Find the top rated trails in Charlton, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Cheshire Rail Trail stretches for nearly 33 miles between Route 12 near Bookseller Road and the New Hampshire–Massachusetts state line at Route 12. In Keene, the trail includes a beautiful stone...
Mile 0.0 - DPW Garage Cross the bridge in the parking area, the trail starts behind the fence, crossing over Great Brook on a old dam. Mile 0.53 - After crossing Union St. you will come to a...
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...
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...
The health and fortunes of Lowell have been intimately tied to the Concord River for hundreds of years. This tributary of the more famous Merrimack River continues to be at the heart of the local...
Given its covered bridges, historical aura and abundant wildlife, the Ashuelot Rail-Trail (a.k.a. Ashuelot River Trail) has plenty to offer. The 21.2-mile route follows the corridor of the Ashuelot...
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 Phenix-Harris Riverwalk, a short trail built on a former rail bed purchased from Penn Central Railroad, connects West Warwick and Coventry, two towns on the outskirts of Providence. The dirt...
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The Blackstone River Greenway (previously known as the Blackstone River Bikeway) is a 3-mile trail that represents the first open segment of the Massachusetts portion of a pathway that will eventually...
The World War II Veterans Memorial Trail opened in Mansfield in 2004 after several decades of advocacy by local rail-trail supporters. The trail rests on an abandoned corridor once served by the Old...
The Stratton Brook State Park Trail presents a great way to work up an appetite for a picnic at Stratton Brook State Park, the first state park in Connecticut to be entirely wheelchair accessible. The...
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...
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 pleasantly tree-lined Warren Bike Path, built along the former Warren-Fall River Railroad, runs just under a mile from Long Road west to the Kickemuit River. The trail ends in an 18-acre park...
Air Line State Park Trail winds for just over 55 miles from the northeast corner of Connecticut, where the state borders Massachusetts, down to East Hampton in the heart of the state. Over the state...
A part of Connecticut's first bus rapid transit line, the CTfastrak Trail serves as recreational and multi-use path for walking and bicycling between Downtown New Britain and Newington Junction. The...
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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,...
Running north from the Yale University campus in New Haven through the heart of Connecticut, the multi-use Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, when completed will stretch uninterrupted more than 80 miles...
The Bay Colony Rail Trail will one day span 7 miles connecting the Boston suburbs of Newton, Needham, Dover, and Medfield along tracks once used by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. In May...
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...
The Blackstone River Greenway (previously known as the Blackstone River Bikeway) is a 3-mile trail that represents the first open segment of the Massachusetts portion of a pathway that will eventually...
Note: Per the State of Connecticut's website, the trail is open from dawn to dusk March 1–November 30. The 4.5-mile Windsor Locks Canal Trail follows the Connecticut River and the Windsor Locks...
Nearly 6 miles of the Northern Strand Community Trail, which follows the former Boston and Maine Railroad, are open to the public. Although this includes two disjointed trail segments, once Revere...
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...
The West Warwick Riverwalk is located in a park just behind West Warwick High School and John F. Deering Middle School. The paved trail goes for about a mile north following the Pawtuxet River. A...
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Stretching east from Northampton, the 10-mile Norwottuck Branch of the Mass Central Rail Trail connects the towns of Northampton, Hadley, and Amherst. Part of the Connecticut River Greenway State...
The health and fortunes of Lowell have been intimately tied to the Concord River for hundreds of years. This tributary of the more famous Merrimack River continues to be at the heart of the local...
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...
The pleasantly tree-lined Warren Bike Path, built along the former Warren-Fall River Railroad, runs just under a mile from Long Road west to the Kickemuit River. The trail ends in an 18-acre park...
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Thanks to skilled engineers with the former Hartford, Providence, & Fishkill Railroad, the pretty Vernon Rails-to-Trails overlooks ravines and streams and passes between rock walls verdant with ferns...
The South Bay Harbor Trail will one day connects several Boston neighborhoods—Lower Roxbury, the South End, Chinatown, and Fort Point Channel—to the Boston Harbor. Currently, the route offers...
The Farmington River Trail is built upon the former Central New England Railroad corridor and runs between the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail near Tunxis Meade Park and the Simsbury town line. A...
Rhode Island's best-known rail-trail, the East Bay Bicycle Path, hugs the shores of Narragansett Bay, from Bristol in the south and north to India Point Park in Providence. The 14-mile paved path...
Air Line State Park Trail winds for just over 55 miles from the northeast corner of Connecticut, where the state borders Massachusetts, down to East Hampton in the heart of the state. Over the state...
The World War II Veterans Memorial Trail opened in Mansfield in 2004 after several decades of advocacy by local rail-trail supporters. The trail rests on an abandoned corridor once served by the Old...
The Bay Colony Rail Trail will one day span 7 miles connecting the Boston suburbs of Newton, Needham, Dover, and Medfield along tracks once used by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. In May...
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...
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.
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...
Mile 0.0 - DPW Garage Cross the bridge in the parking area, the trail starts behind the fence, crossing over Great Brook on a old dam. Mile 0.53 - After crossing Union St. you will come to a...
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The East Branch Trail is a 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...
The health and fortunes of Lowell have been intimately tied to the Concord River for hundreds of years. This tributary of the more famous Merrimack River continues to be at the heart of the local...
The Upper Falls Greenway is a short rail-trail that cuts through the charming village of Newton Upper Falls in Newton, Massachusetts. The trail occupies the same former rail corridor as the developing...
Columbia Greenway Rail Trail offers 2 miles of paved, tree-lined pathway through Westfield in southwestern Massachusetts, from Main st, across the Great River Bridge over the Little River to the...
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...
Boston's Rose Kennedy Greenway may not be very long, but it's jam-packed with attractions. Along the paved pathway, you can access five parks, be wowed by public art, stop to smell the flowers in...
Quonset Point Bike Path is a fantastic two and a half mile trail. The Quonset Point Bike Path is a part of the beautiful town of North Kingstown.The Quonset Point Bike Path is paved and off road and...
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 Phenix-Harris Riverwalk, a short trail built on a former rail bed purchased from Penn Central Railroad, connects West Warwick and Coventry, two towns on the outskirts of Providence. The dirt...
The Upper Charles Trail will one day span more than 20 miles, connecting the communities of Milford, Ashland, Hopkinton, Sherborn and Holliston along a former CSX rail bed. The trail is being...
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 Arkwright Riverwalk, founded on a former rail bed purchased from Penn Central Railroad, is located in Coventry, a rural central Rhode Island town that was built around textile mills. The one-mile...
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The Blackstone River Greenway (previously known as the Blackstone River Bikeway) represents a big undertaking in this tiny state: The 11.8-mile trail running between Woonsocket and the outskirts of...
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 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 Hop River State Park Trail is one of Connecticut's longest rail-trails. Narrow cuts and a lush tree canopy make for enjoyable visits year-round. Near its western end is the Charter Oak...
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...
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 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...
Thanks to skilled engineers with the former Hartford, Providence, & Fishkill Railroad, the pretty Vernon Rails-to-Trails overlooks ravines and streams and passes between rock walls verdant with ferns...
Great trail. It's a solid distance with few stop signs. It does need maintenance in some parts as tree roots are making it bumpy but other than that it's solid.
Hi All,
Per "Record Journal" Newspaper New Section of "Farmington Canal Heritage Rail Trail" (Curtiss St & Kane St) to Lazy Lane. Happy Trails, RVC (tn) "Zenith"
I had a great time riding this trail last Sunday. I started in Pomfret from the old railroad station parking lot on Railroad Street.
I rode 7.5 miles, then reached a very long section which was covered in rocks that were sharp edged, about 1 1/2inches on a side. I took a break and enjoyed the view over the wetland area there. I was just able to ride over that rocky section on my cross bike, but it was a rough and uncomfortable ride. It went on for around three miles!!
I'm curious to know why this one section is prepared so differently from the rest of the trail.
I rated the Air Line trail a 4 of 5 stars. When I previewed my review, it showed more like 15 stars. Why is that?
The 0.65 mi. extension of the trail from Curtis St. to Lazy Lane is now open although the connection from the old end of the trail at Curtis St. still requires crossing a tricky intersection. Lazy Lane is now the best place to start in Southington as there is a big new parking lot and that location provides easy access to and from Rt. 10 off the I-84 Queen Street exit. It is now 8.5 miles of continuous very well paved and completely off road trail from Lazy Lane in Southington to Rt.68 (West Main St.) in Cheshire. If you take the short .75 mile ride down Willow St. off of West Main St. to the Cornwall St. entrance of the trail you can get back off road very quickly. I rode the first .75 mile section of the trail south from Cornwall St. to Higgins Road to make it a nice 10 mile one way trek from Lazy Lane but I was surprised to see how many cracks there were on this part of the trail. They were all pretty much filled in but since they are very frequent and extend completely across the trail it was not very comfortable riding for a road bike. In contrast I don't recall seeing a single divot on the 8.5 mile section from Lazy Lane to Rt. 68. Another interesting aspect of this 10 mile section of the trail is that the first 4 miles headed south provides no shade at all in the September mid-afternoon and then the next 6 miles starting at about Rt. 322 is almost completely shaded. On a nice mid-70's afternoon that lack of shade in the beginning was actually very comfortable but I imagine it is kind of hot on a mid-summer afternoon. The contrast between the 2 sections of this 10 mile route makes for a great ride as those changes also parallel the route starting urban and turning almost rural by route end.
Was searching high and low for a long trail like this for long runs. Went here for the first time this past weekend and it completely surpassed any expectations I had. Everyone was super friendly! The views were amazing. Will be even more beautiful in the fall. Can't wait to keep running here and bringing my dog along as well!
What a difference a year makes. I reviewed this trail back in June 2016 with only nice things to say. The ride has nice views along the Blackstone River. The few bumps that I encountered last year has definitely increased. The only work done on these very large bumps is spray paint them so you see them before you get injured by hitting them. I found that the area with the biggest problems are between the 2 overpasses (rt116 and rt146). But they are really everywhere.
We use tour bikes. As of summer 2017 'very few' tree roots. It was mostly smooth the whole way! Well paved. Could really make great time on this trail! Good for work out. Super straight trail. Very few spots are bumpy but most were marked. Some pretty views near the river. We missed the covered bridge near Pepperill.
Start at Gardner Veterans Arena (45 Veterans Dr Gardner, MA) (Parking available)
1. Exit the Arena parking lot to the rear right hand side of the arena. Bike on paved trail on right shore of Crystal Lake about 3/4 of a mile to Green St Trail Parking lot (across from the windmills at Mt Wachusett Community College)
2. Go left out of the lot and Ride North on Green St for about a mile, passing the Community College on your right, for about 1 mile, to the intersection with Rt. 140
3. Turn left onto Rt. 140 (EXCERCISING EXTREME CAUTION IN CROSSING THIS VERY BUSY ROAD !) and proceed roughly half a mile to the 2nd leg of the paved trail on your right.
4. Follow the paved trail roughly 6 miles to the end of this leg at Old Gardiner Rd.
5. Go right down Old. Gardner Rd just over a half a mile to the intersection with Spring St.
6. Turn right onto Spring St and proceed roughly 800 ft (.15 miles) to N. Ashburnham Rd. and turn left onto to it.
7. In 600 ft you will see the entry to the 3rd leg of the paved trail, so turn left onto it.
8. Follow the trail roughly 3 miles to the end behind the derelict Goodspeed Machinery Factory. You are 1 block off the main drag in Winchendon.
Total distance one-way is roughly 11 miles
Towns (Gardner & Winchendon) need to update the outdated trail maps and add signs to guide bikers at the end of the paved sections to find the next leg ! Would be 4-5 stars if this was done !
Hope this helps ! P3
We did the southern portion from Rt. 122 to Rt. 62 and found it fairly bland. At the beginning, the signage weas unclear as to whether bicycling was even allowed (another trail user said he'd seen cyclists often.) We found the surface conditions to be unpredictable for non-hard core bicycling, with some very soft stretches and other areas with embedded rocks and roots, as well as some wet spots and standing water (that could be skirted on the edges). The landforms, flora and fauna, and railroad evidence were unremarkable; the trail was unusually straight and level, even for a former railbed. There were a number of other ungated paths, trails and actual roads intersecting and/or crossing this trail, several of which provided vehicular access for vehicles potentially up to Jeep size. We didn't encounter ATV's or dirtbikes on our ride, but saw clear evidence of them, and we saw cars parked on the ends of the marked trail at several of these intersecting points so it is not clear who the intended users are supposed to be. The day we were there it was very quiet and peaceful, so if you are looking for miles and miles of nothing but miles and miles and you hit it as we evidently did, this trail's for you.
I rode from Farmington to Mass. three times , Cheshire to New Haven one time, and Cheshire to Southington twice. I rode Farmington River Trail to Simsbury via Farmington Canal Heritage Trail several times. I am getting excited waiting for the 9.1 mi connection between Southington and Farmington. It has been an enjoyable summer of 2017 riding. Yes I am a member and intend to be for a long time. Great job to all involved.
Hi All,
Work has begun on (New Section) (Curtiss St Jct Kane St) to Lazy Lane (Southington, CT). However it won't be open until they fix the dangerous street intersections of (I believe Curtiss & Kane) (Was written in the new paper). Very Dangerous. Will be nice to have a new section! (When Done)
Happy Trails, Russ C
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