Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Shrewsbury, whether you're looking for an easy short cross country skiing trail or a long cross country skiing trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a cross country skiing trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.







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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.
Pleasant ride on this crushed stone surface, using my hybrid. Very short section that still has rails and ties and requests that bikes go around on the sidewalk, but easily joins back up to the actual trail after about 100 yards. The eastern end terminates in the Squannacook wildlife management area, with walking trails to follow down toward the river. If you are looking for a nice short ride that's under 10 miles total, this is a good one to choose. Stop for a bite at the local diner in Townsend center, or an ice cream.
The path now continues west across the Kickemuit River over the so-called "Broken Bridge", which has been replaced (see: https://www.dot.ri.gov/projects/BrokenBridge/index.php). However, it is still a pain to get from there to the celebrated East Bay Bike Path, less than a mile west.
From the East Bay Bike Path heading east, turn onto Franklin Street (a cross street), arrive at Metacom Av, which is very busy but thankfully has aided crossings. In the future, one might continue east down Libby Lane. But for now, turn left onto Metacom Av (sidewalk) heading north, turn right onto Child Street (sidewalk), then right onto West Street. At its end, you'll see the bridge down River View Street.
0.8 miles of this trail now consists of crushed gravel
Great ride. First time on a gravel surface and found it pretty easy going with a few rough spots. It rained the night before and early morning, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Trail was damp but no big puddles. I took in 28 miles of the 40 out and back. Will do it again and try to get the whole distance.
I have been going to different trails around my area and this was by far the nicest even with no pavement just a nice ride
I parked at Lexington lot & took my atb after reading how rough the path is. Pleasantly surprised. I'll take my road bike next time.
This was such a beautiful ride. Didn’t mind the small section of gravel. Wish users were a little more courteous, don’t leave dog poop filled bags on trail, (there were a few on path ¿), and if you’re scootering by, please slow down or give verbal warning. Two scooters raced by me and I had not heard them coming. It was alarming how fast they were going. Most users were very friendly and courteous. I appreciated that.
As of June 1, 2026, the first half of this trail starting in Bedford, MA is nice, but due to construction, it stops about halfway - I believe somewhere in Lexington. You can choose to exit the trail and go onto Massachusetts Avenue to ride in the bike lane, but that involves riding right alongside traffic and can be very stressful and dangerous. My husband and I did this today and I don't think I will do this again. At any point, someone in a parked car adjacent to where you are riding can open up their door right into you. Also, the bike lane often shares a lane with cars and is pretty scary for people not used to this. I hope the rest of the Minuteman bike path opens up to bikers again soon!
Trail was asphalt and exceptionally well maintained. At intersections, drivers in cars were most courteous I'd ever seen. Cars stopped to let bikers across; sometimes even when light was green. Heading West is a slight uphill, which makes return trip exceptionally easy. My daughter and I enjoyed many bridge crossing. Stopping at one bridge we encountered a resident feeding turtles off the bridge; carp on the Pawtuxet river took some meant for turtles. There were many nice graphics at stops explaining Coventry and other industrial towns along the way. Many beautiful old brick mill building were seen also. We passed three ice cream places, General store, and a tavern. Ride was quite beautiful and treed.
I started in Acton and went up to Chelmsford. Plenty of parking and clean bathrooms—bonus! I really enjoyed this trail and look forward to doing the southern half soon.
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