Explore the best rated trails in Hanson, MA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Stillwater Scenic Walkway and Old Colony Nature Pathway. With more than 76 trails covering 471 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.
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 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...
With spectacular maritime views and an abundance of coastal wildlife, the East Bay Bike Path offers a spectacular New England experience. Inducted into the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame in 2009, the route...
The Phoenix Bike Trail cruises through a mixture of surroundings on its relatively short 4-mile journey from the heart of the historical Fairhaven seaport to woodlands and farms on the outskirts of...
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 Nauset Trail offers a winding route through dense Cape Cod woodlands, providing a pleasant respite from the oft-crowded seashore and tourist hubs. The trail is entirely paved, with the notable...
Though the idea for a Cape Cod Canal goes back to the settlers of Plymouth Colony, the waterway didn’t begin construction until 1909. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers took over operation 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...
More and more, airport lands near previously under-used rail corridors are being transformed from largely neglected vacant lands into urban greenways. These new vibrant spaces are used not only by...
The Bradford Rail Trail occupies a former Pan Am rail corridor, beautifying an area that once lay strewn with garbage and weeds. The city and numerous dedicated volunteers created the mile-long path...
The Fred Lippitt Woonasquatucket River Greenway provides a valuable crosstown connector of nearly 7 miles from downtown Providence to the city’s western neighborhoods and the nearby town of Johnston....
The Head of the Meadow Trail offers a pleasant winding route through woodlands and marshlands tantalizingly close to the Atlantic Ocean in Truro. In fact, direct access to two of the Cape Cod National...
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 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...
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...
Norwell is a suburb about 30 minutes' drive south of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Norwell Pathway, a 2-mile non-motorized trail that was constructed to give residents an alternative way to...
Methuen Rail Trail connects three communities in northeastern Massachusetts as it follows the route of the former Manchester and Lawrence Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad. The rail-trail's...
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The Southwest Corridor Park (Pierre Lallement Bike Path) knits together neighborhoods in southern Boston from the Back Bay to Jamaica Plain. Popular as a route for commuters as well as casual walkers,...
The Border to Boston Trail connects the communities of West Peabody, Peabody, Danvers, Topsfield, and Boxford in northeastern Massachusetts. The long-term goal for the trail is to continue it north to...
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...
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 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...
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...
Norwell is a suburb about 30 minutes' drive south of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Norwell Pathway, a 2-mile non-motorized trail that was constructed to give residents an alternative way to...
Ten Mile River Greenway, named for the waterway it parallels and not its length, runs 3 miles through a serene and green corridor connecting the City of East Providence and Pawtucket. The southern end...
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...
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...
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...
The Charles River Bike Path, also referred to as the Charles River Greenway, offers a paved, 22-mile route from Boston to its western suburbs. The trail is also part of a larger, developing network...
The South Bay Harbor Trail connects several Boston neighborhoods—Lower Roxbury, the South End, Chinatown, and Fort Point Channel—to the Boston Harbor. The trail spans nearly 4 miles from Ruggles...
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 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...
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...
More and more, airport lands near previously under-used rail corridors are being transformed from largely neglected vacant lands into urban greenways. These new vibrant spaces are used not only by...
Many commuters choose the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway for freedom from congested traffic in the northwest Boston suburbs. For others, the 10.1-mile paved trail between Cambridge and Bedford serves as a...
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 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...
The 5.3-mile Independence Greenway makes for a pleasant ride, providing access to lakes, parks, and nature preserves. The paved pathway is located in the town of Peabody (pronounced by locals as...
The Nauset Trail offers a winding route through dense Cape Cod woodlands, providing a pleasant respite from the oft-crowded seashore and tourist hubs. The trail is entirely paved, with the notable...
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...
Bruce N. Freeman was a Massachusetts state representative from 1969 to 1986. Beginning in 1985, he championed the creation of a bike path that would run along the former Penn Central railroad line...
Many commuters choose the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway for freedom from congested traffic in the northwest Boston suburbs. For others, the 10.1-mile paved trail between Cambridge and Bedford serves as a...
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 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 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 South Bay Harbor Trail connects several Boston neighborhoods—Lower Roxbury, the South End, Chinatown, and Fort Point Channel—to the Boston Harbor. The trail spans nearly 4 miles from Ruggles...
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 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,...
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...
Cape Cod’s briny seaports, sandy beaches, delectable seafood, and diverse landscape of salt marshes, pine forests, and cranberry bogs can all be experienced from the 27.5-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail....
The Head of the Meadow Trail offers a pleasant winding route through woodlands and marshlands tantalizingly close to the Atlantic Ocean in Truro. In fact, direct access to two of the Cape Cod National...
The Old Colony Nature Pathway is a short trail open on a former Old Colony Railroad corridor in Provincetown, a picturesque vacation destination at the tip of Cape Cod. While a longer portion of the...
Barker Road Trail begins on the town line between North Andover and Boxford in northern Massachusetts, not far from the New Hampshire border. From there, the pathway continues through dense woodlands...
The Stillwater Scenic Walkway is a short trail that follows an old railroad bed between Capron Road and State Route 104 (Farnum Pike) south of Smithfield. The trail passes through a wooded area along...
With spectacular maritime views and an abundance of coastal wildlife, the East Bay Bike Path offers a spectacular New England experience. Inducted into the Rail-Trail Hall of Fame in 2009, the route...
Constructed in 1967, the Province Lands Bike Trail is the first bike trail ever built by the National Park Service. The trail, located at the northern tip of Cape Cod, features steep hills, sharp...
The New Bedford Covewalk, like the HarborWalk further east, sits atop the hurricane barrier built to protect New Bedford residents from storm surges during extreme weather. Even when it's nice out...
The Fresh Pond Bikeway runs through Fresh Pond Reservation, a park in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The bikeway winds around the east edge of the Fresh Pond Reservoir. Part of the trail is on a road...
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 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...
Took me about 20-30 miniutes from train bridge to water with a short break for water and picture, but on the way back I found my self exerting more energy and moving foward less and less. The wind was blowing me back and took over an hour the same distance that took me around 30 miniutes the other way. Overall great ride just a heads up.
If you want to have a good bike workout I recommend to try to bike the two sections of the trail. Start at the Acton trailhead and when you reach the end of the Acton-Maynard trail after you biked 1.9 miles on a dirt road (near the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge) veer right on Sudbury Road. After you pass a sign for Honey Pot Hill Farm (you will be in Stow at this point) veer left and continue on Sudbury Road until the intersection with 62 west. Ride until you see the sign of the Riverside Gun Club. Right after you will reach the Hudson trailhead parking on your right and you will be on the Hudson-Marlborough section. You will be on the road for two miles until you reach this section. The 2 miles on the road and the 1.9 miles on dirt road add extra mileage to a complete trip of this trail around 12.5 miles (one way). Beautiful ride on the Acton- Maynard section.
Long enough ride roundtrip to give you a workout but not too much. Beautiful scenery, shaded forest, open ocean, sea breeze, Del’s Lemonade, old homes. Will definitely ride this one again with friends.
Great path with lots of shade. The surface is nice and smooth and well kept. For the mountain bikers there are some great off road trails as well. We go there to walk and bike often.
We rode this trail from Rt 85 parking lot to East Hampton and back on 8/1, about 20 total miles. We’ve always loved the Air Line…it has a varied feel as you proceed through the different town…the vast majority shaded, sections on a high ridge above a stream, two nice viaducts across what was once a trestle bridge, a section running through a nature preserve. There were a few sections a little rougher than others, and we observed a few places with protruding rocks that should really be removed (just keep your eye on the road), as well as some divots in the roadway, some caused by drainage. There are no major hills but you do have long gradual uphills like the one as you ride into East Hampton going west. But I think for most riders these will be small things in what, overall, is a great trail. Great to see many out on the trail on a sunny, warm day.
Really enjoyed the trail. Great views.. sun and shade . We will be back !
I did the trail with my husband and my kids. My 11 year old daughter and my 16 year old son. Easy path and nice views. You can find restrooms and ice cream around. We began in Bristol and finished at the conservatory area at Warren, because it was block for maintenance. We rode 10 miles round trip.
Overall, a great trail. But it is over 50 miles long so there are some better areas than others. The East Hampton to Rt. 2 is scenic but it is steeper than other areas and the gravel is looser in spots. The 12 mile stretch from Rt. 2 to Willimantic is perhaps the best section - scenic, well maintained, not too steep, and hard packed. I’ve only been on the Willimantic section once and it’s nothing special. North of Willimantic is good though there are a few stretches that are rougher than other areas - barely passable on a hybrid bike. The trail is narrow in many areas so you’ll have to ask walkers to move over. Most of the trail is under a tree canopy which helps keep you cooler on hot days.
This is a 4 mile rail trail that is in ok condition for road bikes with a few cracks in it. The eastern end is under construction. A pretty path going through woodland, farms and overlooking marshes. Very quiet on a hot July weekend
We parked at Lowe’s in Cranston. That end of the path isn’t very well maintained, but a mile or so in it gets better. Cute ice cream place (Udder Delights) on the path. Very shady, which was nice on a 95 degree day. I think this path would be very beautiful in the fall.
good starting point. Trail quality is excellent. smooth macadam. Easy riding. No hills. well kept along trail. Went about 10 miles and returned. scenic and historical. Trail has multiple names
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