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Trail Day Essentials
Massachusetts has one of the best networks of paved bike paths in the country. Old railroad lines now carry riders past Revolutionary War sites outside Boston, across Cape Cod to the National Seashore and along the rivers of the Pioneer Valley and the Berkshires, and the rocky New England woods hide some fun singletrack too.
We’ve grouped the trails below into three regions: Boston and Greater Boston, Cape Cod and the Islands, and Central and Western Massachusetts. Each card lists the trail’s surface, length and type, with a link to the map, directions and the official trail page, so you can pick a ride that fits your bike and your legs.
Massachusetts Bike Trails Map
All 15 Massachusetts Bike Trails at a Glance
Sort by any column or search by trail name, county or region. Lengths are in miles; click a trail name to jump to its details.
| Trail | Region | Counties | Length (mi) | Surface | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minuteman Commuter Bikeway | Boston & Greater Boston | Middlesex County | 10.1 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Charles River Bike Path | Boston & Greater Boston | Suffolk & Middlesex Counties | 23.4 | Asphalt | Greenway |
| Bruce Freeman Rail Trail | Boston & Greater Boston | Middlesex County | 20.1 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Great Brook Farm State Park | Boston & Greater Boston | Middlesex County | 20 | Dirt, Roots | Mountain Bike |
| Russell Mill Town Forest | Boston & Greater Boston | Middlesex County | 7 | Dirt, Rock, Roots | Mountain Bike |
| Cape Cod Rail Trail | Cape Cod & the Islands | Barnstable County | 27.5 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Shining Sea Bikeway | Cape Cod & the Islands | Barnstable County | 10.7 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Province Lands Bike Trail | Cape Cod & the Islands | Barnstable County | 7.3 | Asphalt | Greenway |
| Martha's Vineyard Bike Paths | Cape Cod & the Islands | Dukes County | 32.3 | Asphalt | Greenway |
| Trail of Tears (West Barnstable) | Cape Cod & the Islands | Barnstable County | 16 | Dirt, Sand, Roots | Mountain Bike |
| Nashua River Rail Trail | Central & Western Massachusetts | Middlesex County | 12.4 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Blackstone River Greenway | Central & Western Massachusetts | Worcester County | 10.6 | Asphalt, Crushed Stone | Greenway |
| Norwottuck Rail Trail | Central & Western Massachusetts | Hampshire County | 11 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Manhan Rail Trail | Central & Western Massachusetts | Hampshire County | 9.5 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
| Ashuwillticook Rail Trail | Central & Western Massachusetts | Berkshire County | 13.9 | Asphalt | Rail-Trail |
Boston & Greater Boston
A Revolutionary War rail-trail, the riverside paths along the Charles, a long rail-trail through the western suburbs and two of the best singletrack spots north of the city. 5 trails.
Minuteman Commuter Bikeway
The Minuteman Commuter Bikeway is a 10.1-mile paved rail-trail from Alewife Station in Cambridge through Arlington and Lexington to Bedford, and it’s one of the busiest bike paths in the country.
It runs past sites from the start of the American Revolution, including the Lexington Battle Green, and connects to the Narrow-Gauge Rail-Trail in Bedford. A section between Bow Street and Maple Street has weekday closures through spring 2026, with weekend access still open.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 10.1 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Middlesex County
- Cycling
Charles River Bike Path
The Charles River Bike Path follows both banks of the Charles for 23.4 miles from the Museum of Science in Boston upstream through Cambridge, Watertown and Newton to Waltham. The inner part forms the Dr. Paul Dudley White Bike Path, about 16 miles of loops.
It’s the classic Boston ride, with views of the skyline, MIT, Harvard and Boston University, plus the Esplanade and the Hatch Shell. It gets crowded on nice weekends, so go early or ride the quieter upstream sections.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 23.4 miles
- Greenway
- Suffolk & Middlesex Counties
- Cycling
Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail is a paved rail-trail that runs about 20 miles from Lowell south through Chelmsford, Westford, Carlisle, Acton and Concord to Sudbury, where it meets the Mass Central Rail Trail.
It’s mostly shaded, with swimming at Heart Pond in Chelmsford and NARA Park in Acton, a bridge over Route 2 and public art along the way. Riders have to walk their bikes through the pedestrian zone in West Concord Center.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- About 20 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Middlesex County
- Cycling
Great Brook Farm State Park
Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle has about 20 miles of trails on a historic 1,000-acre farm, with a working dairy right in the middle of the park.
The riding is mostly easy and fun, through woods, fields and along ponds, which makes it a great first mountain bike spot or family ride. Stop at the farm’s ice cream stand after your loop.
Trail facts
- Dirt, Roots
- About 20 miles of trails
- Mountain Bike
- Middlesex County
- Mountain biking
Russell Mill Town Forest
Russell Mill in Chelmsford is a compact, well-built network with about 7 miles of singletrack, and connectors let you stretch a ride to 10–12 miles.
Merrimack Valley NEMBA built the singletrack, with rocks, roots and fun features, and the trails are color-coded and well marked. There’s also a pump track, and it’s a great choice for a one- to three-hour ride.
Trail facts
- Dirt, Rock, Roots
- About 7 miles of singletrack
- Mountain Bike
- Middlesex County
- Mountain biking
Cape Cod & the Islands
Paved rail-trails past kettle ponds and salt marshes, a seaside ride to Woods Hole, a roller-coaster loop through the Provincetown dunes, island bike paths and Cape Cod singletrack. 5 trails.
Cape Cod Rail Trail
The Cape Cod Rail Trail is a 27.5-mile paved rail-trail from Yarmouth across the Cape through Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Orleans and Eastham to Wellfleet.
It’s mostly flat and shaded, passing kettle ponds you can swim in, cranberry bogs, salt marshes and Nickerson State Park. Near the eastern end it reaches the Cape Cod National Seashore’s Salt Pond Visitor Center and the ocean beaches.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 27.5 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Barnstable County
- Cycling
Shining Sea Bikeway
The Shining Sea Bikeway is a 10.7-mile paved rail-trail in Falmouth, running from North Falmouth to the ferry dock in Woods Hole.
It’s one of the few Cape Cod bike paths with real ocean views, passing Surf Drive Beach, the Sippewissett salt marshes and Little Harbor. Ride it to Woods Hole and you can grab lunch before the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 10.7 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Barnstable County
- Cycling
Province Lands Bike Trail
The Province Lands Bike Trail is a 5.45-mile paved loop through the dunes of the Cape Cod National Seashore in Provincetown, with spurs to Herring Cove and Race Point beaches and Bennett Pond.
It’s short but not easy: the National Park Service rates it advanced-intermediate, with steep hills, sharp turns and tunnels as it rolls through pine forest, sand dunes and cranberry bogs.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 5.45-mile loop + spurs
- Greenway
- Barnstable County
- Cycling
Martha's Vineyard Bike Paths
Martha’s Vineyard has about 32 miles of paved bike paths linking Vineyard Haven, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, so it’s easy to leave the car on the mainland.
The paths run along the beach between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, past the famous Jaws Bridge, and through Manuel F. Correllus State Forest in the middle of the island, with spurs to South Beach.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 32.3 miles
- Greenway
- Dukes County
- Cycling
Trail of Tears (West Barnstable)
The trails known as the Trail of Tears, in the West Barnstable Conservation Area, are Cape Cod’s best-known mountain bike network, with about 16 miles of cross-country singletrack.
It’s best for intermediate riders, with short, punchy climbs, roots and sandy spots that make for a good workout, all in the pine and oak woods away from the summer traffic.
Trail facts
- Dirt, Sand, Roots
- About 16 miles of singletrack
- Mountain Bike
- Barnstable County
- Mountain biking
Central & Western Massachusetts
Rail-trails along the Nashua, Blackstone and Connecticut rivers, a college-town ride in the Pioneer Valley and a lakeside path in the Berkshires with views of Mount Greylock. 5 trails.
Nashua River Rail Trail
The Nashua River Rail Trail is a 12.4-mile paved rail-trail on an old Boston & Maine branch, running from Ayer through Groton, Pepperell and Dunstable to Nashua, New Hampshire.
It’s shaded and quiet, with wetlands, the Nashua River and plenty of wildlife, plus a covered bridge in Pepperell. It borders the J. Harry Rich State Forest for part of the way.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 12.4 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Middlesex County
- Cycling
Blackstone River Greenway
The Blackstone River Greenway is a planned 50-mile route from Worcester to Providence, and about 10.6 miles of off-road trail are open in Massachusetts, in sections around Worcester and Millbury, the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park and Uxbridge to Blackstone.
It follows the river and old canal through the birthplace of America’s Industrial Revolution, past historic mills, locks and waterfalls. In Rhode Island it continues as the paved Blackstone River Bikeway.
Trail facts
- Asphalt, Crushed Stone
- About 10.6 miles in Massachusetts
- Greenway
- Worcester County
- Cycling
Norwottuck Rail Trail
The Norwottuck Rail Trail is an 11-mile paved rail-trail from Northampton through Hadley and Amherst to Belchertown, and it’s part of the longer Mass Central Rail Trail.
The highlight is the old Boston & Maine railroad bridge over the Connecticut River between Northampton and Hadley, with long views up and down the river. It’s flat and easy, with the college towns of Northampton and Amherst for food stops.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 11 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Hampshire County
- Cycling
Manhan Rail Trail
The Manhan Rail Trail is a 9.5-mile paved rail-trail from Northampton south through Easthampton to Southampton, connecting to the Mass Central Rail Trail at its northern end.
It crosses the Mill River on a trestle, passes parks, community gardens and downtown Easthampton, and makes a great combo ride with the Norwottuck Rail Trail.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 9.5 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Hampshire County
- Cycling
Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
The Ashuwillticook Rail Trail is a 13.9-mile paved rail-trail in the Berkshires, running through the Hoosic River valley from Pittsfield through Lanesborough and Cheshire to Adams.
It passes the Cheshire Reservoir and Berkshire Pond, with views of Mount Greylock, Massachusetts’ highest peak, and you may spot ospreys, herons and turtles along the water.
Trail facts
- Asphalt
- 13.9 miles
- Rail-Trail
- Berkshire County
- Cycling
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Gear For The Long Miles
Looking For New Trails To Conquer?
Explore our state-by-state trail guides – distances, surfaces, maps and directions for paved rail-trails and dirt singletrack alike.
