CHARLES RIVER BIKEWAY:
PAUL DUDLEY WHITE BIKE
PATH:
UPPER CHARLES RIVER
BIKEWAY:
BOSTON-NEWTON,
MASSACHUSETTS
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: August
14, 2024
Length: Charles River Bikeway Loop; 18.2 miles
Loop
Upper Charles River Bikeway Loop; 13.9 mile Loop
Many various starting points and parking lots along the trail including Soldiers
Field Road.
Difficulty: Charles River Bikeway Loop; Easy. Flat, paved trail/sidewalk.
Upper Charles River Bikeway Loop; Easy. Flat, paved trail/sidewalk/stone-dust. Some on-road
detours.
Directions:
To start from the Museum of Science in Boston or
North Point Park in Cambridge [Eastern End]:
Take exit
18 off of
I-93 (stay left) to Route 28 north. After you exit the tunnel stay to the
left under green bridge, then turn right at the traffic light on Route 28 north (Monsignor
O'Brien Highway) which takes you
over the Charles
River Dam Road Bridge. You
may park in the museum's parking garage or
at North Point Park. Directly across from the parking garage is Museum Way. Head right
along Museum Way, turn right on Education St which turns into Industrial Park
Rd. North
Point Park is along your
right. Limited parking available. There is also a parking lot located
left at the end of North Point Blvd.
To start from Watertown for
the Charles
River/Upper Charles River connection
[Center Section]: Take
exit 127 off of I-90. Head north on Centre St which then turns into
Galen St and cross over the Charles
River on the Galen St (Route 16) Bridge into Watertown Square. Turn left
down Main St and then left down Cross St. Turn right onto Pleasant St and look sharply to your left for the Charles
River Reservation sign and parking lot.
To start from Waltham for
the Upper
Charles River [West
Central Section];
Take exit 127 off of I-90. Head north on Centre St which then turns
into Galen St and cross over the Charles River on the Route 16 bridge into
Watertown Square. Turn left down Main St and then left down Cross St.
Turn right onto Pleasant St and follow it as it turns into River St.
Keep an eye out to your left for the Shaws Supermarket
plaza. Go around the right side of Shaws to the far corner where a
pedestrian bridge takes you over the river to the trail.
To
start from the Newton Boathouse parking lot in Newton
for the Upper
Charles River [Western End]; From Route 30
(Commonwealth Ave) on the west side of I-95,
head north on River Rd. Take your first right onto Norumbega Rd and travel
underneath the highway. Take a right and this will bring you to the Newton
Boathouse parking lot
next to the Charles River. This is the
Western Terminus of the Upper Charles River Bikeway
Loop.
The CHARLES
RIVER RESERVATION is a linear park stretching from Boston Harbor
up the river for 20 miles. The lower half of the reservation, from downtown
Boston to the Watertown Dam, is the Charles
River Basin, which includes the Esplanade on the Boston side. The Upper
Charles River section of the Reservation begins at
Watertown Square
and
meanders to Riverdale Park in West Roxbury.
The Charles River Bikeway
is part
of the EAST
COAST GREENWAY , a planned biking & hiking route stretching 3,000
miles from Maine to Florida. When complete it will traverse 15 states with a
mostly off-road path.
The Charles River Bikeway
extends from North
Point Park in
Cambridge along the
Northern Side of
the Charles River and
Nashua
Street Park in Boston along the Southern
Side of the Charles River up to
Watertown
Square. This creates the Charles River Bikeway Loop.
The Charles River Bikeway
is actually made up of two trails. The Paul Dudley White Bike Path
follows the most direct route and usually travels alongside the road, either as
a paved trail or BIKE LANE. The Charles River Esplanade
follows alongside the river and includes parks and green spaces either as a
paved, stone-dust or hard packed dirt trail. Tends to be narrower. Not all
sections include both. I mention the numerous bridges that cross the
Charles River, to help you orientate yourself as you travel the
trail, as well as, allowing you to create a
Loop of your desired length. There are also numerous
pedestrian bridges (bike friendly) that let you cross over Storrow Drive into Boston, with one that brings you right to the
Boston
Common Gardens.
From
Watertown Square the Upper
Charles River Bikeway heads
East up to Newton. However, only portions of the trail run on both sides
of the river, thus, there are some on-road detours required to make a complete
Loop. Some portions of these bikeways are not separated from the roadways and
classified as sidewalk, but for the most part, the paths are wide, smooth and
traffic free. Other completed paths along the Upper
Charles River Reservation include the Charles River Paths in Wellesley,
Newton & Needham. See; Wellesley
Trails & Cutler
Park Reservation .
Charles
River Bikeway Loop:
Starting from the
Charles
River
Dam
Rd
(Route 28)
in front of the
Museum
of
Science
parking garage; From
here you can choose to either travel along the Southern
Side of the Charles River in Boston
or the Northern Side of the Charles River in
Cambridge.
Note;
The Charles River Bikeway
also extends East along the Charles River to connect into
the Boston Harborwalk; Charlestown section at Paul Revere Park.
This is where the Charles River enters the Inner Boston Harbor at the Charles
River Dam & Locks.
Across Charles
River
Dam
Rd (Route 28) from the
Museum
of
Science
parking garage
is
Museum Way. Use the cross-light to reach a BIKE
LANE along Museum Way. You'll
pick up a paved trail on your right at Education Lane which brings you
alongside
North
Point
Park, a very scenic park overlooking the Charles
River and downtown
Boston with winding paths. The paved bike trail
travels alongside Education St to Education Circle. Continue past the playground and
Splash Park and
you'll come to an *Intersection after 0.4 miles.
Note; The paved path to your left, North,
is part of the
Mass
Central Rail Trail; Boston-Cambridge-Belmont , which will originate from Nashua
Street Park & North
Station across the Charles River in Boston.
Future
plans call for constructing a walkway
alongside the Bascule Draw Bridge (look
right to spot the bridge) and across the Charles River to Nashua Street Park.
When the drawbridge is replaced, the bikeway will be constructed at the same
time. Also, to your left, underneath the
highway ramps is the Lynch Family Skatepark.
Continue straight, East, to a long arching walkway. Down
below to your right is a short bridge in North Point Park which ends
just before the RR tracks. This is where the BOSTON
DUCK TOURS amphibious landing vehicles
enter and exit the
Charles River. This
is where the walkway
alongside the Bascule Draw Bridge will start. Continue along the arched North
Bank Bridge
which travels over the
RR tracks and
underneath the Leonard
P.
Zakim
Bunker Hill
Bridge to Paul
Revere
Park
and the Boston
Harborwalk; Charlestown
after 0.5 miles. To your right is a promenade
overlooking the Charles River. See; Boston
Harborwalk;
Charlestown .
Note; A paved path to your left
with whimsical colored street lamps takes you 0.2 miles up to Route 99.
Charles
River Bikeway Loop; Southern Side:
From the
Museum
of
Science
parking garage;
Head
South along
Charles
River
Dam
Rd following the BIKE LANE past the MUSEUM
OF SCIENCE on your right and the Trolley
Bridge
to your left (carries the “Green Line” of the Boston Subway system,
which does not allow bikes on this line). Cross over the
Craigie Drawbridge
to Boston and come to the
intersection of Nashua St
on your left and Storrow Drive
on your right.
Note;
The Charles River Bikeway also extends
East from here along the
Charles River. Turn left and
cross over to the paved trail alongside Nashua St. The trail splits as it passes through Nashua
Street Park. Paved along the road and hard packed gravel along the river.
Across the river you can see North Point
Park. The two trails then merge onto a boardwalk terrace overlooking the
river, which travels past Therapy Dock to a cement catwalk. This catwalk runs alongside
the railroad tracks and out to the Drawbridge. Only a ¼ mile. Future
plans call for connecting to a walkway alongside the
Bascule Draw Bridge and across the river to
North Point Park.
Continuing from the intersection of Nashua St and Storrow Drive, turn right,
South, past the Police Station,
where the Paul Dudley White Bike Path
travels along the Southern Side of the Charles
River via a double wide sidewalk.
Note;
Construction was taking place along your right during 2023. I believe when
it's completed, the trail will turn right to the river.
Pass by the Gronk Playground and Alfond Memorial
Spray Deck before coming to Lederman Park where a pedestrian bridge
crosses over Storrow Drive to the West
End of Boston.
Straight the double wide trail follows alongside Storrow Drive, however, for a more scenic route turn right
into the park where the paved trail takes you alongside
the Charles River. This
paved section of the trail is mostly tree-lined as it travels past the sports
fields. The two trails merge as you travel underneath the
Longfellow
Bridge
after 0.7 miles. Here the trail splits again. The paved Paul Dudley White Bike Path
follows alongside Storrow Drive, however, the more scenic route heads right
along the river. This is referred to as the Charles
River Esplanade. Come to the Community Boathouse where you'll find a Map Board, picnic tables and a pedestrian bridge over Storrow Drive
to Charles St. Come around to the front of the Hatch Shell (musical
performances) on your left and the first of five bridges on your right, that cross
over Storrow Lagoon to a long causeway along the river as the trail turns
West. You have 2
Options
from here.
A. You can continue straight
through the park and rejoin the paved Paul Dudley White Bike Path
which travels between Storrow Dr and the Storrow Lagoon.
Restrooms, water fountain and playground along this section along with 3
pedestrian bridges over Storrow Dr to Boston.
B. You can cross over Storrow Lagoon and follow
the Charles River Esplanade along the causeway
to the last bridge and return to Storrow Dr and the Paul Dudley White Bike Path.
Much more scenic. Note; The 1st Storrow Lagoon
Bridge has
stairs so you may choose to cross over via the 2nd Storrow Lagoon
Bridge
if biking.
Both trails merge at the 5th Storrow Lagoon Bridge.
Here you'll find a Map Board and another pedestrian bridge over Storrow Dr to
Fairfield St. The trails briefly split again before merging at the Harvard
Bridge
(Mass Ave)
at 2.1 miles. Map Board.
Note;
There is a pedestrian ramp that will take you up to the Harvard
Bridge, where you may
either cross North, over the Charles River to
Cambridge, or cross South,
over Storrow Drive,
to access the Emerald
Necklace Greenway in Boston. Starting from
the Charles River, the Emerald
Necklace is a series
of interconnecting parks and parkways created by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1891
that pass from Boston
through Brookline
to Jamaica Plain. The Greenway is comprised of the Back Bay Fens, the Riverway,
Olmsted Park, Jamaica
Pond, Arnold
Arboretum, Franklin
Park, and their connecting
parkways (Fenway, Riverway, Jamaicaway and Arborway). At the Southern
End of the Emerald
Necklace Greenway
you access the Southwest
Corridor Greenway , Arnold
Arboretum Loop & Franklin
Park Loop .
Note;
Future
plans call for creating a connecting trail from the Charles
River Greenway, through Charlesgate Park,
directly to the Emerald Necklace Greenway, but as
of 2024 it is still in the planning stage. See; CHARLESGATE
ALLIANCE .
This next section the Paul Dudley White Bike Path
is sandwiched between the river and road. The trail briefly splits 3 times with
sections of the Charles River Esplanade, one
which contains an outdoor gym. Pass the BU
Sailing Pavilion before you encounter the BU Bridge at 3 ¼ miles. A boardwalk takes you around the bridge's
abutment, as well as, under a railroad trestle as the trail turns North. This next section is the least
scenic as the Paul Dudley White Bike Path
is sandwiched between the river and road before crossing the River/Cambridge
Street Bridge at 4 ¼ miles, followed by the Western Ave
Bridge. The trail improves a bit, but this side of the river is a lot
noisier with car traffic. Pass by the John Weeks
Pedestrian Bridge at 4 ¾ miles (takes you both North over the river to Harvard
University and South over Soldiers Field Road to more of Harvard University). Again the trail is sandwiched between the river and road
as it turns West, before coming to Anderson
Bridge. The trail travels North,
where it splits. The hard
packed dirt & gravel Charles River Esplanade
travels along the river before turning Southwest,
to a tunnel underneath the
Eliot
Bridge
at 5.7 miles, while the paved Paul Dudley White Bike Path
continues alongside the road to the tunnel. Here the two trails rejoin and are paved. The trails split
again, keep straight along the river. Pass by Soldiers Field Road parking lot
1 before passing the CHARLES
RIVER CANOE & KAYAK and coming to Soldiers Field Road parking
lot 2. Picnic tables and Porto-Potty. You now travel through Christian
Herter Park where you'll encounter numerous trails. Soldiers Field Road
parking lot 3 and an amphitheater out towards the road. I kept to the right alongside
the river. This takes you over a boardwalk next to the river and past a
community garden along a stone-dust trail. Pass by Soldiers Field Road
parking lot 4, water fountain, a playground and wading pool, along a paved
trail before you pass by Northeastern's
Boathouse. Here you wind through the woods to Soldiers Field Road
parking lot 5 and rejoin the Paul Dudley White Bike Path
next to Soldiers Field Rd. Travel alongside the road
crossing the Arsenal Street Bridge at 7 miles.
Trail turns West. Another mile brings you to the North
Beacon Street Bridge where the trail is constricted between the river and Nonantum
Rd. Luckily the paved Charles
River Esplanade splits right. Travel along the river past a community boathouse,
boat ramp and the Daly
Sports Fields to the Daly Skating Rink
parking lot. Left the paved trail leads back out to Nonantum Rd. I continued
straight along a stone-dust trail which also returned me to the paved Paul Dudley White Bike Path.
Head left past the Newton
Yacht Club where the trail is again constricted between the river and Nonantum
Rd. Trail soon turns North to the **Galen
Street
Bridge
(Route 16) in Watertown
after 9.6 miles.
This is
the halfway point of the Charles
River Bikeway Loop Trail:
If you wish to continue
along the Upper Charles River
Bikeway Loop to Newton See Below.
Charles
River Bikeway Loop; Northern Side:
Cross the **Galen
Street
Bridge
(Route 16) North, over the Charles River,
to Watertown Square
in Watertown and bear right to a promenade that overlooks the river and a wooden
platform along the river at 9.7
miles.
Note;
You can access the Watertown
Branch Rail Trail from here via a short detour. Use the cross-light over Charles River Rd to N Beacon St and
head right, East, along the BIKE LANE. The road
quickly splits, but stay straight. Take your first left, North,
on Irving St to Arsenal St at 0.3 miles and
cross the road. The paved Watertown Branch Rail Trail
begins on your right, heading East,
alongside Arsenal St.
The Charles River Bikeway
now Loops back East,
along the Northern Side of
the Charles River [Continuing Mileage].
The wide, paved trail travels alongside Charles River Rd. There is also a BIKE
LANE along Charles river Rd. You quickly come to a stone-dust spur trail
on your right. This takes along Watertown
Riverfront Park and the river. Picnic tables. Pass by the Sensory Trail,
a Braille accessible path, before a path on your left leads to a sculpture park.
Pass by river overlooks, a playground and sports courts. The stone-dust trail
then parallels the paved trail & BIKE LANE along Charles river
Rd. The trail splits with a narrow path heading right. I went left up to rejoin
the paved trail alongside the road at 10.5 miles. If biking, I would use the BIKE
LANE as it's smoother. Pass by another Spur
Trail on your right.
Note;
This Spur
Trail was
under construction in 2023.
You'll pass by the Watertown Yacht
Club, where the paved trail & BIKE LANE turns right down North Beacon St. When you reach the
North
Beacon
Street
Bridge
after 11.2 miles, use the crosswalk and the paved trail now follows alongside Greenough
Blvd.
Greenough Blvd parking lot 1 located here. A BIKE LANE only
travels west along here. Pass by Greenough Blvd parking lot 2 at 11.7
miles. Paved trail continues straight. I took the stone-dust trail on your right
back along the river. Benches and picnic tables. This brings you to the Arsenal
Street Bridge at 11.9 miles. Cross-light. Here a paved trail & BIKE
LANE travel Northeast, alongside Greenough
Blvd. As the trail separates some from the road, spot the Northeastern
University Boathouse across the river. The trail then travels along side the
road again. At 12.8 miles the paved trail continues straight. I took the
stone-dust trail on your right back along the river. You the rejoin the paved
trail next to the Belmont Hill Winsor Boathouse.
Here the trail heads right traveling through a tunnel underneath the
Eliot
Bridge
in Cambridge and pass by the Cambridge
Boat Club. At 13.2 miles the trail parallels Memorial Drive,
which can be a bit rough in spots from tree roots,
as it turns Southeast.
Note;
This next 2.5 mile section to the BU
Bridge
is set to be upgraded. Not yet started as of May 2023.
Note;
If you ride this trail in the summer, a portion of Memorial Drive
is closed to traffic and open to bikes and pedestrians. DCR closes Memorial Drive
in Cambridge
from here to the Western Ave Bridge. The closure is in effect from 11:00am to 7:00pm
Sunday's only through November.
Memorial Drive is lined on both sides with
Plane trees and passes by the brick buildings of Harvard University, as
well as the 1906 Harvard Boat House. On your left will be JFK
Park just before the Anderson
Memorial
Bridge
at 14.1 miles. Paved trail improves here. Pass by the John
Weeks Footbridge, a pedestrian/bike only bridge across the Charles
River, as the trail turns South. Come
to the Western
Ave Bridge
at 14.7 miles.
Note; Memorial Drive is
back open to traffic.
The wide paved trail next passes by the River Street Bridge
where it becomes old and narrow. Pass by the Riverside Boat Club before coming
to Magazine Beach Park parking lot 1. Pass by the Veterans Memorial
Pool and turn right into Magazine Beach Park where a trail brings you
to an overlook of the river. To your left is the granite MASS
AUBURN MAGAZINE BEACH PARK NATURE CENTER .
Originally constructed in 1818, the Cambridge
Powder Magazine is the oldest standing building in the Charles River
Basin. First built to store gunpowder for public and private use, the
walls were solid granite blocks and the roof wooden, slate, and specially-arched
brick. The original roof has long since been replaced, but the walls have
stood the test of time. In 1818, the Powder Magazine was located on what
was known as Captain’s Island as a protective measure. As
Cambridge’s population exploded in the 19th and 20th centuries, the Charles
River and its tidal marshes were filled in to make room for development.
Eventually, the island was incorporated into the expanded Cambridgeport
neighborhood. The Powder Magazine was next converted into a
bath house for swimmers using the beach at Magazine Beach Park.
Picnic tables and informational signs. Continue along the
river the trail turns to stone-dust. Pass by sports fields, fishing pier and a
boat launch before coming to the Magazine Beach Park
parking lot 2. A paved trail takes you out to an off-ramp for Memorial Dr.
Head right, along the BIKE LANE (narrow sidewalk) to a cross-light
by the Boston University
Bridge at 15.7 miles. The BIKE LANE (narrow sidewalk)
continues along the on-ramp up to Memorial Dr. Here, a double wide sidewalk
takes you past the BU Boathouse, where your afforded one of the
best skyline views of Boston
and Beacon Hill. The wide, paved trail turns Northeast. You quickly come to a
stone-dust spur trail on your right. I took this alongside the river, passing by
bench pavilions. Rejoin the paved trail at 15.3 miles. The paved trail now
travels between the road and a narrow path alongside the river. You next encounter the
***Harvard Bridge (Mass Ave)
at 16.7 miles.
Note; If you'd like to take a
tour of MIT and then Loop back to the
***Harvard Bridge
turn left, North
and follow the BIKE LANE
along Mass Ave. Turn left down Amherst St then right up a ramp to the Kresge
Oval. Here you can check out the Kresge Auditorium and Chapel.
Straight ahead is the Stratton Student Center where you can get a bite to
eat and freshen up. Head right, East, back out to Mass Ave and turn left,
North, up to Vassar St.
Note; The BIKE LANE
along Vassar St is part of the Grand
Junction Trail .
Travel right, East,
along
the Vassar Street SEPARATED BIKE LANE,
to the wildly designed Stata Center on your right.
Continue along Vassar St to Main St and turn right along a BIKE LANE
to Ames
St.
Note; Left the Ames
Street 2-WAY CYCLE TRACK will
take you North to Broadway where the paved Kittie
Knox Bike Path travels 0.1 miles along a wooded corridor to Binney St.
Head right, South,
along the
Ames
Street 2-WAY CYCLE TRACK to Memorial Drive and head
right, West. Soon you'll pass the beautiful
granite buildings surrounding the Killian-Lowell & Du Pont Courts. Be
sure to explore the courts and the domed Maclaurin building. Continue up
Memorial Drive and rejoin the trail at the ***Harvard Bridge
after a 1.3 mile Loop.
Continuing Northeast, along the trail, you come to the Longfellow
Bridge (Cambridge St) where the cantilevered trail follows Memorial Drive, out over
the river and then underneath the bridge. Check out the subway cars as they
cross over the bridge. After passing beneath the bridge you then cross the iron Broad
Canal Drawbridge to Cambridge Pkwy. From here you have a great view of the Museum
of
Science, the
Bunker Hill
Monument
and the
Leonard
P.
Zakim
Bunker Hill
Bridge.
Note; A nice side trip to the Broad
Canalwalk from here. Head left across both lanes of Memorial Drive
(cross-lights) to Broad Canal. Here a boardwalk takes you
West, along the Canal,
out to Broad Canal Way where you'll find Canoe & kayak rentals. A cement
path then takes you back East, along the opposite side of the
Canal back to Memorial
Dr. Return to the Charles River Bikeway
after a 0.4 mile Loop.
The trail now follows alongside
Cambridge Parkway
and the river and brings you to Lechmere
Canal
Park
at the intersection of Cambridge Parkway
and Edwin Land Blvd.
Note;
From here you can access the Lechmere
Canal
Park Loop Trail.
Follow the path down to the river where you travel West,
underneath the Edwin
Land Blvd Bridge. The trail then
travels along the South Side of the Lechmere
Canal, surrounded by beautiful buildings and shops,
then Loops back East,
along the North Side
of the Lechmere
Canal.
You travel back underneath the Edwin
Land Blvd Bridge
and back up to Edwin Land Blvd.
Only a
0.25 mile Loop.
From the intersection of Cambridge Parkway
and Edwin Land Blvd head right across the Edwin Land
Blvd Bridge. Pass
by a set of stairs and driveway on your right. This is where the Lechmere
Canal
Park Loop Trail
Loops back. Come to Charles River Dam Rd (Route 28)
and turn right, East, along a
BIKE LANE.
This brings you back to the
Museum
of
Science's parking garage after an
18.2
mile Loop.
Upper
Charles River Bikeway Loop:
Upper
Charles River Bikeway Loop; Southern Side:
Starting from the
**Galen
Street
Bridge
(Route 16) in
Watertown; Heading
West along the Southern
Side
of the Charles River, cross over Galen
St. There will be two granite pillars inscribed “Charles
River Reservation”. Head past these posts along a double-wide sidewalk.
Bear right along the hard packed dirt Upper
Charles River Bikeway and over the Laundry Brook Confluence via an iron bridge. This brings you to a
Map Board under a canopy of trees. Benches overlook the Watertown Dam on the
Charles River
and the Thompson Footbridge crosses the Charles River as well. There are a total of 20 dams along
the Charles River, which starts from Hopkinton, MA, as well as Fish Ladders. The trail heads up to
California St, where it’s paved and then back along the river. A ½ mile takes you past the
first of many platforms overlooking the river. Also, keep an eye out for the
many etched rocks along the trail containing pictures of insects, trees…You
pass by
Forte
Memorial
Park
on your left and travel along a boardwalk before returning to
California St. Continue right along the sidewalk, crossing Bridge St, past
the Bridge
Street
Bridge at 1.2 miles. Continue along California St to the granite pillars and turn right along the stone-dust
trail. It brings
you down along the riverbank and utilizes several boardwalks throughout. Come to
the Blue
Heron Bridge, a 140 foot pedestrian suspension bridge with promenades on
both ends at 1.7 miles.
Note; A
Gap exists West, here, along the Southern Side
of the river; Straight, West, takes you out to Albemarle Rd
access.
You'll need to cross the Blue
Heron Bridge, North, over the river to the
Northern
Side. Continuing West, along the Northern
Side of the
Charles River, you'll pass by
more river overlooks and cross more boardwalks. You then come to the Farwell
Street Bridge in
Waltham.
Note; A Gap
exists West, here,
along the Northern Side of the river;
You'll need to cross the Farwell
Street Bridge,
South, over the river to the
Southern Side
of the
Charles River. Continuing West,
the trail is now paved again. At 2.6 miles you come to a 4-way intersection.
Note;
Left, South, is just an access trail to Calvary St.
Note;
Right, East, takes you over the Mary
T Early Footbridge, which is alongside an old
railroad trestle. After crossing, left, North,
is an access trail to River St
and right, East, brings you to a promenade overlooking Bleachery Dam. There is
also a parking lot located here off River St
in the Shaws Supermarket parking lot.
Continuing straight, Northwest, from the 4-way
intersection, travel underneath the old railroad trestle and you'll soon be
passing by more river overlooks. Next, you'll pass by the
Newton
Street
Bridge, before passing by the
Elm
Street
Bridge. The trail continues West,
alongside
the river, across which you'll spot the cantilevered boardwalk in front of the Charles River Museum of Industry. You’ll come to
the Charles River Greenway Bridge, a
pedestrian bridge over the river, at
3.3 miles.
Note;
The Charles River Greenway Bridge takes you
North, across the river, to Landry Park and the CHARLES
RIVER MUSEUM
of INDUSTRY . You can also check it out on the return trip when the trail
Loops back,
along the Northern Side of the river.
Continue past the parking garage and the trail
leads up to the Moody Street Bridge.
A Dam is along your
right and downtown Waltham is along your left. Use the crosswalk (Caution
no cross-light)
to cross over this busy street. This brings you to Cronin’s
Landing, a brick lined trail travels South,
along the river with benches and a wooden dock.
When you reach Crescent St, turn right for a 0.6 mile on-road
detour. The
sidewalk here is narrow. When you reach the Prospect
Street Bridge, use the cross walk over Prospect St. Head
right to pick up the paved trail as it travels South,
behind
the old Waltham Watch Factory building and alongside the river. The trail
turns to hard packed dirt at 4.2 miles. Pass
through a parking lot for the Woerd Ave boat launch and out to Woerd Ave.
Thus begins another on-road detour. Travel right along Woerd Ave
and you’ll cross over a bridge. This will take you through a residential
area. Woerd Rd
now turns into Forest Grove Rd
as you cross over a causeway with the river on your right and Purgatory Cove on
your left. This brings you to Forest Grove Park in Newton
and the end of the road at 5
miles. Head past the green gate and rejoin the trail which starts off as gravel
and then turns to stone-dust. Several paths intersect with the trail; just keep
with the stone-dust. Bear right at an intersection and this will bring you to Auburndale
Park, which has playgrounds, ball fields, picnic areas and restrooms. After you pass
by the William Connolly Recreation Center, turn right and cross over a stone
bridge. Turn left along the River Walk Trail. When you come to an intersection,
bear right, keeping the ball fields on your left. This will bring you to Islington
Rd
and Commonwealth Ave
at 5.7 miles. Head right, West, on-road (wide shoulder) along Commonwealth Ave (sidewalk
available). This takes you past the
Norumbega Conservation Area and the CHARLES
RIVER CANOE & KAYAK . Cross over the Commonwealth Ave Bridge and you’ll come
to a set of stairs on your right at 6.3 miles. These lead down to the Newton
Boathouse parking lot along
the river and Norumbega Rd in Weston. If your biking and don’t want to carry your bike down these
steep stairs, turn right up the I-95 on-ramp (use caution as there is not
much of a shoulder) to a road leading off on your right. This will bring you
down to Norumbega Rd. Right leads to the Newton Boathouse parking lot
after 6.5 miles.
Note; More sections of the Charles River Path
are located in Wellesley & Newton: See; Wellesley
Trails and Needham: See; Cutler Park
Reservation . Plans call for continuing the trail South via the proposed
RIVERSIDE
GREENWAY . See; Map Below.
This is the halfway point for the Upper Charles River
Bikeway Loop:
You now head back
East,
to Watertown,
along the
Northern Side of the Charles
River:
Upper
Charles River Bikeway Loop; Northern Side:
Note; A
Gap exists here along the Northern Side
of the river; A 3 mile on-road
detour begins here if you wish to Loop back along the
Northern Side of the Charles
River.
Continuing from the Newton Boathouse parking lot in Newton;
[Continuing Mileage] Head
North, on-road,
along the low traffic, winding, Norumbega Rd, along the Northern
Side of the Charles River with its inlets. Pass by the odd stone Norumbega Tower
at 7.2 miles. See; NORUMBEGA
TOWER
for the odd story behind it. When you come to River Rd, you need to turn right along the sidewalk.
Note; You can take a quick
detour by heading straight, West, across the road and up Gate House Lane,
to check out the earthen dam and spillway for Stony Brook Reservoir. Part of
the
Cambridge
Water Works.
Continuing right along River Rd, you cross a bridge and the road turns into
South St (sidewalk available) as you return to Waltham. Cross the RR tracks where you'll pick up a narrow
paved trail. Travel through Brandeis University and after 9 miles turn right,
East, on Highland St, then right, South,
on Prospect St. Travel underneath a RR bridge and just before the Prospect Street
Bridge, you'll pick up the Upper Charles River Bikeway at about
9.2 miles. Here the paved trail travels
Northeast, along the Northern
Side
of
the Charles River and eventually alongside some railroad tracks. You
come to the
Moody Street Bridge at 9.9 miles. There is a crosswalk, but
this is a very busy street. Once you reach the other side, the trail follows the
sidewalk East, alongside Landry Park.
Note; A stone-dust trail travels through the
park, from the Dam, alongside the Fish Ladder and river, to a signboard for the
"Historic Landmark District" and the Charles River Greenway Bridge.
This pedestrian bridge crosses the Charles River.
The sidewalk brings you to the bricked-lined Museum Walk
and an entrance for the CHARLES
RIVER MUSEUM of INDUSTRY . Just
past the museum the trail continues along a cantilevered boardwalk above the
river to a paved trail underneath the Elm
Street Bridge. The trail then takes you up to the Elm
Street Bridge.
Note; A
Gap exists here along the
Northern Side
of the river;
You'll need to cross the Elm
Street Bridge,
South, over the river to the
Southern Side
of the
Charles River to return to the paved trail
on your left at 10.3 miles. This is a retrace
along the Southern
Side
of the
Charles River heading East, that you rode on your trip upstream. Retrace this route all the way
to the Farewell Street Bridge at
11.2 miles. Cross this bridge over the river, back to Watertown
and continue East, along the
Northern Side of the river, where you'll pass by river overlooks and cross boardwalks before coming to the Blue
Heron Bridge.
Note; A
Gap exists East, here, along the
Northern Side
of the river;
You'll need to cross the Blue
Heron Bridge, South, over the river to the
Southern
Side and back into Newton. Retrace your route along the Southern
Side of the
Charles River back to the Bridge Street
Bridge at 12.3 miles. Use the cross-light and then turn left over the
Bridge Street Bridge to reach
the trail along the Northern
Side of the
Charles River in Watertown.
Continue East, along this paved section,
which includes some boardwalks, as well as, platforms overlooking the river. You'll pass by the MDC's
Dealtry Memorial swimming pool and pass by the Thompson Footbridge,
which crosses over the river. The Charles
River Reservation parking lot is just up the entrance road. When you come to
a white building at 13.3 miles, the trail splits. Left, North,
is an access trail out to
Pleasant St. Continue right and you'll come to a platform overlooking the Watertown Dam.
Continue along the boardwalk
between the river and building, which turns back to pavement and you'll come to
Watertown Square
in Watertown
after a 13.9 mile Loop.
HH
CLICK HERE FOR
CHARLES RIVER BIKEWAY MAP
CLICK
HERE FOR UPPER CHARLES RIVER BIKEWAY GALEN ST to BRIDGE ST SECTION MAP
CLICK
HERE FOR UPPER CHARLES RIVER BIKEWAY BRIDGE ST to MOODY ST SECTION MAP
CLICK
HERE FOR RIVERSIDE GREENWAY MAP
CLICK
HERE FOR NORUMBEGA PARK MAP
CLICK
HERE FOR AUBURNDALE MAP
CLICK
HERE FOR EMERALD NECKLACE GREENWAY MAP
BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE
SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND
DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT
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