Find the top rated trails in Palmer, 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.
_79657_st.jpg)
_113607_st.jpg)
_45493_st.jpg)
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...
At the southern end of the trail a large parking lot at Dole Junction is maintained by the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails. This parking lot also serves as the southern terminus of the Ashuelot Rail...
_75158_sc.jpg)
In central Massachusetts, the Norwottuck Rail-Trail (formerly the Northampton Bikeway) runs between New South Street in Northampton and the neighborhood north of Look Memorial Park in Florence....
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...
_79657_sc.jpg)
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...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
Canalside Trail begins at McClelland Farm Road and heads north on the former NYNH&H Railroad, crossing the Connecticut River near its confluence with Deerfield River. Approximately a half mile north...
_49887_sc.jpg)
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...
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...
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...
_132529_sc.jpg)
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 Charter Oak Greenway is a paved, multi-use trail connecting parks with residential and commercial areas. The trail runs for 11 miles between Bolton and downtown Hartford, though there is currently...
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...
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...
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 Charter Oak Greenway is a paved, multi-use trail connecting parks with residential and commercial areas. The trail runs for 11 miles between Bolton and downtown Hartford, though there is currently...
The scenic Valley Trail currently runs nearly a mile through West Dover in southern Vermont on the outskirts of the Green Mountain National Forest. Plans call for continuing the trail further north to...
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 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...
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 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...
The scenic Monadnock Branch Rail-Trail travels for just over 7 miles from Webster Street in Jaffrey near the ball field to the New Hampshire–Massachusetts border. From Jaffrey to Rindge the trail is...
Canalside Trail begins at McClelland Farm Road and heads north on the former NYNH&H Railroad, crossing the Connecticut River near its confluence with Deerfield River. Approximately a half mile north...
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...
_0_sc.jpg)
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 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 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...
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...
_45493_sc.jpg)
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...
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 Bridge of Flowers is a 400-foot-long former trolley line bridge that has been converted into a garden pathway. Open from April 1 to October 31, the bridge spans the Deerfield River between...
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...
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 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...
_0_sc.jpg)
The Trolley Trail runs through Plainfield and is a key link the East Coast Greenway. Plans are to use this trail as a link between the Moosup Valley State Park Trail and the Airline State Park...
The scenic Monadnock Branch Rail-Trail travels for just over 7 miles from Webster Street in Jaffrey near the ball field to the New Hampshire–Massachusetts border. From Jaffrey to Rindge the trail is...
The scenic Valley Trail currently runs nearly a mile through West Dover in southern Vermont on the outskirts of the Green Mountain National Forest. Plans call for continuing the trail further north to...
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...
In central Massachusetts, the Norwottuck Rail-Trail (formerly the Northampton Bikeway) runs between New South Street in Northampton and the neighborhood north of Look Memorial Park in Florence....
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...
The Trolley Trail runs through Plainfield and is a key link the East Coast Greenway. Plans are to use this trail as a link between the Moosup Valley State Park Trail and the Airline State Park...
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...
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 Sue Grossman Still River Greenway runs for nearly 3 miles through a wooded corridor between Lanson Drive and Harris Drive in Torrington. The paved trail occupies the old right-of-way for the New...
The Charter Oak Greenway is a paved, multi-use trail connecting parks with residential and commercial areas. The trail runs for 11 miles between Bolton and downtown Hartford, though there is currently...
_113607_sc.jpg)
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 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...
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 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 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 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...
At the southern end of the trail a large parking lot at Dole Junction is maintained by the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails. This parking lot also serves as the southern terminus of the Ashuelot Rail...
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 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...
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...
This is not a super long trail but since it is pretty much all up hill going from Hudson to Marlboro, it still gives you a work out. That being said you should start in Hudson so the way back is down hill.
We did not go on the trail that starts in Maynard because it was closed.
I parked on Sasseville Way in Marlboro and headed toward Hudson with my pooch. We walked only for about a mile and a half, but met nice people, and other dogs as well. It was well marked, clean, and even had a few trash cans along the way!
It has been reported that a large bear was seen on the trail section between Hop River Rd. and Parker Bridge Rd. in Columbia.
Checked this out today to see if my wife would enjoy it...the good news is she will! Her 'complaint' about the East Bay trail was that it felt narrow (compared to the Shining Sea trail in Falmouth).
This is nice and wide w/ one exception where they give notice that it narrows (and even then it's still pretty wide).
The last 3-4 miles in Coventry had a steeper incline than the rest of the trail. As a result, I think when I bring my wife (not an avid rider) I'm going to park behind the Coventry PD (near Station St.) and head south first to get the incline out of the way and then head back up north past the PD as far as she feels comfortable.
At the southern end, the Summit General Store was a good stop. I didn't get anything to eat at the counter, just some trail mix and cold drink but it was convenient. I did see several folks stopping in for lunch while I was sitting there.
The break after Route 122 in Blackstone now picks up at the parking lot off of Canal Street, near the corner of St. Paul Street. Going west from this point is about 3 miles of wide graded asphalt trail. The old Triad Bridge has been redone and is a safe beautiful crossing. I saw a lot of people--walking, riding bikes, pushing strollers, even skateboarding--when I rode this section a few Sundays ago.
But at the end of this section is Route 146 (a limited access divided highway) and there are no signs telling you how to cross it or to get back on the trail on the other side.
Wish I had read the reviews before wasting my time driving out. Maybe someday this will be a nice bike trail, but that day is a long way off for it's current condition. It is basically an abandoned rail trail that locals must use for dirt bikes and some mountain biking. There is no established, groomed trail, it is sandy, rocky, and muddy. There are trees across the trail in some areas. It does start off paved for maybe a half mile, but that paved section is full of graffiti. Once you get to the end of the paved section, you have to figure out where to pick the trail back up as there are no signs anywhere. If I could have given a negative star, I would have.
Hi folks,
I read the reviews and went anyway. Started at the Hinsdale end on Northfield Road and went 10 miles. The trail starts on a private driveway directly across from the gas station. I truly enjoyed my ride. Yes it does have mixed surface conditions; abandoned buildings from some industrial past; and the horse-impacted stretch. But is also boasts spectacular river views, covered bridge worth seeing, and a nice trail bridge to ride over. Best of all, the reviews seem to have kept it quiet and underused.
The worst of it is at about mile 8 where the trail first crosses Old Westport Road and Old Spofford Road. There, the horses have torn up the trail and you go between jarring bumps and deeply worked lose sandy soil that will grab your wheel and bring you to an involuntary stop. These conditions last 1.5 miles or there abouts. I won't ride that stretch again; but such is life with multiuse trails.
After mile 10, I exited the trail on the second crossing of Old Westport Road and used the road to bypass the bike unfriendly portion for my return leg. The road is a pleasant spin through farm country.
Overall I found the trail low gradient, shaded, and with easy road crossings. It's not the place to set the land speed record on your road bike and I would not bring young children. But it is certainly teenager compatible and heck, I had 2 hours to kill near Brattleboro and this was just the ticket.
As others mentioned a little bumpy from roots. Parking on south end is just beyond an old factory building. Turn down single lane road just before canal. There looks to be a gate across the trail, but there is a bike opening to the right. North end has nicer parking in a small park. Some historical info about canal in park. Trail continues north beyond park. Not sure how far it goes.
Ashuelot river trail north of West St Keene is short but scenic, today we did 15 miles round trip on southern part of Ashuelot river trail south of Keene. The trail is really nice for about 4-5 miles after that you follow the power lines and not the river and the going is not as smooth but OK with hybrid bike. We went as far as Swanzey Lake Rd which you can see from a brown house who's back yard is the trail and that is about 7.5 miles one way and it is mostly flat .
Several have commented on the section of trail between Lake St., Bellingham and Prospect St., Franklin that was upgraded in June, 2017. Great!
You might like to know that west of this section and the improved trail to Center St, the one mile of rough trail between Fox Run Road and the new Route 126 tunnel is now under design. This includes a new parking area just east of Route 126.
It is state policy to add improved sections to existing improved sections.
Also, a DCR manager was quoted in the Boston Globe recently as saying that design work on the trail over the Blackstone Viaduct to the RI border would begin this fall.
It is important to realize that DCR has to jump through many hoops before construction can begin. But, keep pushing for results!
Just did this on 7/30/17. The trail is flat but lots of loose golfball & tennisball sized rocks to keep you alert. There's also a fair amount of of loose surface due to gravel and too much ATV use. If you want peace & quiet this is the trail for you. Beautiful swamp areas & a small cemetery a few yards off the trail. Lots of very old headstones certainly makes for an interesting resting spot. It's intersected by several dirt roads so be careful when crossing. Bring plenty of water on hotter days, you'll need it!
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
_0_st.jpg)
_136346_st.jpg)
_75158_st.jpg)
_0_st.jpg)
_132529_st.jpg)
_49887_st.jpg)
