Minuteman Bikeway

I love this path. For someone who lives in the city and enjoys cycling as a workout, this path offers everything I need. Yes, it’s crowded (sometimes) and yes there are some bumps along the way, but for the most part this is an easy, scenic ride that stretches from Alewife all the way to the Bedford Depot.
This has been my first year riding the Minuteman Bikeway, but I’ve gotten my time in on this track. This past summer I rode this path about 2x a week without any issues.

Other cities are all like, «hey, let’s take this unused train track and turn it into a multi-​use path!» and the Boston area is like, «hey, we did that years ago, losers!» Enter: the Minuteman BIkeway, which uses the former right-​of-​way for Bedford/​Lexington rail service as a biking and walking path for the public.
In terms of bike paths, it really doesn’t get much nicer than the Minuteman. It’s a wide, flat, paved path has a few deceptively downhill/​uphill portions (notice how tired your legs get during the Arlington section, or coming back from Bedford!) but is generally a great place for an easy ride or to build your skills. Beware: on not-​sweltering, sunny weekends in the summer, this path is PACKED! There are lots of families and pedestrians, especially in the Cambridge/​Arlington sections, so be prepared to pass or slow down a lot. If you want to do a speed run on your road bike, you’re better off during a weekday or even after work.
The path connects Alewife station at the end of the red line in North Cambridge to the old Bedford Depot in Bedford. It’s about ten miles end-​to-​end, and twenty round trip. But the real beauty in this path are the connections: it connects to the Alewife Linear Park/​Somerville Community Path at its Cambridge end (be aware that you will need to cut through Davis Square to get to the Community Path), though the connection means you can, in theory, ride continuously from Lowell Street in Spring Hill all the way to Bedford. And once the (mystical?) GLX Community Path comes to fruition, you’ll be able to ride from the West End of Boston/​Lechmere all the way to Bedford!
On the Bedford end, there are a bunch of trail/​road options. The Bedford-​Billerica narrow gauge rail trail is particularly devoid of any other humans and unbelievably beautiful, though it’s mostly unpaved and calls for thicker tires than road bike tires. Get off the trail in Lexington and ride roads to Walden Pond in Concord, or ride the unpaved trails at the Minuteman Historical Park. There are also trails off of the path itself in Arlington that explore Arlington’s Great Meadow.
There are a handful of bike and provisions shops near or on the trail itself. Perhaps more importantly, the trail passes through the heart of Arlington and abuts Mass Ave in Lexington, so if an ice cream break is calling your name, you’ve got choices. And at the end of the trail in Bedford, there’s a small shop inside the Depot where you can stock up on bike maps, cold water, post cards, snacks, etc. and there’s also a public restroom.

I rode my hybrid Specialized from the Bedford end to Alewife and back yesterday with a friend. We parked at the Bedford Depot which was really easy to get to with plenty of parking available. We really enjoyed this 20 mile round trip paved trail. Trees line the bikeway which was perfect given the heat yesterday. The scenery and trail itself is beautiful even though you are passing through some resident’s backyards.
I loved that there was a bike shop right on the trail in Arlington. Before that we passed the back entrance of Trader Joes/​Starbucks. Once we entered the Arlington downtown area, we stopped for lunch before Alewife and heading back.
After finishing the trail, we treated ourselves to Bedford Farms Ice Cream right down the road. Phenomenal. I’ll definitely be going back here considering how accessible it is by car and T. It took us 30 minutes to drive to Bedford from East Boston.

Typically ride it from Bedford into Lexington or Arlington. It runs right through the center of both towns, and provides access to the ample supply of stores and restaurants there.

One of the better rail trails in the area. Always well kept and accessible. Local to do many businesses that it’s easy to get out during lunch time. Even had pedestrian lights on some of the more traffic heavy streets.

+ paved roads (path marked where branches erupt up)
+ mostly downhill and even the uphill parts aren’t bad at all!
+ nice scenery along the historic route
+ easy to leave course and explore
+ can take you almost all the way out to Walden Pond (need to go about 7 miles more after you reach the end of the Minuteman)
+ tons of shade, minimum sun burning!
— Boston and Cambridge area near Mass. Ave. is horrendous for traffic– BE CAREFUL, there is no rhyme and reason to the way people move out here!
Get your good shoes on and a sweat-​soaking shirt and hope on your bike or strap your blades because the Minuteman will get you places! I road this with a few people all the way out to Walden Pond and it was about a 45 – 50 mile round trip journey depending on where you leave from – WORTH IT.
The trail for the most part is fairly smooth, there’s a ton of people on weekend as everyone’s just looking to get out for a bit, but everyone’s friendly and watches out for each other. Grab a few snack bars or fruit because there’s a lovely historic train station waiting for you at the end and outside are benches for you to park your bike, snap a victorious pic with homies, and munch on something good. Gotta recharge for the way back!
…but just in case you get tired, the path runs along the various commuter rail lines, so you can hop on and live to adventure another day ;)
Lost a star for me only because seriously, it can get CROWDED, kids, families, bikers, roller bladers… can kind of get into a traffic jam from time to time.

Sure, this path can get crowded. Yes, there can be a lot of little kids and lollygaggers on one hand, and a peloton of Tour wannabees on the other, but guess what? It’s a public park in a major urban area. Stop the kvetching. There is a lot more to like than to criticize. In my opinion, these include:
— 20 R/​T miles of car-​free riding from Alewife to Bedford
— An extension from Alewife to Davis Square in Somerville and a good ¼ mile beyond
— A new extension from Alewife west between Route 2 and the RR tracks that includes a boardwalk and crushed stone siding over a wetland — maybe 2 miles R/​T
— An option to ride to Fresh Pond
— The Reformatory Branch trail a couple of blocks from the Bedford terminus, a hard pack dirt trail that goes to Concord Center (9 miles round trip w/​out a detour to Minuteman National Park)
— Lots of food and rest options along the way, including restaurants on Mass Ave in Arlington, Lexington center, Spy Pond and many parks and parklets
— A city, suburb, exurb riding experience
— MAJOR historical sites
— Ample, clean restroom opps
— Generally decent, well-​behaved people
What do you think of my review? Let me know by clicking a button below. Thanks.

I frequently go jogging on this path and think it’s great for a run, bike ride, or just getting around town.
Although it can get a little crowded, it’s really not too bad considering how congested the area is, and the fact that it goes right to the Alewife T-​stop.
My favorite thing about it, is that you can cover a lot of distance without having to cross many streets. Hard to get going when you have to stop every 1000 ft!
Overall, as long as you stay off it during commuting hours, it’s perfect for a nice ride or run!

Wow. I really hate this path. Okay, not the path itself, which is a pretty, if standard, rails-​to-​trails type path. I dislike the riders. Every damn one of them.
They take themselves WAY too seriously: the elaborate biking outfits, the expensive (and thus, very quiet) bicycles, the I’m-in-training pace. The pathological inability to call out a clear, polite, «On your left.» It’s like they are all pretending they are the only person who had the bright idea to bicycle in the western suburbs of Boston. Then there are the folks who stop in the middle of the path to do repairs. Or chat. Or drink water. Or chase their kids. And that’s just people who are out on the weekends.
At weekday rush hour the whole path is infused with a special, cyclist-​commuter version of road rage.
And half the people using this path (for any form of locomotion, at any given time) are wearing headphones. Real safe, people. No wonder no one hails.
I’ve used trails like this to ride substantial distances up and down the Eastern Seaboard and this is the only one I’ve ever lost interest in. I don’t recommend this path for any form of recreation: walking, jogging, bicycling. Oh, except Mass-​hole bingo. Buy a lemonade/​hot cocoa, park yourself at a bench on the sidelines and you can play lightning rounds.

This is a beautiful path, I have walked along it a bunch of times with the baby I watch. We take strolls along it and it’s just awesome.
It goes so long too it’s like it just keeps going in both directions! Crazy, it’s an easy path and every one is kind enough on sharing the road.
The only part I HAAAATE as a driver, not a walker is the Lake Street cross over, bikers f’n FLY through it, yes I slow down, as the person driving in front of me is but damn just because you ride a bike does not give you God’s walk on water ability, slow the F down.

This is a great path in a lot of ways. I live right near the Somerville extension path and in a few short minutes I can be on my way towards Bedford. It’s a pretty well maintained mixed-​use path, and it’s pretty flat. It’s nice for days when you’re looking for a leisurely ride, or to really pick up some speed. You do have to cross over some streets (and at one point you should dismount your bike to get across Mass Ave), but it’s mostly straight with nice of nature surrounding the path.
I’ve used this path for biking and running alike and mostly enjoy it. Along the way there’s a Starbucks, Trader Joes, a couple of bike shops, and easy exit from the path in case you need a bathroom or anything like that. It’s always been great for long runs because I know that I have places to fill up my water bottle if need be. I don’t think I have seen any water fountains, though that doesn’t mean that they aren’t there. Could just be that I haven’t noticed them.
The problem is that it gets REALLY crowded. Understanding that it’s a mixed use path, I try to have some patience with runners when I’m biking and cyclists when I’m running. Most people know to stay to the right and will nudge over if you say «on your left,» but not always. Last weekend I pretty much played chicken with a five year old who couldn’t keep a straight line. I had nowhere to go — as turning right would put me into a ditch and left into other riders.
My suggestion is to go on off times of the day, or maybe when the weather isn’t picture perfect. You’ll probably have a nicer (and faster) ride or run!

All users are invited to join Minuteman Commuter Bikeway /​Narrow-​Gauge /​Reformatory Branch Rail-​Trail Facebook group —
— an open forum fostering a strong bike community in and around the interconnected trail system that traverses several towns (Arlington, Lexington, Bedford, Concord, Carlisle) and the city of Cambridge. Members share news and information about the trails, nearby roads, events happening in the area.

I always go biking here with my family, definitely recommend it!

A well maintained paved trail that is mixed use for transportation and recreation. Because of this mixed use, it is good but not my very favorite trail for walks. It has somewhat of a tunnel feel as there isn’t much to see and there is a long distance between some of the dropoffs.

Bike path + Boston? Minuteman Trail is probably the first thing that comes to mind. Apparently the most used bike path in the US!
It’s an 11 mile ride from Arlington to Bedford and people commute year round on here.
It’s super convenient, starting at the Alewife train station. If you’re driving, there’s plenty of free parking along the street of the bike path, as well as parking lots.
There’s not much in terms of scenery unless you like peeping into people’s backyards.
It’s mostly cyclists, but you’ll see a handful of bladers and runners. It’s also a flat trail.
It’s pretty well maintained, with minor cracks in the pavement here and there but they’re not marked so watch out!
I like how you can take a break in Lexington Square, grab some snacks or treat yourself to some froyo.
Lots of intersections you have to cross and a HUGE one at Arlington Center.
This is definitely THE bike path for those living in Boston.
p. s. If this is too short, there’s actually more trail at the Bedford end, check out the map once you reach the end. We did some offroading on the Reformatory Branch Trail and that was a nice change to the normal paved rides.

Love this meandering 20 something mile path with no cars. Leisurely or not, there’s a pace comfortable for you. Of late, several bike and provision stores have opened along the way so should you require sustenance or supplies, you can find them.

Adrenaline coursed through my veins. The overhanging greenery flowed past at tremendous speed. Ahead, the man on the pink bike descended over a hill and out of view.
I had trailed him for what seemed like a lifetime. Actually it had been around 45 minutes, beginning on the winding streets of Cambridge and continuing onto the Minuteman Bikeway.
Twice I thought I would overtake him, but failed. The second time I was almost caught in a disastrous collision with a mother and her twin babies. I narrowly avoided her double-​wide jogging stroller, throwing myself wildly into the shrubbery and gashing my shins.
Now I was closing on him again… I could hear the mechanical rhythm of his legs, compressed in expensive spandex shorts, as they turned the pedals with seemingly inexhaustible power. His twin taillights flashed in an annoying discordant rhythm, taunting me.
«On Your Left» I growled as I passed an elderly couple riding a tandem bike.
Could he hear me approaching? Did he realize I had come back from almost certain tragedy, and was now just a few meters behind him? The rushing of the wind was my only answer.
Suddenly the man on the pink bike sat upright and for the first time I realized he was exceptionally tall. His bike slowed to a stop and he extended his long legs to the ground. He looked like Larry Bird.
I glided effortlessly to his left and passed into the open expanse of the bikeway. Joy flooded my heart. Finally, I had won! I pedaled hard for another minute or two, soaking in the sense of freedom and relief. My Nemesis had been vanquished. All my hard work finally paid off!
And then I was alone. An emptiness overwhelmed me. I stopped my bike and looked over my shoulder. The bikeway was enveloped in a dark green mass. Victory had left me defeated, still searching.
I turned around and headed back in the direction I had come, looking to see if the man with the pink bike was still on the trail…

One of the premier rail trails in New England, but it may also be the most crowded. It is 10.5 miles from end-​to-​end, which is obviously a long way, but you’ll see at least a few people the entire time you are on this trail.
The scenery isn’t amazing or anything, but the proximity to Boston is awesome and it ends at the Alewife Red Line T-​station (could this be more convenient?). There’s also some good restaurants only a block away from the trail in Lexington & Arlington.
The quality of pavement is B+ and will suit bikers, rollerbladers and such real well.
There is tons of parking at the western end in Bedford.

I brought an expensive bicycle recently for the sole purpose of using it at the Minuteman Bikeway. That’s how much I liked it.
I used to inline skate here but the hills exhausted me.

Superb experience.
What I like about this one is that is truly a «linear park», more so than other less popular bike paths. All sorts of folks are on it, biking, blading, walking, socializing, commuting. It is a vision for what a vast network of such things we could have if more people understood it.
I once heard someone on talk radio sneering at a line item for money set aside for a bike path. What a dunce. I can think of few things that the State could better spend money on. There are tens of thousand of miles of nearly level roadbed abandoned in the USA, much of it created by brutally hard manual labor, just crying out to be made into such paths. Railroads attempted to keep grades lower than gaining ot losing 2 feet in a hundred, what Nirvana for bike riders, and most of it now hidden and forgotten in the weeds.
The bike store at the Bedford end is pretty good too. I got a gel seat and slapped that baby right on for a smooth cruise back to Cambridge.
You might want to consider getting a mirror if you don’t have one. You don’t need one on let’s say, the Lower Mills Dorchester Path, but you need to be very aware of everyone around you on the MinuteMan.
The historical signs are very informative, I wish all bike paths had them.