Border to Boston Trail

See below for in-depth directions for five different trips along the East Coast Greenway - from 17 to 75 miles - between Boston and the New Hampshire border. 

Boston to Lynn and Back, 34 miles round trip (bike only):

See map

Start: Museum of Science, Boston

Route: Starting at the Museum of Science parking garage entrance, cross Charles River Dam Road (Route 28) toward the Education First (EF) campus and follow the East Coast Greenway signs to the beautiful North Bank bicycle and pedestrian bridge that leads to Paul Revere Park. From there, head north on Warren Avenur through Charlestown to Sullivan Square (stay in the separated bike lane and take the first rotary exit for Alford Street (Route 99). Follow the signs and take a left onto the Encore Casino property in Everett and through Santilli Circle to the Northern Strand Community Trail. The trail traverses through Everett, Malden, Revere (beautiful views of Rumney Marsh), Saugus and Lynn; sections of the trail are under construction so please carefully consult map.greenway.org for the temporary on-road detour. Just past the North Shore Community College, stay on the sidewalk to use the pedestrian bridge to cross the Lynnway. Once in Lynn Heritage State Park, exit onto the Lynnway sidewalk and continue to head east and cross Nahant Road to reach the beach and the Lynn Shore Promenade. Return to Boston on the same route in reverse direction.

Local Knowledge: Recommended lunch stops include Dockside Restaurant in Malden for burgers, sandwiches and salads and Maria & Dino's Pizza on the Lynn-Saugus line. 

Lynn to Boston: 17 miles (train and bike):

See map

Start (on bike): Lynn MBTA Station

Route: Board the commuter rail at Boston's North Station with your bike. Bicycles are allowed on the train on weekends and during off-peak hours during the week (check www.mbta.com for the latest schedules that also includes a bike graphic showing when bikes are permitted). Once getting off the train at Lynn, head northwest on Market Street. At Western Avenue you will find the newly built section of the Northern Strand Community Trail that travels through Lynn, Saugus, Revere (beautiful views of Rumney Marsh), Malden and into Everett; sections of the trail are under construction so please carefully consult map.greenway.org for the temporary on-road detour. At the end of the trail, follow the signs to Santilli Circle and continue on the sidewalk to use the underpass to cross under Revere Beach Parkway (Route 16). Use the sidewalk to access the Gateway Park Path, continue to the Encore Casino Riverwalk and onto Alford Street to Sullivan Square. Carefully follow the signs around Sullivan Square using the crosswalks to reach the other side (without going around the rotary) to get to Main St. in Charlestown. Follow the East Coast Greenway route to Paul Revere Park and cross the Charles River Locks out to Causeway Street and take a right to get back to North Station.

Local Knowledge: Recommended lunch stops include Dockside Restaurant in Malden for burgers, sandwiches and salads and Maria & Dino's Pizza on the Lynn-Saugus line. 

Salem to Boston, 28 miles (train and bike):

See map

Start (on bike): Salem MBTA Station

Route: Board the commuter rail at the North Station with your bike. Bicycles are allowed on the train on weekends and during off-peak hours during the week (check www.mbta.com for the latest schedules that also includes a bike graphic showing when bikes are permitted). Once off the train at Salem, take the ramp just outside the station up to Washington Street and follow the East Coast Greenway signs to continue on the sidepath that parallels Bridge Street. Continue and cross Lafayette Street at the harbor, and proceed on the stone dust Marblehead Rail Trail (surface upgrades expected in 2021). Bear right on the trail at the electric transfer station to continue south and onto the new but short section of the Swampscott Rail Trail for a few blocks. Once the trail ends, take Atlantic and Puritan Avenues to Humphrey Street and into Swampscott Center. Take a left off Humphrey Street onto the Lynn Shore Promenade, cross Nahant Road, and continue on the sidewalk into Lynn Heritage Park, over the Lynnway on the pedestrian bridge, and past North Shore Community College, and continue on Market Street to North Common Street, through the roundabout to the exit onto Western Avenue. There you will see the newly built section of the Northern Strand Community Trail that travels through Lynn, Saugus, Revere (beautiful views of Rumney Marsh), Malden and into Everett; sections of the trail are under construction so please carefully consult map.greenway.org for the temporary on-road detour At the end of the Northern Strand, follow the signs to Santilli Circle and continue on the sidewalk to use the underpass to cross under Revere Beach Parkway (Route 16). Use the sidewalk to access the Gateway Park Path, continue to the Encore Casino Riverwalk and onto Alford Street to Sullivan Square. Carefully follow the signs around Sullivan Square using the crosswalks to reach the other side (without going around the rotary) to get to Main St. in Charlestown. Follow the East Coast Greenway route to Paul Revere Park and cross the Charles River Locks out to Causeway Street and take a right to get back to North Station.

Local Knowledge: Recommended lunch stops include a number of options along Washington Street in Salem, Dockside Restaurant in Malden for burgers, sandwiches and salads and Maria & Dino's Pizza on the Lynn-Saugus line. 

Newburyport to Boston, 64 miles (train and bike):

See map

Start (on bike): Newburyport MBTA Station

Route: Board the train at the North Station Commuter Rail station with your bike. Bicycles are allowed on the train on weekends and during off-peak hours during the week (check www.mbta.com for the latest schedules that also includes a bike graphic showing when bikes are permitted). Once off the train at Newburyport, follow the East Coast Greenway signs south through Groveland, Georgetown, Boxford to Topsfield. At the intersection of Washington Street and Parsonage Street,  get onto the Topsfield Linear Common. This trail heads south across the Ipswich River Bridge and into Wenham and onto the Danvers Rail Trail. At the end of the rail trail at the busy intersection of Lowell Street and Bourbon Street, enter the Jewish Cemetery on the right. Once on Peabody Street, take a left onto the Independence Greenway to the North Shore Mall. Follow the East Coast Greenway signs on-road through Peabody into Salem and into Leslie’s Retreat Park. Cross the train tracks and use the sidewalk along Bridge Street to enter the Salem MBTA station property. Take the ramp on your right up to Washington Street and follow the East Coast Greenway signs to the sidepath along Bridge Street and continue out to the harbor and eventually onto the Salem Bike Path. After crossing Lafayette Street (Route 114), proceed on the stone dust Marblehead Rail Trail (surface upgrades expected in 2021). Bear right on the trail at the electric transfer station to continue south and onto the new but short section of the Swampscott Rail Trail for a few blocks.

Once the trail ends, take Atlantic and Puritan Avenues to Humphrey Street and into Swampscott Center. Take a left off Humphrey Street onto the Lynn Shore Promenade, cross Nahant Rd, and continue on the sidewalk into Lynn Heritage Park, over the Lynnway on the pedestrian bridge, and past North Shore Community College, and continue on Market Street to North Common Street, through the roundabout to the exit for Western Ave. There you will see the newly built section of the Northern Strand Community Trail that travels through Lynn, Saugus, Revere (beautiful views of Rumney Marsh), Malden and into Everett; sections of the trail are under construction so please carefully consult map.greenway.org for the temporary on-road detour. 

At the end of the Northern Strand, follow the East Coast Greenway signs to Santilli Circle and continue on the sidewalk to use the underpass to cross under Revere Beach Parkway (Route 16). Use the sidewalk to access the Gateway Park Path, continue to the Encore Casino Riverwalk, and onto Alford Street to Sullivan Square. Carefully follow the signs around Sullivan Square using the crosswalks to reach the other side (without going around the rotary) to get to Main Street in Charlestown. Follow the East Coast Greenway route to Paul Revere Park and cross the Charles River Locks and continue out to Causeway Street and take a right to get back to North Station.

Local Knowledge: Recommended lunch stops include:

• Michael's Restaurant in Newburyport for outdoor dining with a view of the Merrimac River

• Bagel Bin Deli  in Topsfield 

• Cherry Street Fish Market  in Danvers for seafood with outdoor seating (temporarily closed)

• Many options at the North Shore Mall in Peabody

• Numerous options along Washington Street in Salem
• Dockside Restaurant in Malden for burgers, sandwiches and salads
• Maria & Dino's Pizza on the Lynn-Saugus line.

New Hampshire border to Boston, 75 miles (train and bike):

See map for Newburyport north to Salisbury

See map for Salisbury south to Boston

Start (on bike): Newburyport MBTA Station

Route: Board the train at the North Station with your bike. Bicycles are allowed on the train on weekends and during off-peak hours during the week (check www.mbta.com for the latest schedules that also includes a bike graphic showing when bikes are permitted). 

Once off the train at Newburyport, head north on the Clipper City Rail Trail. The trail crosses under Route 1 and take the sidewalk on the bridge over the Merrimac River. Once on the other side in Salisbury, cross back under the bridge to resume on the Old Eastern Marsh Trail. Take that to the terminus of the trail, currently the trail is under construction and will later this year end at the New Hampshire border. Turn around and head back the same way to the Newburyport MBTA station. Approaching the station, follow the East Coast Greenway signs south through Groveland, Georgetown, Boxford to Topsfield. At the intersection of Washington Street and Parsonage Street, get onto the Topsfield Linear Common. This trail heads south across the Ipswich River Bridge and into Wenham and onto the Danvers Rail Trail. At the end of the rail trail at the busy intersection of Lowell Street and Bourbon Street, enter the Jewish Cemetery on the right. Once on Peabody Street, take a left onto the Independence Greenway to the North Shore Mall. Follow the East Coast Greenway signs on-road through Peabody into Salem and into Leslie’s Retreat Park. Cross the train tracks and use the sidewalk along Bridge Street to enter the Salem MBTA station property. Take the ramp on your right up to Washington Street and follow the East Coast Greenway signs to the sidepath along Bridge Street and continue out to the harbor and eventually onto the Salem Bike Path. After crossing Lafayette Street (Route 114), proceed on the stone dust Marblehead Rail Trail (surface upgrades expected in 2021). Bear right on the trail at the electric transfer station to continue south and onto the new but short section of the Swampscott Rail Trail for a few blocks.

Once the trail ends, take Atlantic and Puritan Avenues to Humphrey Street and into Swampscott Center. Take a left off Humphrey Street onto the Lynn Shore Promenade, cross Nahant Rd, and continue on the sidewalk into Lynn Heritage Park, over the Lynnway on the pedestrian bridge, and past North Shore Community College, and continue on Market Street to North Common Street, through the roundabout to the exit for Western Ave. There you will see the newly built section of the Northern Strand Community Trail that travels through Lynn, Saugus, Revere (beautiful views of Rumney Marsh), Malden and into Everett; sections of the trail are under construction so please carefully consult map.greenway.org for the temporary on-road detour. 

At the end of the Northern Strand, follow the East Coast Greenway signs to Santilli Circle and continue on the sidewalk to use the underpass to cross under Revere Beach Parkway (Route 16). Use the sidewalk to access the Gateway Park Path, continue to the Encore Casino Riverwalk, and onto Alford Street to Sullivan Square. Carefully follow the signs around Sullivan Square using the crosswalks to reach the other side (without going around the rotary) to get to Main Street in Charlestown. Follow the East Coast Greenway route to Paul Revere Park and cross the Charles River Locks and continue out to Causeway Street and take a right to get back to North Station.

Local Knowledge: Recommended lunch stops include:

• Michael's Restaurant in Newburyport for outdoor dining with a view of the Merrimac River

• Bagel Bin Deli  in Topsfield 

• Cherry Street Fish Market  in Danvers for seafood with outdoor seating (temporarily closed)

• Many options at the North Shore Mall in Peabody

• Numerous options along Washington Street in Salem
• Dockside Restaurant in Malden for burgers, sandwiches and salads
• Maria & Dino's Pizza on the Lynn-Saugus line.