Ashuwillticook Rail Trail (May 2024)
A little bit of a late start this year, but we finally made it out for our first “real” ride on Thursday. If you’ve been following us for a while, or if you’ve stopped in to talk about riding, you probably know that the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail in Massachusetts is one of our favorite trails. It’s usually our first and last non-local ride each year, plus a bonus ride or two during the summer if we need something quick and easy. When we talk about improvements we’d like to see on our local trails, this is the trail we reference the most.
The Ashuwillticook Rail Trail runs between Adams and Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It’s about 14 miles one way, and we usually start in Adams (parking at Renfrew Field) in order to take advantage of the “downhill” on the way back. Parking here does require navigating a roundabout and a short street through an industrial park, but after that it’s exclusively paved off-the-road riding.
The trail passes through a couple small New England towns and parks with stretches of forest, wetlands, and lakeside views making up most of the ride. There are several parking areas along the trail with bathrooms available at a handful of the trailheads. AJ’s Trailside Pub is directly on the trail in Adams, and PUBLIC eat & drink in North Adams is a great option if you prefer to wait until after your ride to eat. If you’re an early bird, Renee’s Diner in North Adams and the Misty Moonlight Diner in Pittsfield are both great for breakfast. If you happen to travel through Williamstown on your way to the trail, stop in and say hello to our friends at The Spoke bike shop.
We recommend riding this trail at various times of year, as it’s a different experience each time, but Fall is definitely our favorite time to ride. If you have questions about this ride, or about making your riding experience more enjoyable, come see us!
