NORTH CENTRAL PATHWAY:
GARDNER-WINCHENDON, MASSACHUSETTS
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: June 25, 2026
Length: North Central Pathway; Northern Section; 7.5 miles
North Central Pathway; Southern Section; 2.5 miles
Mount Wachusett Community College Spur; 1.4 miles
Difficulty: North Central Pathway; Northern Section; Easy. Paved, relatively flat rail trail.
North Central Pathway; Southern Section; Moderate. Partially developed, flat rail trail. Consists of different surfaces. Crushed gravel, hard packed dirt & gravel, some rough gravel sections.
Mount Wachusett Community College Spur; Easy. Paved, flat trail.
Directions:
To start from the Park Street Park parking lot in Gardner [Southern Section; West Side]; Take exit 90 off of Route 2 to Route 140 north. Travel 2.7 miles and turn left on Route 101. Travel 2 miles, continue straight on Park St. Parking lot will be on your right.
To start from the Route 140 parking lot in Gardner [Northern Section; Southern End]; Take exit 90 off of Route 2 to Route 140 north. Travel 5 miles and turn right into the small parking area.
To start from the Old Gardner Road parking lot in Winchendon [Northern Section; Central]; Take exit 90 off of Route 2 to Route 140 north. Travel 10 miles and turn right on Old Gardner Rd. Parking lot is on your left, trailhead is across the road.
To start from the Clark Memorial YMCA parking lot in Winchendon [Northern Section; Northern End]; Take exit 90 off of Route 2 to Route 140 north. Take Route 140 north to Route 12 (Spring St) and continue straight. Pass by the Spring Street parking lot on your right just before Glenallen Street on your right where you'll find a 2nd parking lot. Continue along Route 12, cross a pond and turn right on Beech St. Follow to Summer St and travel right around the Clark Memorial YMCA to the trail head straight ahead. Parking on your left.
To start from the Railroad Street parking area in Winchendon [Northern Section; Northern End]; Take exit 90 off of Route 2 to Route 140 north. Take Route 140 north to Route 12 (Spring St) and continue straight for 2.3 miles to Central St. Head right for 0.4 miles and turn left on Railroad St. Parking along your right.
The North Central Pathway links the historic downtowns of Gardner & Winchendon. Route 140 is the dividing line between the Northern & Southern Sections. The paved, Northern Section, which is mostly complete, travels South from Winchendon to Route 140 in Gardner and follows sections of two old rail beds. The Southern Section continues from Route 140 South, along the old rail bed, along the Western Side of Crystal Lake to Gardner. From Gardner, the paved Mount Wachusett Community College Spur travels North, along the Eastern Side of Crystal Lake, to Green St. It then continues North, past Mt Wachusett Community College.
In Winchendon three RR lines met where the Millers River flowed out of Whitney Pond into Tannery Pond. The former Baldwinville & Winchendon RR and B&M RR Worcester & Hillsboro Branch continued North, into NH, while the former Ware River RR traveled Southwest.
Mount Wachusett Community College Spur:
Starting from the Park Street Park parking lot in Gardner [Southern End]; Picnic tables overlook the Southern tip of Crystal Lake. Travel East, along Park St (double sidewalk available) and turn left down Veterans St and the entrance to the Gardner Veteran's Arena. Travel right around the rink and you'll pick up the paved Mount Wachusett Community College Spur at the back of the rink. Here the trail follows the Eastern Shore of Crystal Lake North, through the woods. Pass by the Crystal Lake Water Treatment Facility. Re-enter the woods where you travel above the lake. Pass by a BIKE STATION on your right at 0.8 miles, before coming to the Green Street parking lot after 1.1 miles. Map Board. A crosswalk over Green St brings you to a paved trail which travels North, alongside Green St. Check out the 2 huge wind turbines on your right. Pass by Mount Wachusett Community College and come to a road at 1.4 miles.
Note; Right takes you past the track field to the campus.
North Central Pathway; Southern Section:
Starting from the Park Street Park parking lot in Gardner [Southern End]; Picnic tables overlook the Southern tip of Crystal Lake.
Note; The old rail bed continues across Park St. Look to the left of Lake St and to the right of a parking lot to spot the old RR corridor. If you travel through the parking lot you'll pick up a sidewalk on your right, which you can follow out to Central St (old RR tracks along your left). Across the street a narrow paved trail takes you past an old brick, converted mill (old RR tracks along your left). The old rail bed continues through town but is inaccessible.
The wide, paved North Central Pathway travels North, along the former B&M RR Worcester & Hillsboro Branch, from Park St, along the Southern tip of Crystal Lake, past the Greenwood Memorial Pool to Crystal Lake Dr.
Note; The old rail bed continues straight, but is inaccessible.
Travel right, on-road (low, slow traffic) and you'll pass by some picnic tables before entering Crystal Lake Cemetery. Follow the road along the Western Shore of Crystal Lake. As it turns left, you'll pick up the paved trail on your right at 0.5 miles. Across the lake, spot the 2 wind turbines at Mt Wachusett Community College. This section takes you up a slight hill above the lake, before turning West, where it winds through a Pine forest. Scenic. Return to the old railbed at 0.8 miles.
Note; The old rail bed continues left, past the power sub-station, but is inaccessible.
Note; This next section is closed, as of June 2026, while National Grid conducts pole work and clearing.
Note; This next section will be upgraded and paved North, to Route 140. In 2026, this section is still in the development stage.
The hard packed dirt, grass & gravel North Central Pathway
continues North, through the woods (Not
sure if this section will be ridable after National Grid is done with
their work. Looks like they have torn it up). The trail follows a power line
along your right. Pass by an old granite RR
Mileage Marker W28, before crossing Park Street at
1.2 miles. These old RR Mileage Markers were
located every mile along the
railroad. Parking located here, along with a kiosk. You'll
follow a high berm above Perley Brook Reservoir down along your left. You
briefly follow a
causeway between Perley Brook before coming to a power sub-station and RR Mileage Marker W29
at 2 miles. A gravel road takes you through the woods and out to Route 140
after 2.5 miles.
The North Central Pathway
continues across Route 140. [Continuing
Mileage]
Note; Caution; you'll need to cross busy Route 140. Not recommended for kids on bikes. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 to build a bridge over Route 140 here.
North Central Pathway; Northern Section:
Starting from the Route 140 parking area in Gardner; [Continuing Mileage] The paved North Central Pathway continues North, through the woods, along the old rail bed. Pass by an old granite RR Mileage Marker W30 at 3 miles. These old RR Mileage Markers were located every mile along the railroad. You follow a causeway through Wilder Brook marsh, before crossing into Winchendon at 3.6 miles (BIKE STATION). Pass by RR Mileage Marker W31 at 4 miles. Travel through a tunnel underneath Commercial Dr and pass by RR Mileage Marker W32 (32 miles to Worcester) on your right at 5 miles. Cross Teel Rd, before coming to the Old Gardner Road parking lot at 5.8 miles. Map Board.
Note; Across Old Gardner Rd, the old Baldwinville & Winchendon RR bed continued, however, it is not accessible.
To reach the next section requires a short 0.8 mile on-road detour. Head right, on-road, down Old Gardner Rd (low traffic). Come to Route 12 (narrow shoulder) and continue right on-road. Cross Millers River and turn left, along N Ashburnham Rd (residential). You'll rejoin the trail on your right at 6.5 miles. The wide, paved North Central Pathway travels Northwest, along the former Baldwinville & Winchendon RR bed through the Millers River wetlands. Cross the 1st of 3 bridges over Millers River. This is a very scenic section. You cross a 2nd bridge along a causeway at 7.3 miles, before re-entering the woods and passing an old granite RR Mileage Marker (no marks). Finally cross a 3rd bridge over the river before coming alongside Route 12 at 9 miles.
Note; The former Baldwinville & Winchendon RR bed continues straight, but is undeveloped.
Here, you rejoin the former B&M RR Worcester & Hillsboro Branch, which travels alongside Route 12.
Note; The former B&M RR Worcester & Hillsboro Branch continues Southwest, alongside Route 12 but is not accessible.
Pass by a giant bike sculpture on your left, before passing by the 1st Glenallen Street parking lot (picnic table), crossing Glenallen St at 8.6 miles and passing the 2nd Glenallen Street parking lot (Map Board). Cross a causeway through Whitney Pond, before the trail veers off the old rail bed and follows the shoreline, before re-joining the rail bed. Come to an overlook on your left of Tannery Pond, part of Millers River. This is where the old Ware River RR came in from your left, West. Next, you cross one of two old RR bridges over a dam, before coming to an intersection at 9.3 miles.
Note; Left, a paved spur trail takes you South, to Summer St and the Wendell P. Clark Memorial YMCA parking lot on your right and the old Goodspeed Machine Company building on your left.
The trail continues straight, past a ball field, bringing you to Central St and a cross-light after 9.5 miles.
Note; Across Central St is the Railroad Street parking area.
Note; Here, you can access the Central Street BIKE LANE, which travels from Front St North, 0.5 miles through downtown Winchendon to Maple St. Places to eat and get refreshments.
The trail has been extended North, to Jackson St, however, currently it does not utilize the old railbed, which is lost in the abandoned plaza across the street. Instead, head right, North, utilizing the Central Street BIKE LANE to Maple St. Head left, on-road along Maple St (residential) and you'll pick up the paved trail at 9.7 miles. The wide, paved North Central Pathway travels North, utilizing the old rail bed to Jackson St and the end of the trail after 10 miles.
Note; Past Jackson St, the old rail bed continues North, 1.5 miles into NH, however it has not been developed.
HH
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