Explore the best rated trails in Athol, 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 64 trails covering 539 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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Lowell's Canal System 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...
Jonathan Daniels Trail travels the length of Ashuelot River Park through Keene. Along the stone-dust trail, you can enjoy the park’s beautiful natural backdrop and flower garden. The trail was named...
The Air Line State Park Trail winds nearly 55 miles from the northeast corner of Connecticut, where the state borders Massachusetts, down to East Hampton in the heart of the state. The pathway is...
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 Piscataquog Trail, though only about 2 miles long, provides a vital off-road link between the communities on the western side of the Merrimack River (the West Side of Manchester) to several parks...
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 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 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 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...
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 Roland Bergeron Bike Path runs about 6 miles alongside nearly the entirety of Albuquerque Avenue in Litchfield, NH. Completed in 2010, the 8-ft wide asphalt path averages about 5 yards in from...
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 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 Center Trail runs for less than a mile from Hopkinton's downtown to its high school and middle school, providing a safe route to school for thousands of students. The wooded trail, which once...
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...
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...
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The Heritage Trail is managed by the state of New Hampshire to provide access to recreational and historical attractions across the state. Eventually, the north-south route along the former Boston and...
The Toonerville Rail-Trail shadows the Black River for most of its 3.2-mile length in eastern Springfield to the border with New Hampshire across the Connecticut River. The route originally carried an...
The developing Upper Charles Trail will one day total 24 miles, linking the communities of Milford, Ashland, Sherborn, Holliston, Framingham, and Hopkinton along a former railroad bed. As of 2018,...
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 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...
Hillsborough Recreational Rail Trail connects three communities in south-central New Hampshire: Hillsborough, Deering, and Bennington. The unpaved trail winds along the Contoocook River through rural...
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 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...
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 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 Roland Bergeron Bike Path runs about 6 miles alongside nearly the entirety of Albuquerque Avenue in Litchfield, NH. Completed in 2010, the 8-ft wide asphalt path averages about 5 yards in from...
Although short, the Hoot, Toot and Whistle Trail provides an enjoyable journey through peaceful woodlands on Wilmington's west end. As you might guess, the rail-trail gets its name from the 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...
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 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 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...
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 South Manchester Rail Trail is a proposed bike/pedestrian path that would connect the downtown Millyard area of Manchester to the Town on Londonderry. The South Manchester Rail Trail will utilize...
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 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...
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 Nashua Heritage Rail Trail begins adjacent to City Hall on Main Street in downtown Nashua. It is a short trail that takes you through one of the first neighborhoods that was planned and built in...
Even though the Narrow-Gauge Rail-Trail traces the nation’s first narrow-gauge railroad for 3 miles from Bedford toward Billerica, the mostly crushed-stone path is plenty wide enough now to...
The Air Line State Park Trail winds nearly 55 miles from the northeast corner of Connecticut, where the state borders Massachusetts, down to East Hampton in the heart of the state. The pathway is...
The West River Railroad, which once followed its namesake river for 36 miles, began passenger service in the late 1800s as a way to trim the two-day voyage between Brattleboro and South Londonderry to...
The Cochituate Rail Trail (CRT) is a developing, multi-use trail that will run from the Village of Saxonville in Framingham to Natick Center, a distance of 4 miles. Currently, its northernmost mile in...
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...
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 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 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 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...
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The East Branch Trail is a 0.5-mile ungroomed, backcountry pathway built on a former logging railroad bed in southern Vermont's Windham County. The remote, heavily wooded trail lies just north of the...
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 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...
Although short, the Hoot, Toot and Whistle Trail provides an enjoyable journey through peaceful woodlands on Wilmington's west end. As you might guess, the rail-trail gets its name from the former...
The Toonerville Rail-Trail shadows the Black River for most of its 3.2-mile length in eastern Springfield to the border with New Hampshire across the Connecticut River. The route originally carried an...
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 Roland Bergeron Bike Path runs about 6 miles alongside nearly the entirety of Albuquerque Avenue in Litchfield, NH. Completed in 2010, the 8-ft wide asphalt path averages about 5 yards in from...
The South Manchester Rail Trail is a proposed bike/pedestrian path that would connect the downtown Millyard area of Manchester to the Town on Londonderry. The South Manchester Rail Trail will utilize...
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 Piscataquog Trail, though only about 2 miles long, provides a vital off-road link between the communities on the western side of the Merrimack River (the West Side of Manchester) to several parks...
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The Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail brings at least two superlatives to mind: it’s one of New Hampshire’s longest rail-trails at just more than 28 miles, and it begins in Manchester, the state’s...
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...
Lowell's Canal System 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...
Mostly smooth and even and only a couple slopes that could send you flying. Definitely one of our favorites for inline skating.
Beautiful trails to skate, lots of pebbles near intersections but otherwise clean and smooth.
Rode 7 miles out and then back. Beautiful area. Really good workout. Few hills. But nice quiet area midweek
I was looking for a relatively easy trail near home to start off the season with and I found it! From the beautiful lakes along the way to the running water area (see pictures!) this was a lovely trail and I enjoyed it. I parked on Mill Road in Dudley; the parking area was easy to find! When deciding which way to go just don’t go toward the bench. Go instead toward and through/beyond the yellow gate instead. Only go the other way if you’re curious to see the rail ties discussed in another post on this site. Please know too that, even when heading through the yellow gate, way on the other side from about a mile to the end are some rocks that make traveling with the bike a real challenge (four stars for this reason). It’s worth the difficulty though if you’d like to go to the mall area at the end of the trail since you may want to eat/use the bathroom and then head back (there’s a Big Y, McDonald’s, etc.). Again, lovely trail and the middle area with the lakes makes it all worth it!
I was looking for a relatively easy trail near home to start off the season with and I found it! From the beautiful lakes along the way to the running water area (see pictures!) this was a lovely trail and I enjoyed it. I parked on Mill Road in Dudley; the parking area was easy to find! When deciding which way to go just don’t go toward the bench. Go instead toward and through/beyond the yellow gate instead. Only go the other way if you’re curious to see the rail ties discussed in another post on this site. Please know too that, even when heading through the yellow gate, way on the other side from about a mile to the end are some rocks that make traveling with the bike a real challenge (four stars for this reason). It’s worth the difficulty though if you’d like to go to the mall area at the end of the trail since you may want to eat/use the bathroom and then head back (there’s a Big Y, McDonald’s, etc.). Again, lovely trail and the middle area with the lakes makes it all worth it!
Parked and road the trail from Fino Field in Milford. No usable facilities at the field likely due to Covid. The trail is mostly level with small grades in parts. It passes through urban, residential and forested areas. The surface is paved to the Milford line on both legs, where it then becomes hard packed process stone. Road bikes (25 mm tires) can negotiate the trail. The leg from Fino Field to Holliston is about 9.5 miles to the unimproved section, which had considerable standing water preventing further exploration. The trail passes through Holliston at the 7.5 mile mark where there are some small eateries and a town greenspace. Phipps Tunnel is noteworthy. The leg from Fino Field to Hopkington is about 4 miles to the trail terminus. The trail passes through Louisa Lake Park (picnicing and fishing). Foundations from early granite cutting sheds served by the former Hopkington RR of the late 19th century are visible on the left near the terminus of this leg.
Wow! I was pleasantly surprised by all the lovely artwork along this trail. The river, falls, and arch are all so pretty. Glad I went exploring ¿¿¿¿¿
Loved all the amazing pieces of art on this trail. The views of the river were very nice. Nice to see a trail being enjoyed and shared without being overcrowded.
This trail is closed due to construction. The asphalt is broken up into sections exposing the dirt
This is a really pretty trail. The long stretch along the water in Turners Falls is gorgeous and the paved path is wide enough that others can easily pass. As you continue, it narrows and the buildings nearby are kind of junky..... but it's worth it to be able to see the ducks and geese on the large water section.
Bridge of Flowers is beautiful! It is so short, however, that I just wanted to make sure others knew it is very much a small space to look at flowers but certainly nothing to make a walk out of. Go and enjoy the scenery but I would not look to make this spot a walk of any real substance. It is more for stopping to look & take some photos. By the time you do that, you'll be done with the very short path.
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