Explore the best rated trails in Amherst Center, MA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Common Pathway and Appel Way Trail. With more than 56 trails covering 499 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Manhan Rail Trail, well integrated into the local communities it serves, offers a pleasant ride or stroll. It conveniently weaves together parks, community points of interest, neighborhoods, and...
The Southwick Rail Trail extends from the Massachusetts–Connecticut state line north to the Westfield town line and connects to the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail. Along the way, it travels through...
The Keene Industrial Trail links the county's Cheshire Rail-Trail in the city of Keene. The paved path is a 1-mile segment through downtown Keene, which passes among some of the city's old mill...
The Westville Lake Community Trail offers a short, scenic excursion along the east bank of Westville Lake in Southbridge. Much of the crushed-stone pathway is under a lush tree canopy. Along the way,...
The Common Pathway travels 5.5 miles from the outskirts of Peterborough south to downtown’s Noone Falls area, paralleling US 202 and the Contoocook River for most of its journey. The small town of...
The Charter Oak Greenway offers more than 16 miles of paved pathway through Hartford and its eastern suburbs. At first glance, the trail looks as if it is simply a highway side path, but the journey...
The Bissell name looms large in this part of New England, and has been immortalized in multiple ways, including the Bissell Ferry, the Bissell Memorial Bridge and now, the Captain John Bissell trail,...
It’s hard to pick a favorite season to experience the Hop River State Park Trail, set amid the dense forests of Eastern Connecticut. Sections of the 20-mile rail-trail dive through steep rock cuts...
The Rocky Hill Trail weaves through the tranquil greenery of the Burts Bog Greenway Conservation Area in Northampton, Hampshire County. The 121-acre peat bog is an ecologically sensitive site that's...
The Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail passes such scenic and historical landmarks as covered bridges, abandoned mills, and postcard-perfect towns. Starting on asphalt in Keene, the rail-trail can be...
First a canal, then a railroad, and now a trail define the history of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Completed segments span Connecticut south to north, from New Haven to the Massachusetts...
The Assabet River Rail Trail connects five old mill towns that owe their revitalization to present-day high-tech industries. A midpoint gap splits the 8.6-mile paved trail, though long-range plans...
The Cheney Rail Trail follows part of the corridor of the South Manchester Railroad, built by the Cheney brothers in 1869. The line was a 2.5-mile spur from the main Hartford, Providence, and Fishkill...
Built in the 1910s by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) as part of the Connecticut River Division Main Line, the route introduced daily service to the B&M Fort Hill Branch in the early 1920s to meet...
The Quinebaug River Trail exists in two segments in northwest Connecticut. The northern section parallels Park Road and Tracy Road for about 2 miles in an industrial section of Putnam with few trail...
Appel Way Trail offers a paved route of about a mile through woodlands on the north end of Keene. Most notably, it offers a connection between Wheelock Park on the trail's west end and Ashuelot River...
The South Spencer Rail Trail runs for less than 2 miles from downtown Spencer to an area south of town near Spencer State Forest. The path, which is also known as the Depot Trail, occupies a former...
The Massachusetts Central Railroad was destroyed by a hurricane in 1938, but the 104-mile corridor is being reborn as a cross-state rail-trail. Currently, nearly 40 miles from Boston to Northampton...
The scenic Valley Trail spans 9 miles connecting Dover and Wilmington in southern Vermont along the Green Mountain National Forest. It provides a critical off-road pathway for bypassing State Route...
Visitors to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail will find the full splendor of the scenic Berkshires along this nearly 12-mile-long paved trail. The Ashuwillticook (ash-oo-will-ti-cook) follows MA 8 through...
Throughout history, the Blackstone River has been an important waterway, from its use by American Indians who fished its once-abundant salmon to its role as a major artery for the transportation of...
Bloomfield Greenway Multi-Use Trail is 1.8 miles between Bloomfield and Simsbury. The trail is envisioned to someday act as a connector between the City of Hartford and the Farmington Canal Heritage...
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Formerly comprising two separate segments—one running northward from Keene to Walpole, and the other running southward from Keene to Fitzwilliam—the Cheshire Rail Trail now runs a continuous 32.9...
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...
The first section of the Corkscrew Rail Trail opened in June 2015. It begins at Knapp Road in Stephentown and heads south under a shady tree canopy towards New Lebanon, near the New York/Massachusetts...
The Nashua River Rail Trail stretches from southern Nashua, New Hampshire, to downtown Ayer, Massachusetts, connecting to the towns of Pepperell and Groton. The trail is built on the former rail...
The South Spencer Rail Trail runs for less than 2 miles from downtown Spencer to an area south of town near Spencer State Forest. The path, which is also known as the Depot Trail, occupies a former...
Built in the 1910s by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) as part of the Connecticut River Division Main Line, the route introduced daily service to the B&M Fort Hill Branch in the early 1920s to meet...
More than a mile of the Ashburnham Rail Trail opened in 2015 from a point just south of Ashburnham's center to Turnpike Road. The rustic route, planned to be paved in the future, offers a...
The Bridge of Flowers delights the senses of visitors walking among the trees and blossoms on the old trolley bridge spanning the Deerfield River, which connects two communities in northwestern...
The Rocky Hill Trail weaves through the tranquil greenery of the Burts Bog Greenway Conservation Area in Northampton, Hampshire County. The 121-acre peat bog is an ecologically sensitive site that's...
The Bissell name looms large in this part of New England, and has been immortalized in multiple ways, including the Bissell Ferry, the Bissell Memorial Bridge and now, the Captain John Bissell trail,...
The Putnam River Trail extends between Arch Street in the Putnam District and Providence Street to the south. The trail follows the east bank of the Quinebaug River between the river and Kennedy...
The Cheney Rail Trail follows part of the corridor of the South Manchester Railroad, built by the Cheney brothers in 1869. The line was a 2.5-mile spur from the main Hartford, Providence, and Fishkill...
The Old Railroad, as its name suggests, is a multi-use trail that occupies a former Boston & Maine Railroad corridor. The trail picks up at the northern trailhead of the Common Pathway, a paved...
The North Central Pathway is envisioned as a trail network connecting points of interest through and between Winchendon and Gardner. Several completed sections of trail make for a lovely ride or walk...
The Harrisville Rail Trail runs for just under two miles between the outskirts of Harrisville and Hancock in rural New Hampshire. The former railroad bed is located on lands conserved by the Harris...
A dozen miles west of Connecticut’s capital of Hartford, the Farmington River Trail forms a 16.5-mile arc that connects to the larger Farmington Canal Heritage Trail on both ends. The rail-trail was...
Coming in at just under 3 miles, the Sue Grossman Still River Greenway is anchored by the towns of Winchester to the north and Torrington to the south. It occupies the right-of-way of the Naugatuck...
First a canal, then a railroad, and now a trail define the history of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Completed segments span Connecticut south to north, from New Haven to the Massachusetts...
Open in several disconnected segments, the Billings Trail is a dirt path that traverses a lovely scenic and wooded landscape outside Norfolk in northern Connecticut. Built on the abandoned railbed of...
The Connecticut River Walk and Bikeway, which will one day run 21 miles along the river, currently has two open segments. The longest stretches 3.7 miles from the Chicopee town line to the South End...
The Rocky Hill Trail weaves through the tranquil greenery of the Burts Bog Greenway Conservation Area in Northampton, Hampshire County. The 121-acre peat bog is an ecologically sensitive site that's...
Note: Per the State of Connecticut's website, the trail is open from dawn to dusk April 1–November 14. Eagle nesting activities can delay the opening of the southern trail head in Windsor Locks. Due...
Coming in at just under 3 miles, the Sue Grossman Still River Greenway is anchored by the towns of Winchester to the north and Torrington to the south. It occupies the right-of-way of the Naugatuck...
The Old Railroad, as its name suggests, is a multi-use trail that occupies a former Boston & Maine Railroad corridor. The trail picks up at the northern trailhead of the Common Pathway, a paved...
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...
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The Rockville Spur, a section of Vernon Rails-to-Trails, is a stone-dust rail-trail stretching 4.2 miles into the heart of historical Rockville. The trail begins on Warren Avenue in Vernon, but you’ll...
It’s hard to pick a favorite season to experience the Hop River State Park Trail, set amid the dense forests of Eastern Connecticut. Sections of the 20-mile rail-trail dive through steep rock cuts...
The overall goal of the Grand Trunk Trail in south-central Massachusetts is to connect the communities of Brimfield, Sturbridge, and Southbridge by trail. Currently, two sections of the trail are...
The Cheney Rail Trail follows part of the corridor of the South Manchester Railroad, built by the Cheney brothers in 1869. The line was a 2.5-mile spur from the main Hartford, Providence, and Fishkill...
The Columbia Greenway Rail Trail offers just over 2 miles of paved, tree-lined pathway through Westfield in southwestern Massachusetts. The trail runs from Main Street, across the Great River Bridge...
The Redstone Rail Trail is built on the former New York, New Haven & Hartford Armory Branch, which in turn is a former branch line of the New York & New England RR. Its name comes from the numerous...
Visitors to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail will find the full splendor of the scenic Berkshires along this nearly 12-mile-long paved trail. The Ashuwillticook (ash-oo-will-ti-cook) follows MA 8 through...
The Harrisville Rail Trail runs for just under two miles between the outskirts of Harrisville and Hancock in rural New Hampshire. The former railroad bed is located on lands conserved by the Harris...
Throughout history, the Blackstone River has been an important waterway, from its use by American Indians who fished its once-abundant salmon to its role as a major artery for the transportation of...
The Hartford Riverwalk is a charming network of paved pathways for cyclists and pedestrians that runs along the banks of the Connecticut River through the state capital. The trail provides an off-road...
The Windsor River Trail is a paved trail along the Connecticut River in Windsor Meadows State Park. The trail begins at the state park’s parking lot on E Barber St. The Captain John Bissell Trail,...
The Monadnock Recreational Rail Trail is a great example of a repurposed rail route that provides safe commuting opportunities while also allowing trail users to escape into forest environments for...
The Assabet River Rail Trail connects five old mill towns that owe their revitalization to present-day high-tech industries. A midpoint gap splits the 8.6-mile paved trail, though long-range plans...
Rode the eastern section of this trail from the parking lot at the end of Adams St in Uxbridge to Grove St in Franklin, approximately 11 miles. For the first 3.5 miles the trail is part of the Blackstone River Greenway and is in excellent condition with smooth blacktop surface. You'll see cyclists, skateboarders, runners and walkers on this section. The improved trail ends in Blackstone at Canal St. Follow Canal St downhill, make a left onto St Paul St, then right on Main St, and left into Castle Hill Way. The Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT) resumes without markings at bend on Castle Hill Way. Surface now is packed dirt. Condition of trail worsens (sand, rocks, ballast) between Farm St and Center St in Bellingham. From Center St to Prospect St in Franklin, the dirt trail surface is groomed and in very good condition. The Prospect St bridge is now complete and the trail continues to Grove St in slightly rougher condition.
I definitely preferred this 11 mile Eastern section of the trail over the 12 mile Western section (in Part 1 of my earlier review).
Phase 1- the makings of a wonderful trail! Anxiously waiting for the completion of phase 2.
Parked at the Troy depot heading south toward Fitzwilliam and encountered a huge deep puddle a short distance away, there was no way around it and I had to turn around. It had been really dry, surprised to see a puddle
I have done a couple of segments of the trail. One segment Starting in Franklin and going into Blackstone. Some parts of this trail were closed or almost impassible short of having a hardcore mountain bike not to mention that some segments are not marked at all. I have also done the segment from Rte. 98 in Douglass working east toward Blackstone there were segments that were in decent shape but there were others you can see that were rutted or still very wet given that we have been in a drought for a good chunk of the summer makes me concerned what they would be like if we had a normal amount of precipitation. Additionally, once I got near Rte. 146 the trail just seemed to disappear there were no markings to figure out where to go. Next time I will try and go from Douglass and work my way west and see how that goes. This trail has potential but needs a lot more work on it to be good.
Cycled approximately 12 miles of the trail from New Road in E Thompson, CT to RT 146 in Uxbridge, MA. The first few miles through the Douglas State Forest are in very good condition and patrolled by MA Dept of Conservation personnel. After that the trail begins to slowly deteriorate first with the surface becoming very sandy in places and then areas of ballast (large gravel) and standing water. The section from Chocolog Rd to RT 146 was challenging based on these surface conditions. You will need to look for a steep left turn down to RT 146 where singletrack runs alongside the roadway. Then watch for a steep right turn down onto Elmwood Road where the trail becomes interrupted for a short distance. To continue on the SNETT, make a left on Elmwood Rd to go under RT 146, then right onto Balm of Life Spring Road, right onto RT 146A, left onto Providence St, and finally left onto Adams St where it's possible to pickup the trail again continuing East.
There are plenty of places to sit and there are dog poop bags and a waste container at one of the seating areas. Highly recommend for walking little and older dogs.
This trail is just perfect. Great scenery, relatively flat, newly paved, many areas to park along this trail. We parked at Lanesborough had a great lunch at AJ which is right on trail in Adams.
The Air Line State Park Trail is one of my favorite bike trails in Connecticut. Rode our bikes there last week and was very disappointed with the recently resurfaced section from the Cranberry Bog in East Hampton. The gravel that was used in the resurfacing is to soft and to deep. Has only been open for a week (10/28/2020) and it is already marred by craters from horses and foot traffic. The ride is bumpy like a wash board. At one point I swerved to miss a pile of horse droppings and got to close to the edge which then collapsed under my bike causing me to fall. What was once a favorite section of the trail for us, is now a major disappointment.
We parked by the pet store mentioned in a previous review and biked to just passed the covered bridge, maybe 6 miles out? Beginning of trail is rough but that ends quickly . Nice ride in the woods. Not much to see. It was a slight incline on the way out which made the return better. I wish there some benches along the way to take a break.
I just went to Black Jack Crossing road. There is no parking. Where is someone parking a horse trailer to get on this side of the trail?
So happy we found this trail! It’s beautifully paved and nearly all flat. There is a gradual downgrade for the last few miles into Adams ... which means an upgrade on the way back. ¿ We live in northern CT so it takes us about 1.5 hrs to get to the southern Trail Head ... but it’s worth the drive. We’ve ridden this trail twice this year and will be back next year!
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