Find the top rated walking trails in Watertown, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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,...
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 Spicket River begins in Derry, New Hampshire, through Methuen and Lawrence, Massachusetts, before draining into the Merrimack River. Like many mill towns of the late 19th and 20th centuries, the...
The smooth paved surface of the Londonderry Rail Trail offers a pleasant, tranquil 4.5-mile adventure for trail users in south-central New Hampshire. Its route follows a corridor once used by the...
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 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...
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...
Norwell is a suburb about 30 minutes' drive south of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Norwell Pathway, a 2-mile non-motorized trail that was constructed to give residents an alternative way to...
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...
The Alfred J. Lima Quequechan River Rail Trail, which was formally known simply as Quequechan River Rail Trail travels along the northern shore of scenic South Watuppa Pond. The project created a...
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 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 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 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...
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...
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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 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 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 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 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...
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...
Norwell is a suburb about 30 minutes' drive south of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Norwell Pathway, a 2-mile non-motorized trail that was constructed to give residents an alternative way to...
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 New Boston Rail Trail follows the former railroad corridor of the same name for 3.9 miles through densely wooded areas in the town of New Boston. The railroad was in operation from 1893 to 1931,...
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...
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...
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 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 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 year 2017 marks 20 years since a rails-to-trails project was first mentioned in the Goffstown Master Plan, and thanks to work by the Friends of the Goffstown Rail Trail and support throughout the...
Boston's Rose Kennedy Greenway may not be very long, but it's jam-packed with attractions. Along the paved pathway, you can access five parks, be wowed by public art, stop to smell the flowers in...
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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,...
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...
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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 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,...
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Crossing through wooded areas and featuring magnificent wetland vistas, the Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail (Fremont Branch) offers an 18.3-mile trail adventure from Epping to Windham. The northern...
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 Mason Railroad Trail runs for nearly 7 miles from near the New Hampshire–Massachusetts border (nr. Townsend, MA) to Greenville, NH. The trail follows a heavily wooded corridor through Russell...
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 Chelsea Greenway was built to accompany the extension of the Silver Line between Boston and its northern suburb, Chelsea. The asphalt multiuse trail begins at the Eastern Avenue MBTA station and...
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...
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...
Nestled in the woodlands on the northern end of Merrimac in the far northeastern corner of Massachusetts, lies the beautiful Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. The town, once known as West Amesbury, had 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...
The rail-trail through the Martin H. Burns Wildlife Management Area begins at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail station near downtown Newburyport, a coastal...
The Southern New England Trunk Line Trail (aka the "SNETT") was designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1994. It is built upon a segment of the former right-of-way of the New Haven Railroad's...
The New Boston Rail Trail follows the former railroad corridor of the same name for 3.9 miles through densely wooded areas in the town of New Boston. The railroad was in operation from 1893 to 1931,...
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...
Bruce N. Freeman was a Massachusetts state representative from 1969 to 1986. Beginning in 1985, he championed the creation of a bike path that would run along the former Penn Central railroad line...
Boston's Rose Kennedy Greenway may not be very long, but it's jam-packed with attractions. Along the paved pathway, you can access five parks, be wowed by public art, stop to smell the flowers in...
Marshfield's Bridle Trail follows a former railroad bed through a tree-lined corridor. It begins at the town's Dandelion Park and heads north. Its compacted dirt surface is best suited for walking,...
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...
Norwell is a suburb about 30 minutes' drive south of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Norwell Pathway, a 2-mile non-motorized trail that was constructed to give residents an alternative way to...
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...
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 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 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...
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 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...
Was excited to try this trail for inline skating. We started in Waltham and loved the beginning but we hit a section that was entirely dirt pretty quickly and had to turn back. I’m sure it’s beautiful for bike riding.
Mostly smooth and even and only a couple slopes that could send you flying. Definitely one of our favorites for inline skating.
I was looking for a relatively easy trail near home to start off the season with and I found it! From the beautiful lakes along the way to the running water area (see pictures!) this was a lovely trail and I enjoyed it. I parked on Mill Road in Dudley; the parking area was easy to find! When deciding which way to go just don’t go toward the bench. Go instead toward and through/beyond the yellow gate instead. Only go the other way if you’re curious to see the rail ties discussed in another post on this site. Please know too that, even when heading through the yellow gate, way on the other side from about a mile to the end are some rocks that make traveling with the bike a real challenge (four stars for this reason). It’s worth the difficulty though if you’d like to go to the mall area at the end of the trail since you may want to eat/use the bathroom and then head back (there’s a Big Y, McDonald’s, etc.). Again, lovely trail and the middle area with the lakes makes it all worth it!
I was looking for a relatively easy trail near home to start off the season with and I found it! From the beautiful lakes along the way to the running water area (see pictures!) this was a lovely trail and I enjoyed it. I parked on Mill Road in Dudley; the parking area was easy to find! When deciding which way to go just don’t go toward the bench. Go instead toward and through/beyond the yellow gate instead. Only go the other way if you’re curious to see the rail ties discussed in another post on this site. Please know too that, even when heading through the yellow gate, way on the other side from about a mile to the end are some rocks that make traveling with the bike a real challenge (four stars for this reason). It’s worth the difficulty though if you’d like to go to the mall area at the end of the trail since you may want to eat/use the bathroom and then head back (there’s a Big Y, McDonald’s, etc.). Again, lovely trail and the middle area with the lakes makes it all worth it!
Very pretty, well kept, no one else there in the middle of a sunny spring day!
Started in Epping went as far as Fremont then back. 3 1/2 hours round trip. Nice views of wet lands and forest.
This was once a magnificent five star trail with an astonishing variety of plant species that supported a myriad of mammals, pollinator insects, reptiles and birds, and that did not compromise the power lines that run above it through a large wetland. But this past winter of 2020 National Grid completely decimated every living thing beneath their lines and up to the woods that run parallel. All that's left now are dead sticks and stumps. So far, National Grid has not used herbicides to inhibit regrowth and at least the wood ducks have returned to breed. But the trail is now a depressing sight. I can only hope that in time, nature will endure and re-establish what was once there and that utility companies like National Grid will be prevented by law from ever committing what was tantamount to an environmental crime. This is something I will work to ensure.
Parked and road the trail from Fino Field in Milford. No usable facilities at the field likely due to Covid. The trail is mostly level with small grades in parts. It passes through urban, residential and forested areas. The surface is paved to the Milford line on both legs, where it then becomes hard packed process stone. Road bikes (25 mm tires) can negotiate the trail. The leg from Fino Field to Holliston is about 9.5 miles to the unimproved section, which had considerable standing water preventing further exploration. The trail passes through Holliston at the 7.5 mile mark where there are some small eateries and a town greenspace. Phipps Tunnel is noteworthy. The leg from Fino Field to Hopkington is about 4 miles to the trail terminus. The trail passes through Louisa Lake Park (picnicing and fishing). Foundations from early granite cutting sheds served by the former Hopkington RR of the late 19th century are visible on the left near the terminus of this leg.
Good bike path. Easy to access for a short ride. I saw bridges, streams, old chocolate factory, the non-stop old metro trains. Not too crowded.
Wow! I was pleasantly surprised by all the lovely artwork along this trail. The river, falls, and arch are all so pretty. Glad I went exploring ¿¿¿¿¿
Loved all the amazing pieces of art on this trail. The views of the river were very nice. Nice to see a trail being enjoyed and shared without being overcrowded.
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