Explore the best rated trails in North Adams, MA, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail and Mass Central Rail Trail . With more than 46 trails covering 725 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.
Rode entire trail roundtrip on a sunny August day. It's a great trail with a great paved surface. Scenic, too. The southern trailhead (Wassaic) has a direct train connection to New York City, so it's just a matter of time before it's discovered by folks from the city for a day's ride.
Town of Millerton in center of trail had the best facilities for a mid-ride break. Copake Iron Works Museum at Taconic State Park and close to the trail also well worth a visit.
Biked end to end on a beautiful summer day. An absolutely beautiful paved trail with lots of water features to see - lakes to the south, river further north, and views of the mountains. Nice trailside pub in Adams and other eateries, including ice cream. Well-loved, with lots of walkers and skaters, as well as riders. Benches and picnic tables aplenty. One of the best trails I've had the privilege to ride. The only way it could possibly be better is if it was longer.
Correction to someone else's review: trail goes gently downhill south to north (not north to south) from Cheshire to Adams.
Loved this trail easy to ride. Well paved and clean. Will do this again and again.
Awesome trail. Smooth surface and great views. Also lots of different places you can join the trail. We started a little further north to skip the more industrial part of the trail.
Beautiful 1st ride on the Norwottuck Rail Trail. We parked at the Marshalls in Hadley (trail starts right behind the building) and road a little over 10 miles into EastHampton and back. It was a very easy ride (my 1st ride of this length) on asphalt.
Trail lacked any evidence of maintenance. Rode from Hinsdale to Winchester.
The Northampton part, which is reallly the NORWATTUCK RAIL TRAIL is really 2 stars bc it's so confusing. Needs fundraising and signage. But the rest, Manhan Rail Trail, is really nice. 5 stars. We took photos to illustrate but I unfortunately deleted them by accident.
We had stayed at the Hotel Northampton & nobody could tell us for certain how to find the trail other than to mention the railroad tracks. We found a paved path by the tracks & headed left. We passed a stone that said <- BOS/NHV --> and that's all. (Couldn't imagine how Boston could be to the left or straight ahead.) Within about 20 minutes, that path ended by some really rundown stores. On an aerial Google map, it reads as NORWATTUCK RAIL TRAIL (& shows it as a hiking &rail trail on the east side of the railroad tracks) but there is no signage anywhere to guide you. So when we got to the end, we turned around & headed in the other direction (south). THIS NORWSTTUCK TRAIL definitely needs some help. (Or maybe some day to be extended.)
Back to where we started out & this time heading in the other direction the trail actually becomes nice & very well marked. It seems to become the NEWHAVEN AND NORTH CANAL RAIL TRAIL (BUT there are no signs to this effect).
Where you meet the MANHAN RAIL TRAIL the signage is very clear, even as you are going through a village center or crossing a street or road, & the trail is very nice. You're following the reservoir & get some nice riding in.
We just kept going until we reached Easthampton. There you can even pick up trail maps! Ride on, and by the Municipal Bldg there's a nice park & large pond where you can see Mt. Tom behind it. Lovely, relaxing, scenic.
Then the ride back to Northampton but this time we knew the trail well & just enjoyed it.
North of Ferry St., at Lower Mill Pond, the Manhan Trail branches off and follows the river, eventually reaching the Connecticut River & Mt. Tom State Reservation. Should be a lovely ride! (You can also turn off here when you're riding south from Northampton.
We are casual cyclists (no ebikes) and decided to take a short ride on this trail. We parked at the Nassau Lake Trailhead which has about 13 parking spots. We headed towards East Greenbush and cycled about 8 miles before turning around. The 8 mile section of the trail we cycled was paved and very well maintained. There was a slight elevation gain in this section but made for a nice downhill on the way back. There were no amenities on the 8 mile route. The trail had a couple of easy street crossings but was mostly off-road.
On the way back, we continued pass the TH parking for about 3 miles to the Village of Nassau to have a look. There is another TH in town next to a small park and across the street from an ice cream shop. This section of the trail in the village was flat. If we had the time, we would have gone further.
I would recommend this trail.
I did the entire trail, excepting the on-road portion in New York. Each section (the two in Vermont and the central part in New York) was quite different from the others, so I've broken my review into 3 parts.
The northern Vermont section (Poultney to Castleton) was in good shape and appears to get a lot of use, maybe 3 to 1 walkers to bikers. The surface of quarter inch gravel was not ideal, but enough has been brushed aside over the years that the ride was smooth and comfortable. It is well-maintained, mowed with no washouts or potholes, and just the right number of historical signs. It is generally well-shaded but probably the least scenic of the three sections.
The southern Vermont section (West Pawlet to West Rupert) was much more open and scenic, especially near Rupert, but Vermont's choice of quarter inch gravel surface is still generally in place so slows down the ride. A short detour to the general store in West Rupert for ice cream was a treat, as was a trail-side stream at the southern end to cool off in. The gentle slope made the northbound ride here more enjoyable than the southbound one. The trail was as well maintained as the northern portion. Ratio probably 4 to 1 bikers over walkers/joggers but fewer of both than the northern section.
The middle section in New York (West Pawlet to Middle Granville) was completely different. Parts of the surface were cinder (perfect for riding) while other parts were completely grass covered (and mowed) and as a result felt much like riding on someone's lawn - soft and slow. The scenery was less interesting, but the section in Granville was nice, with a park and B&B right on the trail. I didn't have time to explore the town, though. Despite the sunny Sunday, I saw few others using this part of the trail.
All in all, the trail was OK and has a lot of potential. With a better stone dust surface, I would have given it a 5-star. If the 4-mile break in New York between sections were completed, this would become a destination ride. With fall colors, it would be exceptional.
2.5 stars. Entered the trail a the far western end on Hancock Rd. near Skatutakee Lake. Biked eastward for several miles. Mixed surface (dirt, cinder, sand & forest floor). This trail is rough and best suited for fat-tire or full-suspension mountain bikes. You could do it with a gravel bike but be ready for a very bumpy ride. Partially buried track ties and roots cover roughly over a 3rd of this segment of the trail. The swamps and brook are absolutely beautiful. There are a few benches for a peaceful stop. The trail has a gentle decline most of the way so be prepared for the uphill on the return trip. Mostly shaded so sunscreen isn't needed but bug spray might be a good idea if stopping for prolonged periods. The bridges are beautiful & well maintained. The signage is discreet & informative. This is a wonderful all season trail that I plan to return to in foliage season. It has a lot of potential but in its current condition it has a LONG way to go to become a destination that will attract tourists & generate $$$ for the local economy.
Biked this well kept trail start to finish. Well marked. There are a couple of challenging uphill climbs but doable by most people. Historical plaques along the route are very informative. There are some rest areas with benches. Highly recommend this trail. Looking forward to riding it again.
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