Find the top rated bike trails in Litchfield, 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.
Lowell's Canal System Trails are part of Lowell National Historical Park in Lowell, Massachusetts. The park preserves some of America's industrial past: its 19th-century textile mills formed the first...
The Marblehead Rail-Trail appears on maps as a Y resting on its side, connecting Marblehead and Salem in the north and the city limits of Swampscott in the west. The 4-mile trail knits together a...
The Peanut Trial is a distinct trail in the town of Newton that spans one-mile. This rail-trail was meant to connect to the Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. However, due to a controversial lawsuit by land...
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...
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Although only a grassy, hard-packed dirt pathway, the route along the Salem-Beverly Canal (also known as the Grand Wenham Canal), is scenic and peaceful. The old canal, built in 1917, lies between two...
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...
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 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...
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 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...
The Mystic River Greenway is part of the Mystic Greenways trail system, which also includes the Wellington Greenway and the Malden River Greenway. When completed, the trail will connect the...
About a dozen miles west of Concord, the Stevens Rail Trail offers a quiet, wooded route along the former Concord-Claremont rail line in Contoocook Village. It starts off Krzyzaniak Road and continues...
The smooth paved surface of the Londonderry Rail Trail offers a pleasant, tranquil 3.3-mile adventure for trail users in south-central New Hampshire. Its route follows a corridor once used by the...
The Tri-Community Greenway follows the route of the Boston and Lowell Railroad and its Stoneham Branch, originally built to serve Stoneham’s shoe factories and provide passenger service. The Greenway...
The health and fortunes of Lowell have been intimately tied to the Concord River for hundreds of years. This tributary of the more well-known Merrimack River continues to be at the heart of the local...
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The Heritage Trail is managed by the state of New Hampshire to provide access to recreational and historical attractions across the state. Eventually, the north-south route along the former Boston and...
The Piscataquog Trail, though only about 2 miles long, provides a vital off-road link between the communities on the western side of the Merrimack River (the West Side of Manchester) to several parks...
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,...
Jonathan Daniels Trail travels the length of Ashuelot River Park through Keene. Along the stone-dust trail, you can enjoy the park’s beautiful natural backdrop and flower garden. The trail was named...
The Amesbury Riverwalk (also known as the Powwow Riverwalk) carries visitors between a resurgent waterfront district on the Powwow River to a modern shopping center on the outskirts of this historical...
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...
Appel Way Trail offers a paved route of about a mile through woodlands on the north end of Keene. Most notably, it offers a connection between Wheelock Park on the trail's west end and Ashuelot River...
The Amesbury Riverwalk (also known as the Powwow Riverwalk) carries visitors between a resurgent waterfront district on the Powwow River to a modern shopping center on the outskirts of this historical...
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...
The health and fortunes of Lowell have been intimately tied to the Concord River for hundreds of years. This tributary of the more well-known Merrimack River continues to be at the heart of the local...
The Upper Falls Greenway is a short rail-trail that cuts through the charming village of Newton Upper Falls in Newton, Massachusetts. The trail occupies the same former rail corridor as the developing...
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 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...
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...
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 Piscataquog Trail, though only about 2 miles long, provides a vital off-road link between the communities on the western side of the Merrimack River (the West Side of Manchester) to several parks...
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...
The Marblehead Rail-Trail appears on maps as a Y resting on its side, connecting Marblehead and Salem in the north and the city limits of Swampscott in the west. The 4-mile trail knits together a...
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 Nashua River Rail Trail stretches from southern Nashua, New Hampshire, to downtown Ayer, Massachusetts, connecting to the towns of Pepperell and Groton. The trail is built on the former rail...
Currently 1.8 miles, the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail provides a peaceful walk or bike ride through the woods on a well-maintained stone-dust trail. The route is one part of the larger Coastal Trails...
Lake Winnisquam is New Hampshire’s fourth largest lake, and taking the Lake Winnisquam Scenic Trail is one of the best ways to experience it. Meaning “pleasant waters,” Lake Winnisquam provides...
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 Northern Strand Community Trail is part of the visionary and almost-complete Bike to the Sea plan to link Boston and the Mystic River to the seashore in Lynn, north of Boston. It currently runs...
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...
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...
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...
Although short, the scenic Gloria Braunhardt Bike Path travels through forests and pastures full of birds and wildlife. The asphalt pathway parallels the eastern side of the present-day Interstate 95...
The Neponset River Greenway is a south Boston jewel, utilizing the best in design and construction standards as it winds through the Neponset River valley, offering a low-stress, high-quality...
The Keene Industrial Trail links the county's Cheshire Rail-Trail in the city of Keene. The paved path is a 1-mile segment through downtown Keene, which passes among some of the city's old mill...
The Salisbury Rail Trail Connector, also known as the Gillis Rail Trail Connector, is a 0.3-mile link between two rail-trails: Salisbury's Old Eastern Marsh Trail and Newburyport's Clipper City Rail...
The Peanut Trial is a distinct trail in the town of Newton that spans one-mile. This rail-trail was meant to connect to the Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. However, due to a controversial lawsuit by land...
The Tri-Community Greenway follows the route of the Boston and Lowell Railroad and its Stoneham Branch, originally built to serve Stoneham’s shoe factories and provide passenger service. The Greenway...
The Heritage Trail is managed by the state of New Hampshire to provide access to recreational and historical attractions across the state. Eventually, the north-south route along the former Boston and...
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 health and fortunes of Lowell have been intimately tied to the Concord River for hundreds of years. This tributary of the more well-known Merrimack River continues to be at the heart of the local...
The South Manchester Rail Trail is a proposed bike/pedestrian path that would connect the downtown Millyard area of Manchester to the Town on Londonderry. The South Manchester Rail Trail will utilize...
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 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 Amesbury Riverwalk (also known as the Powwow Riverwalk) carries visitors between a resurgent waterfront district on the Powwow River to a modern shopping center on the outskirts of this historical...
Appel Way Trail offers a paved route of about a mile through woodlands on the north end of Keene. Most notably, it offers a connection between Wheelock Park on the trail's west end and Ashuelot River...
This exquisitely maintained trail slices through forested areas and wetlands for a wonderful experience in southern New Hampshire. The trail will eventually be part of the Granite State Rail Trail,...
The Watertown-Cambridge Greenway runs along the former corridor of the B&M Railroad’s Watertown Branch. The trail begins in a busy shopping area on the site of a former U.S. Army arsenal. Trees...
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 Windham Rail Trail passes through the woodsy periphery of Windham in southern New Hampshire, but it sits in the heart of the future cross-state Granite State Rail Trail. Its connections to the...
Did this trail today- Sunday. I parked behind Donelan's Market in Acton, which is a great market, and got on the trail. Even though there were lots of people walking, serious bikers, families, they were spaced out and people were really good staying on the right and respectful. When I got to a bigger intersection crossing in Chelmsford, I asked people how to get to the end. The last little leg wasn't great, but it takes you to Crosspoint that if you park at that end, it's great to get you on the trail. There is a Tavern on Square there.
There were 2 ponds along the way: Heart Pond Beach in Chelmsford where there is a guy selling sausages and hot dogs wearing a hot dog hat, and NARA pond in Acton.
I'll definitely go back out there!
We rode about 26 miles total. 13 miles there & back. Crushed stone most of the way..We parked in Lebanon parking lot,where it begins. Little grassy in sections.Gets wider in some spots & pretty narrow in some areas. We thought the first 10 miles were nice ,then it was a very narrow trail & buggy.lot of small bridges,some were in need of repair,need to pay attention.There was an area were the rail road ties were exposed about 10 miles from beginning.Just have to watch out..Rode past some lakes& huge rocks that were blasted out for trains..Was a pretty trail .. Could get muddy if rain ..
The Londonderry Rail Trail is a nice, flat, peaceful trail. For an early morning walk, you will greet several other people out walking or jogging. The scenery includes business, residential, and scenic wetlands. Plenty of parking at the bus terminal.
Started my ride at the parking lot, which by the way had many spaces, near the Old Gardner Rd and MA 140/Gardner Rd intersection and planned to ride south to where I thought the trail would end per the Rail-Trails Southern New England guidebook in Gardner near the Crystal Lake Cemetery. From the parking lot south to MA 140 the trail was asphalt and a nice mixture of gentle shaded grades and flat open areas. Crossing over MA 140 the trail became packed dirt and was mostly wooded. However when I got to the parking area at Park/Eaton St the trail just ended. I could not see any continuation of the trail on the other side that would have taken me closer to downtown Gardner near Crystal Lake Cemetery.
Disagree strongly with August review from “hungrypiper” - this is a perfectly fine trail, which conveniently takes you away from busy streets on your way from Salem outskirts to nearly the center of Marblehead, and then on towards Swampscott. Very green trail, reasonably well maintained, but little to no signage at trailheads and the fork. Trail is narrow in spots with not enough room for all bikers/hikers/joggers. On a Saturday morning, we experienced most traffic in the section closest to Marblehead.
We trained from Boston to Salem on the special $10/weekend all-you-can ride commuter line ticket, then walked from Salem to Marblehead, lunched in Marblehead, then continued along rail trail to the end in Swampscott then meandered on sidewalks along the coast all the way to Lynn (no formal trail from Swampscott to Lynn). Was about 13 miles one way. A fun day out!
Here’s hoping North Shore communities invest more in signage and connecting all these trails to public transport and parking.
One of the worst, if not THE worst, Rail Trail in the Boston area. Trail is not properly graded, edges are overgrown, there are low hanging branches you cannot miss as you’re riding and there are large rocks and stones on the trail itself.
On my ride today, there were large puddles that spanned the width of the trail which indicate the trail needs to be properly graded to prevent puddling.
The view itself is Boring (with a capital B). Just vines, small trees and weeds with no interesting views. I hit any number of large rocks on my ride and found the posts at crossings too closely spaced together.
All in all, a very disappointing ride.
Very shady in most sections. Very well marked and the areas that involve streets are very few and very easy to navigate. Do not let this stop you from enjoying this great path. Hopefully they keep adding on!
The Pratt pond rail trail to the first gate going north has had a meticulous cut back, some finishing touch’s will make this great effort complete by fall. One volunteer, twenty months, approximately 200 hours of labor has accomplished a 7 year cut back from Pratt pond to the first northern gate was an enormous undertaking in which all cutting was hand done. FYI, the cut was 4ft out from ether sides of trail with a 12 to 14 foot cut into the canopy. Posted by his friend enormously.
My daughters bike connects to my bike (trail-a-bike) which allows her to pedal and get exercise as well. We found that this trail with a slight incline as you get in to Marlborough was perfect amount for a 6yr to conquer. With great art along the way, beautiful views and the perfect amount of shade and sunshine - we absolutely love it and highly recommend it. The only thing I wish it had is mile markers because round trip I still don't know how much we biked.
Excellent mid-morning Summer ride - Tuesday, so not a lot of traffic on the trail. A two mile road section is required to connect the two sections of the trail. This is not a problem as long as you are careful on the road. The trail is fully paved except for the two mile section on Track Road adjacent to the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge. I would not recommend a road bike on this section. It is dirt and gravel with a few bumps, but not a problem for trail bikes. The scenery in this area is impressive as it is on the Acton end as well. Total distance approximately 12.5 mi. Recommended.
I started at the southern portion of the trail. I rode a gravel road / light touring bike (Specialized Sequoia) and it was fine but in hindsight I would have done a bit better with the FatBoy. There was a fair amount of sand in the first portion of the trail. I encountered some decent sized muddy sections but nothing crazy. The variety of scenery is great and the trail is very quiet. I encountered about 3 other bikes and a couple of people walking. I wouldn't do this trail if there's been significant rain in the past few days because of the pooling that I saw in some of the sections flanked by rock walls. And I rode in July and was flanked by large flies seemingly at all times. But given the challenge and scenery it's worth it!
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