WHITNEY SPUR RAIL TRAIL:
COHASSET, MASSACHUSETTS
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: October 12, 2013
Length: Whitney Spur Rail Trail; 1.6 miles
Difficulty: Easy. Flat stone-dust rail trail.
Directions:
Follow Route 3A south from Quincy through North Weymouth and Hingham. Less then 0.5 miles after crossing into Cohasset look left for the entrance to the MBTA station. This is where the trail crosses the road. Just past the station entrance turn left into the Old Colony Square. Travel left to where a road leads over to the MBTA station. You can access the trail here. If you park in the MBTA station lot there is a fee.
You may also access this trail from the MBTA's Greenbush Line. For information about taking your bike on the subway visit; MBTA-BIKE .
The Whitney Spur Rail Trail follows an abandoned rail spur off the Old Colony RR; Greenbush Line which served to facilitate the transfer of ammunition, stored in cement bunkers at the Hingham Naval Ammunition Depot Annex, to the Depot at the Hingham Shipyard. It travels from the Cohasset (MBTA station) through WHITNEY & THAYER WOODS and into WOMPATUCK STATE PARK . However, the section into Wompatuck SP is fenced off and closed to the public. From this rail trail you can access miles of woods trails in both reservations.
Starting from the Cohasset Station; Please walk your bike east from the station along the cement path out to the parking lot where the trail becomes paved.
Note; The trail extends west another 0.2 miles from the station along a narrow paved trail out to East St and the Woodside Cemetery.
The wide paved trail travels past the entrance to the Old Colony Square before coming to Route 3A after 0.2 miles. A cross-walk takes you over to the stone-dust rail trail where you head into thick woodlands. Almost immediately you enter Whitney & Thayer Woods reservation. Travel through the "Great Swamp" before coming to your first intersection after 0.7 miles. This should be Trail Marker 15 on the map. You'll cross other woods trails along the way including Trail Marker 26. Come to a fence at 1.4 miles where the trail currently ends. Here the trail is closed as it enters Wompatuck SP because of safety concerns. There are old abandoned buildings that were part of the old Hingham Navel Ammunition Depot along the old rail bed.
HH
CLICK HERE FOR WHITNEY & THAYER WOODS MAP
CLICK HERE FOR WOMPATUCK STATE PARK MAP
BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT