| |  |
Return to Biking Trips Menu
Northampton Rails to Trails History Ride
Dates: TBA
Price: $45
Trip Length: 5 hours
Biking activity rating: Novice
Photo Gallery
Northampton Rails to Trails - July 2007
Ever wonder about the history of the former railroad corridor that is
now a bike path? Or how such a path came to be built, and where and
when they plan to build more?
Come along on a
journey you'll never forget! You'll be taken on a leisurely, narrated
bicycle tour of the existing and future rail trail network that radiates
from the charming town of Northampton, Massachusetts. This five hour
tour will take-in the right-of-way of four different former railroads,
(Boston & Maine Railroad Mass Central Division and its Mt. Tom Branch
and the New Haven Railroad's Canal Division and their Williamsburg
Branch).
Our trip will start at the Sugar Maple Trailside Inn, located at 62
Chestnut Street in Florence, where we'll head west on the Northampton
bikeway. After a short 1/2 mile segment of on-road riding on Rt. 9,
we'll explore railroad archaeology still visible on the future rail
trail along the Mill River. Our focus will be on the history of the New
Haven Railroad's Williamsburg branch, the industrial villages of
Florence and Leeds and the politics of trail building. Returning back
to the Sugar Maple Trailside Inn for a quick break, we'll begin the
second segment of our trip heading east onto the Norwottuck trail (aka
the Mass Central Branch of the B&M railroad). As we ride along the
state's regional gem, we'll discuss the history of one of the B&M's most
storied branch lines as well as the politics of building long distance
trails. From here we'll double back on the Norwottuck trail and head
into downtown Northampton for a discussion of the concepts that make
streets attractive and accommodating for bikes and pedestrians, the
design of rail trails, a short history of downtown Northampton, and the
long diverted Mill River. We'll break for lunch at the rustic
Northampton Brewery (the first brew pub in New England). After lunch
we'll begin the third segment of our trip and bike south along the
former New Haven Canal Division, to see the dam where the Mill River is
diverted, here we'll discuss the plan to re-water the route of the Mill
River in downtown. We'll then head back on the actual right of way of
the old New Haven and Northampton Canal, retracing our steps back to the
Sugar Maple Trailside Inn.
- Guided/Historical Information
- Lunch/Water
- Leisurely ride along Northampton's bikeway
- Rails to Trails archaeology, history, creation and future plans
To get further information or
to sign-up for this trip email us at
info@activebynature.com or
call (978) 928-3306.
|
| | |
