Explore the best rated trails in West Springfield, MA. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Windsor River Trail and Mattabassett Trolley Trail . With more than 52 trails covering 445 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.
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...
Open in several disconnected segments, the Billings Trail is a dirt path that traverses a lovely scenic and wooded landscape outside Norfolk in northern Connecticut. Built on the abandoned railbed of...
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...
Note: Per the State of Connecticut's website, the trail is open from dawn to dusk April 1–November 14. Eagle nesting activities can delay the opening of the southern trail head in Windsor Locks. Due...
The Charter Oak Greenway offers more than 16 miles of paved pathway through Hartford and its eastern suburbs. At first glance, the trail looks as if it is simply a highway side path, but the journey...
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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 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 Massachusetts Central Railroad was destroyed by a hurricane in 1938, but the 104-mile corridor is being reborn as a cross-state rail-trail. Currently, nearly 40 miles from Boston to Northampton...
Visitors to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail will find the full splendor of the scenic Berkshires along this nearly 12-mile-long paved trail. The Ashuwillticook (ash-oo-will-ti-cook) follows MA 8 through...
The Redstone Rail Trail is built on the former New York, New Haven & Hartford Armory Branch, which in turn is a former branch line of the New York & New England RR. Its name comes from the numerous...
A dozen miles west of Connecticut’s capital of Hartford, the Farmington River Trail forms a 16.5-mile arc that connects to the larger Farmington Canal Heritage Trail on both ends. The rail-trail was...
Where a trolley once ran, now you can too on the south bank of the Mattabessett River. The electrified trolley shuttled passengers from Berlin to Middletown and beyond. The smooth blacktop and an easy...
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 Manhan Rail Trail, well integrated into the local communities it serves, offers a pleasant ride or stroll. It conveniently weaves together parks, community points of interest, neighborhoods, and...
The Quinebaug Valley Rail Trail runs on the corridor once occupied by the Southbridge & Blackstone line of the Providence & Worcester Railroad, transforming a corridor once designed to link rural...
First a canal, then a railroad, and now a trail define the history of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Completed segments span Connecticut south to north, from New Haven to the Massachusetts...
Coming in at just under 3 miles, the Sue Grossman Still River Greenway is anchored by the towns of Winchester to the north and Torrington to the south. It occupies the right-of-way of the Naugatuck...
The Naugatuck River Greenway will one day span 44 miles from Torrington to Derby in western Connecticut, but is currently open in a few short disconnected segments totaling just over 5 miles. The...
The Southwick Rail Trail extends from the Massachusetts–Connecticut state line north to the Westfield town line and connects to the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail. Along the way, it travels through...
Paralleling the Connecticut and Massachusetts borders, which lie only a few miles away, the Harlem Valley Rail Trail is a beautiful paved wooded pathway along the former New York & Harlem Railroad...
The Naugatuck River Greenway will one day span 44 miles from Torrington to Derby in western Connecticut, but is currently open in a few short disconnected segments totaling just over 5 miles. The...
Visitors to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail will find the full splendor of the scenic Berkshires along this nearly 12-mile-long paved trail. The Ashuwillticook (ash-oo-will-ti-cook) follows MA 8 through...
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The Rockville Spur, a section of Vernon Rails-to-Trails, is a stone-dust rail-trail stretching 4.2 miles into the heart of historical Rockville. The trail begins on Warren Avenue in Vernon, but you’ll...
Built in the 1910s by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) as part of the Connecticut River Division Main Line, the route introduced daily service to the B&M Fort Hill Branch in the early 1920s to meet...
The North Central Pathway is envisioned as a trail network connecting points of interest through and between Winchendon and Gardner. Several completed sections of trail make for a lovely ride or walk...
The Railroad Ramble occupies a corridor abandoned by the Central New England Railroad, which provided service from 1871 through 1967. In Lakeville, the trail can be found just off of Route 41 behind...
It’s hard to pick a favorite season to experience the Hop River State Park Trail, set amid the dense forests of Eastern Connecticut. Sections of the 20-mile rail-trail dive through steep rock cuts...
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 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...
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...
The Quinnipiac River Gorge Trail is a 1.3-mile rail-trail in Meridan, Connecticut. The trail occupies the former railbed of the Meriden, Waterbury & Connecticut River Railroad, a 17-mile line which...
The overall goal of the Grand Trunk Trail in south-central Massachusetts is to connect the communities of Brimfield, Sturbridge, and Southbridge by trail. Currently, two sections of the trail are...
The Redstone Rail Trail is built on the former New York, New Haven & Hartford Armory Branch, which in turn is a former branch line of the New York & New England RR. Its name comes from the numerous...
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...
Over 2 miles from start to finish, this U-shaped trail meets both the commuting and the recreational needs of local residents in Middletown. The trail begins on Middle St, marked by a trailhead with a...
The Bridge of Flowers delights the senses of visitors walking among the trees and blossoms on the old trolley bridge spanning the Deerfield River, which connects two communities in northwestern...
The Manhan Rail Trail, well integrated into the local communities it serves, offers a pleasant ride or stroll. It conveniently weaves together parks, community points of interest, neighborhoods, and...
The Air Line State Park Trail winds nearly 55 miles from the northeast corner of Connecticut, where the state borders Massachusetts, down to East Hampton in the heart of the state. The pathway is...
The Southwick Rail Trail extends from the Massachusetts–Connecticut state line north to the Westfield town line and connects to the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail. Along the way, it travels through...
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...
Coming in at just under 3 miles, the Sue Grossman Still River Greenway is anchored by the towns of Winchester to the north and Torrington to the south. It occupies the right-of-way of the Naugatuck...
The Air Line State Park Trail winds nearly 55 miles from the northeast corner of Connecticut, where the state borders Massachusetts, down to East Hampton in the heart of the state. The pathway is...
It’s hard to pick a favorite season to experience the Hop River State Park Trail, set amid the dense forests of Eastern Connecticut. Sections of the 20-mile rail-trail dive through steep rock cuts...
Built in the 1910s by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) as part of the Connecticut River Division Main Line, the route introduced daily service to the B&M Fort Hill Branch in the early 1920s to meet...
Visitors to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail will find the full splendor of the scenic Berkshires along this nearly 12-mile-long paved trail. The Ashuwillticook (ash-oo-will-ti-cook) follows MA 8 through...
The Southwick Rail Trail extends from the Massachusetts–Connecticut state line north to the Westfield town line and connects to the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail. Along the way, it travels through...
The overall goal of the Grand Trunk Trail in south-central Massachusetts is to connect the communities of Brimfield, Sturbridge, and Southbridge by trail. Currently, two sections of the trail are...
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 Larkin State Park Trail meanders 10.8 miles through the woods and around the lakes and low hills of southwestern Connecticut. The rail-trail follows the route of the New York & New England...
The Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail passes such scenic and historical landmarks as covered bridges, abandoned mills, and postcard-perfect towns. Starting on asphalt in Keene, the rail-trail can be...
The Qunnipiac Linear Trail is an easy multipurpose path in Wallingford, Connecticut. The trail skirts Community Lake while traveling a heavily wooded corridor along the Quinnipiac River. It is one of...
The well-maintained Canalside Rail Trail provides users with a variety of trestle bridges, views of waterbirds stalking fish and frogs, and gentle grades that alternate between open sky and forested...
The Hanover Pond Trail is a mile-long rail-trail in Meriden, Connecticut offering scenic natural escape combined with historical exploration. The smooth asphalt trail is open to a diverse range of...
The first section of the Corkscrew Rail Trail opened in June 2015. It begins at Knapp Road in Stephentown and heads south under a shady tree canopy towards New Lebanon, near the New York/Massachusetts...
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 Bridge of Flowers delights the senses of visitors walking among the trees and blossoms on the old trolley bridge spanning the Deerfield River, which connects two communities in northwestern...
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 Manhan Rail Trail, well integrated into the local communities it serves, offers a pleasant ride or stroll. It conveniently weaves together parks, community points of interest, neighborhoods, and...
The Naugatuck River Greenway will one day span 44 miles from Torrington to Derby in western Connecticut, but is currently open in a few short disconnected segments totaling just over 5 miles. The...
The trails in Vernon are among the most maintained of all trails in Central and Easter CT. There's plenty of parking along the trails which gives you easy access. The scenery is amazing including bridges, side paths, and tunnels.
It's too bad that so many of these trails don't allow the use of snowmobiles and off-road motorcycles. I see a lot of people complain about motored vehicles, but it really makes no sense to me. To me, both activities are equal and should have equal access. You have one group of people who enjoy hiking and biking, and another group of people who enjoy dirt-biking and snow-mobiling. Why does the hiking biking community always win out? Why do they get priority over the other group? Are the activities we enjoy less valuable/important than the activities you enjoy? I'm not whining, but I don't think it's fair. There is no logical reason to allow one activity and restrict the other. It's done out complete bias against and inconsideration for the preferred activities of other groups of people. If noise, speed etc. is the issue, then set rules regulating these things, don't ban the activity altogether.These trails should be open to all applicable activities, with a set of rules allowing everyone to enjoy the trails with each other.
I did the loop today going north on this River Trail then back south on the FCT. The gravel is at mile 12.3 after a little on the road segment but it only lasts about 3/4 mile. I had to go very slowly on the gravel dust because I was on my road bike (22mm) but it was tolerable because it was short (&pretty). At the entrance to the Stratton State Park a sign indicates you can take the road downhill to Simsbury felt safe. froDOWNdown to Simsbury which was much better on thin tires. indicating on esign The on the road section was well marked today - although many of the signs were large temporary ones. I how
This trail starts out OK, but as you move further North, into to country the trail narrows and is less maintained. My biggest concern is there is not enough parking places, entrances , and no benches.
This is an amazing trail" with windy. curves, up and down climbing, plenty of benches, and lots of awesome bridges.
Beautiful and no crowded from Amenia to Milerton - 8 plus miles from the parking lot indicated on the map. Trail ends in Millerton - I did not ride along rite 22 to pick up the rail trail again for the final five r so miles, as it is crazy town to ride on Route 22. Overall, a pleasant there and back (I went past the parking lot to make a twenty mile ride). I hope that the trail does get connected and soon.
Completely paved and in great condition from Wassaic to Millerton. Tree covered and shaded most of the way. Passing farmland, ponds, horses, sheep, apple farms. Only a few roads you pass over. One main road (not very busy at all) and a few smaller country roads (saw no cars). They are currently extending it farther North of Millerton but for now, the ride firm Waasaic to Millerton and back I believe is just about 20 miles.
We are in our 60’s and once or twice a year we like to get away for the weekend and ride a nice rail trail or two. This trail was Perfect. It is excellently maintained, the few roots are so well marked you couldn’t miss them. It’s clean, lots of benches and tables along the way and bathrooms at one end. Plenty of parking at each end and many spots along the way. This is one of the best trails we’ve been on. The best tip I can give is to start in Adams as you’ll appreciate the slight decline of the last two miles coming back. You don’t even notice the slight incline when heading out but tired legs appreciated the break on the way back. 22.8 miles round trip from visitors center in Adams
Clean paved trail behind the high school. Great for biking.
Enjoyed a ride from Simsbury past the Mass line and back. As always, well maintained, a few frost heaves here and there but nothing major. As we were riding we noticed some trail widening in progress in Simsbury/Granby. The area across the Mass line is very well maintained and passes some fields and a nice golf course. Thoroughly enjoyable!
Instead of the heavily used trails, l looked for one off the beaten path, so to speak. I found this trail searching for NH trails and was somewhat familiar to the area after going to Monadnock Speedway over the years. I didn't realize this trail runs across the entrance to it. After reading a bit, it seems it is partially a paved trail but only near Keene. Figured I would start at the southern end since it's only an hour from where I live. I found the parking area easy enough and figured I'd start the trail from there which is right across the street. I see that the trail goes south a little more but in all honesty, driving on the road getting to the parking area or after leaving, I couldn't see where you actually get to the trail end. Since it's only a quarter mile more, I didn't bother backtracking to figure it out. Trail is unpaved on the southern end and I had read a few people's comments about how they couldn't get past the speedway since the trail isn't maintained all that well in that area. I went up to where it crosses over Rt. 119 (short distance west from the intersection of Rt. 10) then rode back on the highway back to the parking lot. The trail is a mix of grass, gravel, some mud but not much, soft sand and the like. Looks like they just took the tracks out and cleaned it up a bit and said here you go. It wasn't all that difficult to get through the section I did which was about 8 miles, give or take. I used a hybrid bike and had no real issues. I wouldn't recommend a road bike at all. It was a fun ride, saw all the stuff people had mentioned about the old tracks, rail shed and covered bridge. It was a pretty cool ride. I didn't see any other bikers the whole time I rode through the area and only a 2 other people out walking. I did see a couple devices on the side of the trail which had cables running across it. It appeared to be devices to record how much usage, somewhat like you'd see driving a car across a road. Not sure why they are doing this, it's not like I think they're putting too much into this section if this is the state doing this recording. I wonder if by chance it was paved that it would bring more people in. However, I don't see where those using it would help economically since it's not going into any business areas. Some trails have businesses near it like ice cream stands or convenience stores but this section is not designed for that. Time will tell I guess. Maybe I'll go back next year to see if I can get past the race track area. A good Sunday ride through the woods.
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