Find the top rated bike trails in Waltham, 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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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 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...
Shaped like a Y, this 4.1-mile rail-trail connects Marblehead, Salem and Swampscott. From the trail junction in quaint Marblehead, one branch meanders through conservation areas and past harbor...
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 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 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...
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Southwest Corridor Park is a 4.7-mile linear park through the Boston neighborhoods of South End, Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. A recreation and commuter route popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists,...
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 Old Eastern Marsh Trail (a.k.a the Salisbury Rail Trail) runs for 1.4 miles between the north bank of the Merrimack River and Mudnock Road in Salisbury. The beautifully landscaped trail was built...
The nearly 4-mile multi-use Clipper City Rail Trail and Harbor Walk connects the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail station and the Merrimack River near downtown...
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...
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 Common Pathway travels 5.5 miles from the outskirts of Peterborough south to downtown’s Noone Falls area, paralleling US 202 and the Contoocook River for most of its journey. The small town of...
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...
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 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 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...
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 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 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 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 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 Assabet River Rail Trail provides a forested escape from the surrounding urban bustle. Traveling 8.6 miles (with plans to expand it) the trail connects the towns of Hudson and Marlborough and...
A lovely, albeit short, rail-trail in northeastern Massachusetts, the 1.3-mile Amesbury Riverwalk (a.k.a. Powwow Riverwalk) is the first completed section of the Coastal Trails Network, linking the...
Southwest Corridor Park is a 4.7-mile linear park through the Boston neighborhoods of South End, Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. A recreation and commuter route popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists,...
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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 newly open Bradford Rail Trail occupies the former Pan Am rail lines, beautifying an area that once lay strewn with garbage and weeds. The city and numerous dedicated volunteers created the...
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...
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...
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 North Bank Bridge, which opened in 2012, provides a safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle connection between Cambridge's North Point Park and Paul Revere Park in Charlestown. Spanning 690...
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 Bay Colony Rail Trail will one day span 7 miles connecting the Boston suburbs of Newton, Needham, Dover, and Medfield along tracks once used by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. In May...
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 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 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 Bedford Narrow-Gauge Rail-Trail shares its trailhead at Depot Park in Bedford with the Minuteman Bikeway and Reformatory Branch Trail. Serving mainly as a commuter route, this trail extends just...
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...
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...
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 East Boston Greenway, a linear park made possible by the donation of a disused rail corridor by Conrail in 1997 and the ‘Big Dig’ project in later years, links Boston Harbor with new parks created...
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 Neponset River Greenway totals just over 8 miles in length on the southern outskirts of Boston. The trail is paved and provides a variety of scenery from urban wilderness through a mill village...
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...
Shaped like a Y, this 4.1-mile rail-trail connects Marblehead, Salem and Swampscott. From the trail junction in quaint Marblehead, one branch meanders through conservation areas and past harbor...
The North Bank Bridge, which opened in 2012, provides a safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle connection between Cambridge's North Point Park and Paul Revere Park in Charlestown. Spanning 690...
The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail follows the route of the former Framingham and Lowell Railroad. It begins at the Lowell/Chelmsford city line, about 30 miles northwest of Boston, near Cross Point, a major...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
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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...
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,...
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 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...
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...
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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...
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...
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...
Don't bother with the trailhead behind the restaurant in Greenville (currently the King House) marked on the map---it's a dead end about 1/4 to 1/2 mile in. Someone has piled Jersey Barriers, concrete blocks and old storm drains to block the trail behind Pilgrim Plastic. That and the numerous NO TRESPASSING signs make it pretty clear that they don't want people hiking, biking or anything else up there.
Start from Abbot Hill Road where it crosses the trail, it's a nice hike from there. There isn't a lot of parking available there, but I've never seen it too crowded. The day we went we didn't see anyone on the trail and once we got away from the road noise of Rte. 31 it was birdsong and peepers to accompany our hike.
One other thing---bring bug spray! We were swarmed by mosquito's and blackflies for most of the hike. I was glad I wore a long sleeve shirt and long hiking pants, so all I had to defend was my head and neck (yes, I forgot bug spray!)
Yes, the trail is short, but it's very near my home and so great for daily exercise. I'm just beginning to ride my recumbent trike in a serious way, and so I do 3-4 laps every day. It's quiet, peaceful, and very well-maintained.
Clear sunny day in May. Excellent conditions with sunshine and a gentle breeze to keep away the bugs. No ticks encountered. Walked 3.5 miles from the Blackjack Crossing trailhead.
Trail is in great shape although the first .25 mile (going north to the very end from the parking area at the end of Blackjack Crossing) is overgrown and a bit muddy. The first .25 mile stretch going south is the same, but then the surface is very good with crushed rock. There are muddy spots as you pass through the deep cut areas, but other wise, excellent. We walked but mountain bikes would fare very well. Road bikes NOT recommended.
Rode the trail this morning (a Wednesday). Very light and friendly walkers with few bikers. Trail is in very good condition -- both the gravel portion in Holliston and the paved portion in Milford. Plenty of benches to pull over and rest if you want...but the trail is about as flat as you get so the riding is easy. Will return many times.
Great trail but not for younger children around Goffstown part of the trail. Hope they can add railings to the trail near the lake as there is around a 30 foot drop in several areas.
I’ve been walking the millbury Worcester trail since it opened. It’s so sad what’s become of it. Loaded with trash and broken glass. The trail is now under construction to include a center and lengthening the trail! Why bother if it’s not going to be maintained.
After heavy rain on April 16th, the trail along the Willimantic River is temporarily flooded and impassable,
We started our ride in Riverside Park, which has a parking lot, a great playground, and river overlooks. Heading west from there, it's a pleasant trail experience, mostly lined with trees and wildflowers.
I have used this trail for many purposes. First off, I love finding dog parks and having one right on this trail is a great asset. While it is not my favorite, and dogs being there is rather hit or miss most days, it is still functional for what it is and my dog enjoys going there before or after our walks. There are also a few places where the dogs can access the water if they are into swimming.
Second, it is a pleasant walking trail that is both scenic and urban. It leads from the dog park, follows the river, and into downtown Putnam where lots of shops, restaurants, and more await. As a dog trainer, I highly recommend the trail because you get all kinds of training done in one location (dog on dog greeting, urban walking, trail walking, and socialization with all kinds of people and places).
Also, I recently took up Inline Skating, and this trail is perfect for it! It is smooth all the way, and while there are a couple hills, they aren't very hard to go up or down. I couldn't be happier with my skating experience here.
Lastly there is always a lot of available parking at various points along the trail: at the dog park, near two river access points, near picnic areas, near a band stand, and of course in downtown Putnam itself. It is so convenient! I love this trail and visit it often.
It's a fantastic trail. I went after a snowstorm a few days after and to my surprise the trail itself was nice and clean, snow cleared! It runs along the Quinebaug River and it is a very peaceful place for a walk. I have not completed this trail seeing how we just started walking but will look forwarded to completing this trail. Great place for a bike ride, Walk, Run, skate, strollers. All paved once you get to the trail.
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