The links listed here are just a sampling of the rail trail groups and resources available today.
Assabet River Rail Trail
ARRT was organized to promote the creation of a multi-use recreational trail through Marlborough, Hudson, Stow, Maynard and Action. The path goes along the abandoned rail bed of the former Marlborough Branch Rail Road. The ARRT sponsors clean-ups as well as bicycling, hiking and skiing activities along the proposed route. In 2005 5.8 miles of the trail were opened in Hudson and Marlborough. In 2018 3.8 miles of the trail were opened in Maynard and Acton. This new segment runs from the Stow-Maynard Town line in Maynard to Maple Street near the South Acton MBTA Station. A trail connection through Stow connecting Maynard and Hudson has yet to be designed. Note, while the ARRT and BFRT both go through Acton, there is no plan to connect the two trails here (a dream connection would be a rail-with-trail along the MBTA line between South Acton and West Concord ). The proposed Mass Central Rail Trail will connect the ARRT and the BFRT from Hudson ( Wilkins Street ) via Stow to Sudbury ( Union Street and Rte 20).
http://www.arrtinc.org
The Cochituate Rail Trail
The trail will extend 4 miles from the Village of Saxonville in Framingham to the commuter rail station in Natick Center. A connection with the Bruce Freeman Trail may be possible using the old Weston or Hultman aqueducts just north of Saxonville.
https://www.traillink.com/trail/cochituate-rail-trail/
The Concord River Greenway
The Concord River Greenway will ultimately link to the northern terminus of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail at the Lowell / Chelmsford border and continue north through Lowell to and along the Concord River to the confluence of the Merrimack River. Construction of the northern portion of the Concord River Greenway has begun. See details at:
https://lowelllandtrust.org/concord-river-greenway/
Minuteman Commuter Bikeway
The 11-mile bikeway between Bedford MA and Cambridge (Alewife). This is the country’s 500th, and second most traveled rail trail!
http://www.minutemanbikeway.org/
Nashua River Rail Trial
The Nashua River Rail Trial is a former right-of-way that travels 11 miles through the towns of Ayer, Groton, Pepperell, and Dunstable. The trail offers a 10-foot wide paved surface for the entire length, and a five-foot wide gravel equestrian path for seven miles of the trail from Groton Center to the New Hampshire border in Dunstable. The entire trail is open to pedestrians, bicyclists, inline skaters, wheelchairs, and cross-country skiers.
https://www.mass.gov/locations/nashua-river-rail-trail
The Bay Colony Rail Trail
The Bay Colony Rail Trail project aims to convert the abandoned rail corridor between Needham and Medfield to a new multi-use greenway. The path will provide a safe and natural facility for hiking, walking, running, biking, cross-country skiing, and other recreational activities.The proposed trial will extend for 7 miles through the towns of Needham, Dover and Medfield.
Dover (http://dovergreenwayfriends.com/)
Medfield (https://medfield.baycolonyrailtrail.org/)
Needham (https://medfield.baycolonyrailtrail.org/)
Newton (http://www.upperfallsgreenway.org/)
Mass Central Rail Trail
An intrepid adventure traveler can still find traces of it in the wilderness. A 104 mile railroad line was shattered by hurricane in 1938. The line once stretched from downtown Boston to Northampton, MA. Now, over 60 years later, dedicated volunteers and property owners in 33 communities are working dig it out and open it up. Instead of trains there will be tourists and locals, Bed & Breakfast inns, cross-country skiers, bicyclists, hikers, joggers and babies in baby carriages.
http://www.masscentralrailtrail.org/
Wachusett Greenways
This is a section of the Mass Central Rail Trail section that is being developed in the towns of Sterling, West Boylston, Holden, Rutland, Oakham, and Barre.
https://www.wachusettgreenways.org/
The Squannacook River Rail Trail
Formed in the fall of 2002, the SRRT Committee has investigated the feasibility of establishing a 3.3 mile rail trail that will follow the Squannacook River, beginning at the Bertozzi Wildlife Management Area on Townsend Road in Groton, and ending at Depot Street in the center of Townsend. As envisioned, the SRRT will eventually connect to the 11-mile Nashua River Rail Trail and Ayer MBTA Commuter Rail Station.
http://www.squannacookriverrailtrail.org/
Upper Charles River Trail
Connecting Milford, Hopkinton, Ashland, Sherborn, and Holliston, Massachusetts
http://www.uppercharlestrail.org/
http://www.milfordtrail.org/
The Coastal Trails Coalition
The Coastal Trails Coalition (CTC) is a non-profit organization advocating for the Coastal Trails Network, a 30-mile public system of bicycle and pedestrian trails linking the communities of Amesbury, Newbury, Newburyport, and Salisbury.
http://coastaltrails.org/
The Lynnfield Rail Trail
Officially known as the Wakefield-Lynnfield Rail Trail, this is a primarily State and Federally funded project using land leased to the towns of Lynnfield and Wakefield by the MBTA to convert the former Newburyport Railroad bed into a recreational trail that provides for safe off road connection to the towns key resources.
http://www.lynnfieldrailtrail.org/home.html
Derry Rail Trail
The Derry Rail Trail is part of the former Boston & Maine railroad. Currently 4 miles of paved path running from Windham, NH through beautiful wetlands and woods right into Derry’s resurging town center make up the trail.The goal now is to connect the Derry trail to the Londonderry trail, (providing nearly 12 mi of trail through 3 towns). Ultimately, the trail will provide a 120 mile scenic journey through NH.
http://www.derryrailtrail.org/
Londonderry Trailways
The Londonderry Rail Trail is a cooperative effort between Londonderry Trailways and the Town of Londonderry to complete 6 miles of trail on the abandoned rail corridor that runs through North Londonderry. This project started in earnest around 2012 and 3.2 of the 6 miles are now completed! The goal is to create a multi-use recreational path that enhances the quality of life for Southern New Hampshire residents and provides opportunities for economic development in the town of Londonderry.
https://londonderrytrails.org/
Rail-to-Trails Conservancy
A non-profit organization creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors to build healthier places for healthier people.
https://www.railstotrails.org/
Friends of the Community Path
The Friends of the Community Path are a group of citizens in Somerville and greater Boston who are advocating to extend this well-loved Somerville path 2.2 miles from its current ending at Lowell St. in Somerville to Cambridge & the Charles River.
http://pathfriends.org/scp/
Friends of Bedford Depot Park
This group is restoring the Bedford Depot Park at the end of the Minuteman Bikeway, including restoring a vintage Boston & Main Railroad Car #6211 for a display and museum. The group also researches and preserves history of the narrow gauge railroad lines in Billerica, Bedford and Lexington.
http://www.bedforddepot.org/
Bay Circuit Trail
This is an effort to make a permanent recreation trail and greenway corridor extending through 21 towns in Eastern Massachusetts and linking the park and open spaces surrounding metropolitan Boston.
http://www.baycircuit.org/
MassBike
The purpose of MassBike is to promote bicycles as a safe, healthy, enjoyable, efficient and environmentally sound means of transportation.
http://www.Massbike.org
Share The Trail Brochure (International Bicycle Fund)
http://www.ibike.org/education/trail-sharing.htm
