Find the top rated trails in Cumberland, 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 Bruce Freeman Rail Trail follows the route of the former Framingham and Lowell Railroad. It begins at the Lowell/Chelmsford city line, about 30 miles northwest of Boston, near Cross Point, a major...
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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 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...
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...
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 Washington Secondary Bike Path actually comprises four trails along an old Hartford, Providence, & Fishkill Railroad corridor. Together, the Cranston Bike Path, Warwick Bike Path, West Warwick...
You won't get lonely on the Minuteman Bikeway. The nearly 10-mile rail-trail through suburban Boston is one of New England's most popular trails. Warm summer weekends in particular bring folks of all...
As of January 2012 the Quinebaug River Trail has two segments. The southern segment follows the course of the Quinebaug River in Danielson, beginning at the intersection of Palmer Street and Prospect...
The North Bank Bridge, which opened in 2012, provides a safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle connection between Cambridge's North Point Park and Paul Revere Park in Charlestown. Spanning 690...
Opened in 1999, the Phoenix Bike Trail packs a surprising diversity in its 3.5 miles, passing through woodlands, salt marshes, farms and commercial and residential areas. Tree-lined for much of its...
The Cape Cod Canal Bikeway connects Cape Cod Bay and the communities of Sandwich and Sagamore on its eastern end with Buzzards Bay and the community of Bourne on its western end. Following both banks...
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 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...
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...
Independence Greenway offers 8 miles of trail in three disconnected segments through western Peabody. The rail-trail follows the abandoned Salem and Lowell Railroad and offers nice views. It passes by...
The Haggetts Rail Trail is a short, but sweet unpaved trail located on the periphery of Haggetts Pond, the local reservoir for the nearby town of Andover. Built on part of the former line of the...
In the southeastern outskirts of Boston, the Hanover Branch Rail Trail connects the communities of Abington and Rockland. (Locally, the trail’s east and west halves are sometimes referred to as the...
The Spicket River begins in Derry, New Hampshire, through Methuen and Lawrence, Massachusetts, before draining into the Merrimack River. Like many mill towns of the late 19th and 20th centuries, the...
The Alfred J. Lima Quequechan River Rail Trail, which was formally known simply as Quequechan River Rail Trail travels along the northern shore of scenic South Watuppa Pond. The project created a...
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 Washington Secondary Bike Path actually comprises four trails along an old Hartford, Providence, & Fishkill Railroad corridor. Together, the Cranston Bike Path, Warwick Bike Path, West Warwick...
The East Boston Greenway, a linear park made possible by the donation of a disused rail corridor by Conrail in 1997 and the ‘Big Dig’ project in later years, links Boston Harbor with new parks created...
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...
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 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...
Although the Neponset River Greenway totals more than 5 miles in length, it's currently open in several short disconnected sections on the southern outskirts of Boston. The trail is paved and provides...
Opened in 1999, the Phoenix Bike Trail packs a surprising diversity in its 3.5 miles, passing through woodlands, salt marshes, farms and commercial and residential areas. Tree-lined for much of its...
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 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...
The North Bank Bridge, which opened in 2012, provides a safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle connection between Cambridge's North Point Park and Paul Revere Park in Charlestown. Spanning 690...
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,...
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...
Grand Trunk Trail is part of a larger trail network, the Titanic Rail Trail, which will stretch more than 60 miles through south-central Massachusetts and the northeastern corner of Connecticut along...
Nestled in Boston’s Charles River Reservation, the Dr. Paul Dudley White Bike Path offers a pleasant walk or ride along both sides of the river from the city’s Museum of Science to Watertown. To reach...
In the southeastern outskirts of Boston, the Hanover Branch Rail Trail connects the communities of Abington and Rockland. (Locally, the trail’s east and west halves are sometimes referred to as the...
The Haggetts Rail Trail is a short, but sweet unpaved trail located on the periphery of Haggetts Pond, the local reservoir for the nearby town of Andover. Built on part of the former line of the...
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...
The Alfred J. Lima Quequechan River Rail Trail, which was formally known simply as Quequechan River Rail Trail travels along the northern shore of scenic South Watuppa Pond. The project created a...
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 Washington Secondary Bike Path actually comprises four trails along an old Hartford, Providence, & Fishkill Railroad corridor. Together, the Cranston Bike Path, Warwick Bike Path, West Warwick...
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...
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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 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...
This 5.8-mile trail is part of the planned East Coast Greenway, an off-road path that will eventually run from Calais, Maine, to Key West, Florida. The Moosup Valley State Park Trail will connect with...
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 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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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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,...
Burrillville Bike Path runs for just over a mile through its namesake rural community in northwest Rhode Island. It connects the villages of Pascoag and Harrisville through a corridor that once...
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...
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...
The Whitney Spur Rail Trail runs from just north of the MBTA’s Cohasset Station through dense woodlands to the edge of Wompatuck State Park. The corridor was originally a spur off the Old Colony...
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 Bike Trail in Fairhaven, joining...
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 Fred Lippitt Woonasquatucket River Greenway is an important non-motorized transportation corridor and local recreation trail, linking Waterplace Park and the Providence Place Mall in Providence...
This section was just graded, raised, and surfaced with a relatively fine gravel that seems to have been rolled to lie flat. No more puddles! The next section west to Center Street in Bellingham is amazingly flat and straight and covered in fine sand.
Vegetation has been removed from the side of these two sections, giving them a very different feel from the unimproved sections on each side.
We had given up on skating the Minuteman in 2015: the root bumps were so big and numerous that we couldn't skate over them anymore. A bunch of repaving, and the situation is much better. We're back!
The Western end in Bedford has been totally repaved, and is fantastic. We had some problems with stones thrown onto the path by mowers, but, the pavement itself was great. The section through Lexington still has some of the old cobblestone street warnings, which are a hazard to skaters. Most of the root bumps have been smoothed and repaved. The trail in Belmont and Arlington is in good shape, and the crossings in Arlington Center have been vastly improved. I just wish that they hadn't included a short brick section that you have to brake on at the first light. To trail designers: bricks prevent braking on skates!
The only real hazards left are in the Cambridge section in Alewife. After you cross under Rt. 2, there are fissures, an old wood bridge, and cobblestones so bumpy you have to step around them. Needs replacement!
Also, the new crossings in Arlington have yellow ADA bump mats at the road crossings. Path designers should know that as a skater slows to cross streets, those bumps can be enough to stop him/her and cause a fall into the street. Please find a better solution!
The takeaway: a busy, but, pleasant and improving trail that is worthwhile again.
We tackled the Washington Secondary trail on inline skates. Starting from the Eastern end, parking was easy, the trail was pleasant, and in decent shape. The section in Warwick has significant root bumps that take attention. Road crossings are generally good, although one entering West Warwick had a big lip down to the road. In West Warwick, there was one 20 yd area that we had to walk around, the pavement was so poor. But, the high bridge over the old soap factory also gave one of the best views on the trail. Then, the last 9 miles is smooth and excellent except the 3 wood bridges which are older and very bumpy). At the end is the Summit General Store with great sandwiches, drinks and bales of hay if you want to take one home.
So, what's the take away? We wouldn't repeat the Eastern half of the trail - too many hazards. We'll certainly do the Western end again, when it's not too hot!
Easy to find. Most Parking lots have Porta potty.
Parking lot at North end of trail has a couple of pot-holes left over by the retreating glaciers.
Trail surface is mostly smooth asphalt. Some tree root damage in places.
As you get closer to Woods Hole the trail is busier. You get to ride thru a couple of parking lots for the towns. Watch out for cars and shuttle buses.
Spend some time exploring the towns along the trail. Find a beach and relax. Things to do abound.
Great trail. Mostly flat.
Trail goes over canal on one of the bridges. I didn't bother.
Lots of boats, Fisherman, just plain folks exercising.
Birds, Birds, and more Birds. Mostly off path.
Most bikes (modified to carry fishing gear) ridden by older gentlemen looking for a spot to cast their lines. Only saw one fish being pulled in.
The pace is SLOW...
In this case The Corps of Engineers are spending their money wisely.
Decided to start biking last year. Did potions of Brice Freeman twice. Loved the ride. Made it to the end of Phase One this year. Love Heart Pond. Well maintained. More of an incline heading in, which is nice when you are tired and riding "down hill" on your way out. Can not wait for the next phase to be done!!!!!
Very nice ride with varied scenery. The only thing I would add to what has already been written is that there isn't much of a canopy of tree cover for much of the ride so on a really sunny day, wear your sun block. Also, the trail continues a bit more after the Lonsdale entrance. It eventually goes on-road and spills you out in a little park near the Cumberland Town Hall. I would skip this section entirely and just end your ride at Lonsdale. The trail is a little narrower towards it's northern terminus as well.
Trailhead not so visible from the road as described. Generous parking on Groton St in Ayer but no restrooms just portable latrines. If you are traveling a distance, there is no place to change.
This was a nice trail for the most part, with beautiful scenery and all. It just has one major flaw- it dead-ends behind an old, delapitated, half collapsed mill. You actually have to pass through the property filled with rubble, broken glass, briars, and barbed wire to reach the road on the Harris end. Until this is rectified, it is my belief that this trail is FAR to dangerous for average hikers. Stick with the Coventry/West Warwick Greenway.
A pretty nice trail for a few hours. Mostly you're riding near the river so you can see plenty of boats, geese with their sweet kids, nice bridges and great views of Boston. I'm going to use this trail many times more.
Many thanks to the person who found my daughter Sarah's lost drivers license on your trail, and took the time to mail it to her!!! She was over-the-moon excited and frankly it has helped her to realize that there are kind people in this world. As her mom I thank you also for teaching her this lesson which I'm sure, should a similar occasion arise, that she will do the same in the future for someone else (paying it forward) remembering how great she feels now.
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