LoanWolf888 t1_iy16i68 wrote on November 27, 2022 at 11:32 PM

Reply to comment by 3720-To-One in Progress on the Mass Central Rail Trail in Waltham. Ultimately will connect Boston to Northampton by Exit_127

The one in Weston is the Mass Central Rail Trail. This new trail will connect to it near Main Street.

DMala t1_iy2b7l5 wrote on November 28, 2022 at 5:03 AM

Important to note that the connection is not part of this phase. When this phase is done, the trail in Waltham will run between Main St. and Beaver St. To get from Main St. to the Weston-Wayland section will involve some off-road riding and crossing a dodgy, unrestored railroad trestle, or a fairly lengthy detour on surface roads.

Particular-Exam6585 t1_iy2c9tz wrote on November 28, 2022 at 5:14 AM

Is there a map somewhere?

DMala t1_iy2dvyk wrote on November 28, 2022 at 5:31 AM

https://www.masscentralrailtrail.org/interactive-google-map

I'm pretty sure you can't actually pick up the 'unofficial' trail from Stow St. the way the map shows, but I think if you cross 128 on Main St. you can pick up the trail from Green St./Spencer St. and/or Jones Rd. The trestle you'd have to cross is at Stony Brook. I've seen it from the end of the Weston trail and... no. People cross it but I wouldn't try.

To get to the Weston trail on surface roads, you would follow Main St./North St. to Church St., and then pick up the trail from Church. Again, I've never tried it, but it's actually probably not that bad.

CriticalTransit t1_iy2fcut wrote on November 28, 2022 at 5:47 AM

Find the Rockland Trust bank between Main St and Stow St just east of 95/128. (Riding up Main St isn’t great but you could go through Brandeis and Cedarwood, also a big hill but no traffic, or take the 70 bus to the end.)

Exiting the bank parking lot, across Stow St is the unofficial entrance behind a gate that’s usually open or you go around it. Follow the informal path across the old rail bridge, keep going straight and follow the power lines. It’s all rideable except the second bridge which is short. After the second bridge (over the MBTA Fitchburg Line) the pavement starts. On the left there are some easy MTB trails too.

If you want only pavement, find Kendal Green T station and go south about a half mile to the trail. Getting there is more sketchy than some dirt because it’s hilly and shoulder less.

Particular-Exam6585 t1_iy6q1cr wrote on November 29, 2022 at 3:44 AM

Also F Belmont for not getting their act together on this

Fireandbud t1_iye3mxb wrote on November 30, 2022 at 6:42 PM

The wayland-sudbury blue section doesn’t exist as any sort of path. It’s mostly entirely overgrown rail tracks. Some of it drainage ditches that are almost always full of standing water. I decided to check it out in person because that section follows my commute exactly

ChemStack t1_iy2eick wrote on November 28, 2022 at 5:38 AM

You can get on the Weston part of the trail here:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/3A55dfMBjvHK6Gf8A?g_st=ic

As the other commenter said, you do have to cross a rail road bridge (goes over the Fitchburg commuter rail line) but I’ve done it a bunch of times, is fine/quite safe. Just have to walk across it. The trail to get to the paved section is dirt but pretty clear and can be done with a road bike.

nebirah t1_iy3tfhm wrote on November 28, 2022 at 3:25 PM

I've seen that bridge while driving by, and I'm guessing it's safer for a certain caliber of person - but not for everyone? Plus, isn't it technically illegal to walk on it?