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Nashua River Rail Trail is a beautiful and peaceful rural trail extending through the Massachusetts communities of Ayer, Groton, Pepperell and Dunstable. The trail continues into New Hampshire just south of the town of Nashua. In autumn ...
Over its short distance, this trail goes from urban wilderness through a mill village and a salt marsh to beaches on Boston Harbor. In the future it will connect the several-thousand-acre Blue Hills Reservation to the John F. Kennedy Library, ...
State: MA Length: 7.50 miles Surface: Asphalt
The North Central Pathway will one day stretch 16 miles between the cities of Winchendon and Gardner in northern Massachusetts, primarily along a former railroad right-of-way. Three open sections currently offer nearly 5 miles of paved, off-road ...
State: MA Length: 5.60 miles Surface: Crushed Stone
As of early 2013, nearly 6 miles of the Northern Strand Community Trail in Massachusetts are open to the public, although this includes two disjointed segments. The longer segment, which was opened in 2012, runs west from the intersection of ...
State: MA Length: 4.90 miles Surface: Asphalt
In central Massachusetts, the Norwottuck Rail-Trail (formerly the Northampton Bikeway) runs between New South Street in Northampton and the neighborhood north of Look Memorial Park in Florence. Whether you start your trip from either trailhead ...
State: MA Length: 10 miles Surface: Asphalt
Stretching east from Northampton, the 10-mile Mass Central Section of the Norwottuck Rail-Trail connects the towns of Northampton, Hadley and Amherst. Part of the Connecticut River Greenway State Park, the route takes in a variety of landscapes, ...
State: MA Length: 1.40 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Old Eastern Marsh Trail (a.k.a the Salisbury Rail Trail) runs for 1.4 miles between the north bank of the Merrimack River and Mudnock Road in Salisbury. The beautifully landscaped trail was built in 2009 and adds to an already impressive ...
State: MA Length: 3.50 miles Surface: Asphalt
Opened in 1999, the Phoenix Rail-Trail packs a surprising diversity in its 3.1 miles, passing through woodlands, salt marshes, farms and commercial and residential areas. Tree-lined for much of its length, the path provides plenty of shade for ...
State: MA Length: 2 miles Surface: Asphalt, Dirt, Woodchips
The Pine Tree Brook Trail travels alongside the brook in Milton, Massachusetts. The path travels through woods and residential neighborhoods for a distance of about 1.8 miles, and it connects to the Milton High School, and almost to the Pierce ...
State: MA Length: 1 miles Surface: Dirt
50 Quarries have operated in Quincy, "The Granite City", since 1826. This trail provides a short tour of the railway corridor where the stone was carried from the Quarries.
The Redstone Rail Trail is built on the former Boston and Maine railroad, the dominate rail line in New England for more than a century. Its name comes from the numerous red sandstone quarries in the area that gave the town its industrial beginnings. ...
State: MA Length: 4.50 miles Surface: Dirt
The rugged and beautiful Reformatory Branch Trail meanders more than 4 miles through three natural areas: Elm Brook Conservation Area, Mary Putnam Webber Wildlife Preserve, and Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. It is the perfect route ...
The Rockland Rail Trail runs for a little more than 2 miles through the village of Rockland. It follows an old corridor of what was once known as the Hanover Branch Line. The line was built in the 1860s by E. Y. Perry, a Hanover businessman ...
State: MA Length: 0.60 miles Surface: Crushed Stone
Although less than a mile, the trail running through Salisbury Beach State Reservation offers lovely views of the beaches off the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, just a few miles south of the New Hampshire border. As the Merrimack River ...
State: MA Length: 1.80 miles Surface: Crushed Stone
Currently 1.8 miles, the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail provides a peaceful walk or bike ride through the woods on a well-maintained stone-dust trail. The route is one part of the larger Coastal Trails Network of rail-trails linking the coastal ...
State: MA Length: 10.70 miles Surface: Asphalt
Curling nearly 11 miles past woodlands, marshes, salt ponds and seascape, the Shining Sea Bikeway is the only bikeway on Cape Cod to skirt the shore. Also called the Shining Sea Bike Path, the paved trail extends from County Route 151 in Falmouth ...
State: MA Length: 21 miles Surface: Ballast, Crushed Stone
The Southern New England Trunk Line Trail (aka the "SNETT") was designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1994. It is built upon a segment of the former right-of-way of the New Haven Railroad's Midland Division, which operated between Boston ...
State: MA Length: 3.90 miles Surface: Asphalt
Southwest Corridor Park is a 4.7-mile linear park through the Boston neighborhoods of South End, Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. A recreation and commuter route popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists, the park is a triumph of its surrounding ...
State: MA Length: 7.10 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Southwick Rail Trail is now complete from the Massachusetts–Connecticut state line, where it continues south as the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. On the north end the trail extends to the Westfield town line. The Southwick Rail Trail ...
State: MA Length: 4.70 miles Surface: Crushed Stone, Gravel
The Titanic Rail Trail (once known as the Grand Trunk Trail) is planned to stretch more than 60 miles through south-central Massachusetts and the northeastern corner of Connecticut along the former Southern New England Railroad. Its previous ...
State: MA Length: 2.70 miles Surface: Cinder, Crushed Stone
The Topsfield Linear Common Trail follows an abandoned rail bed, running from Washington Street in Topsfield southeast to just north of State Route 97. As of late 2011, the trail was newly surfaced with hard-packed gravel and stone dust. The ...
The Holliston segment of the Upper Charles Trail is being developed in sections. As of early 2012, a gravel section along the railroad right-of-way is open between Cross Street and South Street. The Upper Charles Trail will be 20 miles when ...
State: MA Length: 6.20 miles Surface: Asphalt
The Upper Charles Trail Milford section forms a completed 6.2 miles of a proposed 20-mile trail that will incorporate the communities of Milford, Ashland, Hopkinton, Sherborn and Holliston, linking the towns via an abandoned CSX rail bed. The ...
State: MA Length: 12 miles Surface: Ballast, Dirt, Grass, Gravel
This unpaved state-owned trail is open for public use from Coldbrook to Baldwinville. An on-road detour is necessary through the village of Baldwinville, but the right-of-way is open for public use on an informal basis from the outskirts of ...