BAY COLONY RAIL TRAIL:
NEEDHAM, MASSACHUSETTS
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: April 23, 2016
Length: Needham Section; 1.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy. Flat stone-dust rail trail.
Directions:
To Start from Red Wing Bay parking lot ; From I-95 take exit 32 to West St west. Cross the river and turn left on South St. After 2.5 miles turn right on Fisher St. Just before crossing the trail turn left into the DCR's Red Wing Bay parking lot.
The Bay Colony Rail Trail is a proposed 7-mile multi-use trail through the towns of Needham, Dover and Medfield. It follows the rail bed of the former Bay Colony RR. North in Newton, another section of this old rail bed has been converted into the Newton Upper Falls Greenway . South in Dover the FRIENDS OF THE DOVER GREENWAY are trying to convert their section of old rail bed. For more information visit; BAY COLONY RAIL TRAIL and BAY COLONY RAIL TRAIL; NEEDHAM
Starting from Red Wing Bay parking lot; Hiking trails and canoe launch for the Charles River located here. Exit the parking lot up to the trail. Check out the Rail Trail Crossing signs.
Heading North; The stone-dust trail follows the old rail bed along an open wooded corridor. Cross Charles River St, followed by wood fencing and look left to spot an old cement RR Whistle marker. After passing through several small rock cuts you cross a high berm before passing by a spur trail on your left at 1 mile that leads to High Rock St. The trail then currently ends after 1.2 miles short of High Rock St. RR tracks still here.
Heading South; The stone-dust trail travels above the Charles River and Charles River Peninsula. You pass by another old cement RR Whistle marker on your left before coming to an old RR bridge over the Charles River at 0.3 miles. The trail currently ends here at the Dover town line. If you look right up the river you can spot a 3 arch stone bridge (Centre St).
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BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE