Assabet River Rail Trail

The trail is quite nice and not very hilly. With the exception of one intersection crossing in Hudson, it’s well-​marked throughout. The scenery ranges from decayed light industry to green and leafy with at least one great view.
The Assabet Rail Trail website is pretty good, but keeps the parking locations completely secret. (Doubtless a real cyclist would never deign to drive to the trail.) Someone below lists parking, but gets one lot confusingly wrong. The parking at 40 Hudson St in Marlborough is actually around back of the building, about half a block down Jefferson.

I like it and hate it. The trail is pretty to walk through in the fall. But, my street is on a hill, & my house is on the flatest part of the street… so people trespass through my yard ALL THE TIME, because of this «Rail Trail» Never mind the people being super loud– nonstop– and the fact they took away the wooded privacy… I like when it was the old traintracks I grew up with.

I love having a bike path in town! This is great to ride your bike, walk your dog, go for a run or snowshoe in the winter. Some areas are busier and it can get pretty crowded, but it’s so scenic!

Hudson police called again for people hanging out late at night on the rail trail. Please protect the people that live along the bike trail from the criminal element that uses the trail at night. Who’s learning how to ride a bike in the dark? Great place to traffic drugs or to rob homes.

good for going fast on a bike and leaving all the chumps behind. dont stop at the stop signs, itll just make your time slower. good fun

Nice trail for running. I started in Marlboro and ran about 4 miles. The only downside was the way out was all downhill which meant my way back was all uphill! Several road crossings but drivers were good and stopped for runners in crosswalks.

Such a nice scenic area, I used this a lot when I was in high school and got really into skateboarding. It was really convenient to just leave school, hop on my skateboard, and make my way to the Hudson skatepark!
It’s actually really clean, no mud or major big rocks on it. Paved really nicely, I do wish they had some type of lighting on it for after hours, but that may take away from the nice scenery.
I can only review up to the beginning of the bike trail at the Lincoln street /​Highland street intersection in Marlborough down towards Hudson off of Main street, because that’s the farthest distance I’ve traveled on it.
Some of the views are very photogenic, there is a nice spot where you can sit down on a bench and take a picture of the Fort Meadow lake in Marlborough. Down the trail a bit and there’s a really cool mini tunnel down towards the Hudson area, and although it is defacing, the graffiti there is really cool. A few minutes down the path and there is this stone area, the only way to describe it is an old broken down wall that once held intruders away from a caste, whatever it may be it is very interesting!
All the people I’ve ever seen on the bike path are friendly and will greet you, then again don’t be upset if they don’t. It’s not a social event, but I am glad people actually follow the rules and look out for one another.

Unlike other Rail Trails, this one is very urban, as it runs through the center of Hudson before exiting south toward Marlborough. ARRT also has a long steep hill south of Hudson, so perhaps not suitable for young children on bikes. The reward for topping the hill is a good vista view of Fort Meadow Reservoir.

Cycling, running or strolling on The Assabet River Rail Trail is a great way to spend an afternoon. There is ample parking, it is smoothly paved and clearly marked. There are several street crossings but they have good visibility and some are equipped with motion sensing lights. This trail is very well maintained, repairs to railings and other structures are frequent and storm debris is removed in short order. Most of the trail has pleasant scenery and some areas, such as downtown Hudson, are beautifully landscaped and offer benches to rest on. Also, I should mention the recently added magnificent carving of a noble and mighty Hawk, a truly majestic raptor and worthy mascot for athletic and intellectual prowess.
Pro-​tips: bring mosquito repellent during the warmer months. Listen for «on your left» and allow faster traffic to pass. Doggies are welcome but should be leashed and their waste should be removed. Please be courteous of those who live near the trail and don’t make shortcuts or trespass. There’s wildlife to be spotted in some areas and bird watchers might want to bring binoculars.

The trail was a nicely paved and offers riders many great safety features. Every major road we crossed flashing lights to alert drivers that there were bikes or people on the path and near the crossing. While these lights do not give us the right away I appreciate that they alert drivers of our presence and many very nicely stopped to let us cross safely rather than dodge traffic. At the smaller roads the path had clearly marked signs to inform riders of those crossings and stop signs to ensure riders know they too have to follow the rules of the road.
Its history as a rail trail are obvious at several locations and had there been more day light I would have taken some pictures of the steep embankments where bridges over the railway once stood. They also built a tunnel under the Hudson Road/​85 Connector to ⁴⁹⁵⁄₂₉₀ that allowed the trail to continue without having to cross a highway. The tunnel colorfully showcased a mural painted by local artists.
On our way home I was glad to have our new lights as the trail is not lit and does get very dark. The lights did a great job illuminating the path in front of us and also allowing us to keep track of each other with our rear flashers. Without the lights we might have collided with a few walkers wearing black clothing who had no lights at all.
I am looking forward to the day when the entire trail is completed and extends from Marlborough all the way to the South Acton MBTA station. Included below is our Run Tracker maps and statistics

This is a great trail, you get a little bit of the city and a little bit of the country.
I’m always finding other parks and fun detours. Check out the other review for some great info on parking and stats.

So I bike this trail mainly on the weekends. The paved section is approximately 10.5 miles round trip. The first reviewer did a great job listing the parking areas.
Hint: if you don’t like hills on the ride back start in Hudson and pedal up to Marlborough. I enjoy this trail, it is relatively flat, not crowded and has some nice scenery.
I’ll have to try some ice cream at the end of my next ride!

Whether you’re bike ride with your family or take your dog for a long walk or skateboard with your friends, the ARRT is for you. There are 6 miles of completed, paved trails in Marlborough and Hudson, but the trail is much bigger than that. It’s starts in Marlborough, at the intersection of Lincoln and Highland streets and makes it’s way to the South Action MBTA station. Some parts are unpaved. Some places have gaps. But that’s for now. The men and women dedicated to creating this trail propose and designate more sections every year and eventually the entire way will be paved and connected.
For now, if you want paved biking you can starting in Marlborough Center, in Hudson center, or anywhere in between. The Hudson side ends at a ice cream place, just, you know, if you want a treat after biking six miles before you turn around and bike back.
Oh, and on a few occasions I’ve heard a motorcycle on the trail and thought WTF only to turn and see it was the police, patrolling the trail, make sure we are all safe. YAY!
The intersection listed for the business page is the location of the Marlborough Trail Head. However, parking is conveniently located throughout the trail. For your convenience here are the addresses for trail parking:
Main Street Parking Lot
417 Main St
Hudson, MA
Washington Street Parking Lot
157 Washington Street
Hudson, MA
Marlborough Trail Parking
40 Hudson St
Marlborough, MA
There is also on-​street parking available in both towns. I would check the websites for those towns for parking restrictions, etc.