Walking, Biking, and Canoe Routes

Guided Walks

Each spring and fall, the Conservators sponsor a series of guided walks in Newton parks and conservation areas.

Newton Conservators Trail Guide

Walking Trails in Newton’s Parks & Conservation Lands is a 70-page booklet by the Newton Conservators, with detailed maps and descriptions of things to see and do in 30 Newton conservation areas.

Walking Routes: Long Walks in Newton

Each map marker represents a trailhead or entrance to one of the routes. Click a marker to read a brief description. Then click the title or “read more” link to get the full details.  View an annotated list of these routes.

 

Routes by Location

Charles River: North Side of Newton

Charles River: West Side of Newton

Charles River:  South Side of Newton

East-West Routes through Newton

A South-to-North Route through Newton

Walking Routes: Other Sources of Information

AMC Massachusetts Trail Guide
This book describes hiking trails in Cutler Park and Webster Conservation Area.

WalkBoston: Walking Tours of Boston’s Unique Neighborhoods
This book describes walking tours in Boston and many surrounding communities, including three trips in Newton:

Hammond Pond Walk
An AMC book, Exploring in and around Boston on Bike and Foot, describes a 2-mile walk in Webster Conservation Area.

Hemlock Gorge Walk
Another AMC book, More Nature Walks in Eastern Massachusetts, describes an easy 1-mile walk in Hemlock Gorge.

Historic Walk Brochures
The Newton Planning Department publishes a series of brochures describing historic walks through Newton neighborhoods.

Charles River Link Trail
A 16-mile trail, completed in 2009, begins at the Fyffe Footbridge in Newton Lower Falls and extends through Wellesley, Needham, Natick, Dover, and Medfield. A northern extension into Newton has been proposed.

Internet Resources

Bike Trips

A Loop Along the Aqueducts
A description, with photos, of an 8-mile ride along the Cochituate and Sudbury Aqueducts, starting and ending in Newton Centre.

Bicycle Tour de Newton
An 18-mile trip that starts and ends at Nahanton Park.

Cutler-Millennium Park Loop
A 10-mile-loop on both sides of the Charles through parks in Needham, Dedham, Boston, and Newton.

Charles River Bike Path
A 13-mile loop along the Charles River Path from Watertown Square to Auburndale.

A 24-mile round trip, mostly on the Charles River Bike Path, from Moody Street in Waltham to the Museum of Science in Boston. The route is described in the book, Bike Paths of Massachusetts, and also on a website.

Newton-Brookline Tours
A 19-mile trip (14 miles without the Brookline extension) that starts and ends at the Riverside MBTA station. The trip is contained in the book, Short Bike Rides in Eastern Massachusetts.

A similar 17-mile trip, also from the Riverside MBTA station, is included in the AMC book, Exploring in and around Boston on Bike and Foot.

Canoe Routes

An AMC book, Exploring the Hidden Charles, gives information about canoeing the Charles River.

The Charles River is an out-of-print book, available from online sellers. It also provides information about canoeing the Charles River and hiking near its banks. It includes USGS maps of the entire length of the Charles.

Newton Canoe and Kayak Launch Sites

Paddle Boston (formerly Charles River Canoe & Kayak) rental locations

Paddling.com guide to canoe launch sites

CharlesRiverGuide.com