Find the top rated bike trails in Franklin, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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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...
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 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...
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 Quinebaug River Trail exists in two segments in northwest Connecticut. The northern section parallels Park Road and Tracy Road for about 2 miles in an industrial section of Putnam with few trail...
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,...
Walkers and bicyclists alike enjoy Upper Charles Trail, a popular rail-trail crossing through small towns. Traveling the entirety of the trail puts users on varying trail surfaces, mostly packed...
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....
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 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...
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...
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 Nashua Heritage Rail Trail begins adjacent to City Hall on Main Street in downtown Nashua. It is a short trail that takes you through one of the first neighborhoods that was planned and built in...
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...
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 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 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...
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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...
Riverpoint Park sits nestled into a bend of the Pawtuxet River in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The park accommodates the 400-ft arboretum which leads to 1.3-mile riverside path known as the Senator...
Imagine a wealthy 19th-century textile mill owner building an 8-mile railroad to get coal to his plant or products to market, and then adding accommodations to carry vacationers to beach resorts or...
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...
Mine Falls Park in Nashua is a 300-acre-plus urban park with a network of approximately 9.7 miles of a variety of trail types. This forested park offers an extraordinary nature experience in the heart...
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 Washington Secondary Bike Path offers just over 19 miles of paved trail from Cranston (Providence’s southwestern neighbor) to Coventry. The rail-trail, Rhode Island’s longest, follows the former...
Walkers and bicyclists alike enjoy Upper Charles Trail, a popular rail-trail crossing through small towns. Traveling the entirety of the trail puts users on varying trail surfaces, mostly packed...
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 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...
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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,...
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 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 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...
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 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...
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...
When complete, the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor will run for more than 5 miles on a former Boston and Maine Railroad corridor from connections with the Windham Rail Trail (north) and Methuen Rail Trail...
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 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 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 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 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...
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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 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 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 trail begins in the small town of Boxford, about 25 miles north of Boston. For just shy of 5 miles, the hard-packed stone-dust pathway follows a former rail bed through Topsfield, meandering...
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...
Imagine a wealthy 19th-century textile mill owner building an 8-mile railroad to get coal to his plant or products to market, and then adding accommodations to carry vacationers to beach resorts or...
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...
Many commuters choose the Minuteman 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...
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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...
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 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...
Mile 0.0 - DPW Garage Cross the bridge in the parking area, the trail starts behind the fence, crossing over Great Brook on a old dam. Mile 0.53 - After crossing Union St. you will come to a...
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...
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...
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 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...
Riverpoint Park sits nestled into a bend of the Pawtuxet River in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The park accommodates the 400-ft arboretum which leads to 1.3-mile riverside path known as the Senator...
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,...
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 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...
Or ice cream, from one of the vendors you can visit along the way.
Dateline: Monday June 25, 2018.
Beautiful sunny day, temps in the upper 80's
I came for 3 days of biking in Rhode Island just for this trail and it did not let me down. Do it. It's worth a long drive (3.5 hours for me) and repeat visits. I used a municipal parking lot in Bristol for the round trip, which was about a quarter mile down the same street as the endpoint of the trail. Every other parking area was too busy.
Caution. After visiting many bike trails thanks to TrailLink, my only complaint is that some of the parking areas need to be reviewed more carefully. In this case the first parking area in East Providence did not encourage me to leave my car there for 3 hours. Always take the address/directions/GPS to more than one parking lot and visit the TrailLink site just before departing for any updates. I drove 2.5 hours to Windsor Locks, CT to find out the entire trail was closed temporarly, and my only parking lot address closed for the entire year. But I will go back, because the trails themselves have not let me down.
Dateline: Tuesday, June 26, 2018.
Beautiful sunny day, about 85 F.
I started from the Traillink suggested parking lot in the East Providence. The first 3 to 4 miles were in suburban street bike lanes until I got to Lonsdale. Then the trail became wonderful and completely off-road. So choose your parking area carefully. This trail is definitely worth a long drive (3.5 hours for me) and a repeat visit. As much as I love the ocean views of the East Bay Bike Path, I liked this trail better. Nice job Rhode Island.
Caution. After visiting many bike trails thanks to TrailLink, my only complaint is that some of the parking areas need to be reviewed more carefully. Always take the address/directions/GPS to more than one parking lot and visit the TLink site just before departing for any updates. I drove 2.5 hours to Windsor Locks, CT to find out the entire trail was closed temporarly, and my only parking lot address closed for the entire year. But I will go back, because the trails themselves have not let me down.
I ride a recumbent trike. At the beginning of the Salem bike path there are three sets of post to block vehicular traffic I guess, but the posts are not wide enough for recumbent trikes. I had to lift my trike sideways and angle it so I could get it past the barriers. I ended up going back route 114 so I wouldn't have to pass the post on the way home. I will not ride my trike there again.
We skated the trail from the North on July 4. Lots of people in Bristol for the local parade, and the restaurants at that end were a bit busy. No problem though, because the trail has finally been repaved! The surface is fantastic!
True, the wood bridges are still rough and waiting to be rebuilt, but the rest is perfect. Thanks to the powers that made it happen!
they still use old fashioned stanchions & raised brick lane dividers. my Wife crashed twice & broke her wrist 2 days ago. the stanchion she crashed into is reportedly (by a town employee) the site of multiple SERIOUS crashes (Pond St, Chelmsford)
also, there are other multiple poorly designed issues such as at some road crossings
do yourself & your family a favor & stay off this trail
I live near one of the main stopping points for this Rail Trail. It's gorgeous in any and every season. I noticed a lot of people saying there isn't a stopping point from Ayer until you get to Pepperell - don't forget about Groton! If you stop near the bus depot and go up the road, there is a health food place with some GREAT smoothies as well as a Dunkin' Donuts and a convenience store. From Pepperell to Nashua, there aren't any major stops, but there is a vending machine with a few chairs if you bring a couple dollar bills!
Overall, this is a great, family-friendly, small town Rail Trail. It cuts through some of New England's best small towns (in my entirely biased opinion) and both terminal points are worth a little look around (though Ayer might be more accessible, especially with kids!).
June 2018. Trail Link has 2 trails detailed for the Blackstone river when there are at least 3 or more. The first one is from 287 Oak Street Uxbridge which is separately detailed on this site - it's a dirt track and you need at least a hybrid or off road bike to ride it. This is not connected with the one below, and to do so is a 2-3 mile road ride through central Uxbridge, heading south on route 122 then south on rte 146A.
With this review I cover the two sections starting at south Uxbridge, Massachusetts and riding to Providence RI. The first section in Massachusetts is not detailed on the Trail Link site.
The Massachusetts part of this trail starts near rte 146A on the far southern outskirts of Uxbridge, MA where it meets rte 146. The trail heads south towards Woonsocket, RI between here and St Paul Street in Blackstone village is very new, paved and in great condition, a pretty ride and downhill as you head south. It stops abruptly near St Paul Street, and if you've gone past the parking lot, you've already gone too far. It's about 4 miles long.
At this point you need to take Canal Street and River Street into Woonsocket, RI through the industrial areas where most of the route is marked, until the markings disappear near Front Street, Woonsocket where you need to follow Hamlet Avenue, bear right on Manville Road and left on Willow Street to the river edge parking lot.
This is where the Rhode Island part of the Blackstone Bikeway truly begins. From here its about 16 miles to the park at India Street, Providence, RI. The first 8 miles as you head south to Providence are alongside the river, with the track in mostly good condition and some great views as you trace the river towards the sea.
At about mile 8 the bikeway turns away from the river and through the backstreets of Central Falls, then Pawtucket all on the regular road. While the signposting is generally good, the state of the roads isn't and it's not a nice ride. This continues for a few miles until you get to Blackstone Boulevard in Providence. It's another nice section, however you are in a bike lane sharing the road with cars. Turn off here (marked - follow the signposts) and for the last mile or two and you head to the river again rejoining the bike path for the last half mile or so.
All of the sections can be ridden with a road bike, there are some sections in the last 8 miles that you certainly need to take more care. Would I ride this again? Woonsocket to Central Falls, yes, perhaps. Central Falls to Providence RI? No.
The towns of Saugus and Revere used recycle asphalt for their trail surface. It's free but totally unsuitable for skinny tire bikes. With time and weather, large stones have come to the surface making for a very bumpy ride. If you have a mountain bike you'll be fine but with a hybrid or road bike you'll be in for an unpleasant ride.
Did this for the first time this morning, 6/18/18, the entire length and enjoyed the ride tremendously. Well marked with numerous crossings and stops if you would like to. The Chelmsford end is a little rough and tough to cross the busy intersections but certainly bearable. Friendly people enroute, good nature with some small animals along the way. I saw a small snapping turtle off to the side along Heart Pond. Will certainly ride this trail again... thanks!
For a returnee to the bike riding crowd, I found this trail to be a hidden gem. Does not have the scenic views of the East Bay Bike Path but what it does have more than compensates.
So we started in Cranston. It was a of an bit urban feeling but that did not last long. It quickly assumed the characteristics of a rural bike path. Layered canopy overhead with woods, swamp lands and the occasional home or housing development.
Challenge? Oh yeah. The almost slight constant uphill kept me pedaling. Could we coast some ways? Yes, but not for long.
So after a hour and some 45 minutes we achieved the terminus in Coventry.
We sat having snacks and talking with other bikers. I made mention of the complaints on this forum about the 'conditions' of the path. (I always mention TrailLink to others when biking!)
I found the path to be in excellent shape. Were there some slightly overgrown areas, yes but it did not block progress or impede a view at all.
The return trip was AWESOME!!! There is about 3 to 4 miles of a constant downhill grade. We hit a high speed of 21MPH without even trying. For this first 4 miles, our average speed was 17.6MPH. For the next seven we averaged just over 13MPH.
Even with killer cramps that stopped me short at the 34 mile point (lost 15 minutes) and 37 mile point (lost 10 minutes), it was a great ride an worth the 38+ mile effort.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
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