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Charles River Greenway – Charles River Greenway loop from Waltham

Routes

Bike touring routes & trails

Charles River Greenway – Charles River Greenway loop from Waltham

Easy

4.9

(2099)

18,709

riders

Charles River Greenway – Charles River Greenway loop from Waltham

01:34

25.2km

50m

Cycling

Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: April 18, 2026

Tips

Temporary access restrictions

Includes segments with temporary access restrictions.

After 4.77 km for 117 m

Dismount required: • May-September (otherwise open)

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

2.55 km

Charles River Greenway

Highlight • Cycleway

The Charles River Greenway, aka the Charles River Bike Path, runs 23 miles from the Museum of Science in Boston to Norumbega Park in Newton. The path hugs the Charles River, passing through Cambridge, Watertown, and Waltham. It's popular with bikers, hikers, and runners.

Tip by

9.59 km

Charles River Reservation

Highlight • River

The Charles River Reservation is a scenic urban escape in Boston, offering tranquil riverbanks, recreational opportunities, and lush green spaces.

Tip by

10.8 km

Charles River Canoe & Kayak – Allston/Brighton

Highlight • Rest Area

Charles River Canoe & Kayak in Allston Brighton is one of a few locations along the river that offers kayak rentals, sales, guided tours, trips, paddling instruction, and kids' camps. With a dock on-site, it is convenient and scenic.

Tip by

11.5 km

Charles River

Highlight • River

The Charles River, known as Quinobequin by the indigenous Massachusett people, flows 80 miles from Hopkinton to Boston, winding through 23 cities and towns before reaching its final destination: the Atlantic Ocean. Its name means "meandering still water." Before European colonization, native people relied on the river for their daily lives, with settlements at Nonantum (now Newton) and Pigsgusset (now Watertown). Today, the river hosts rowing, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, dragon boating, and sailing.

Tip by

12.4 km

Anderson Memorial Bridge

Highlight • Bridge

The Anderson Memorial Bridge, often mistaken as the Larz Anderson Bridge, connects Boston's Allston neighborhood to Cambridge. Built on the site of the 1662 Great Bridge, the bridge was rebuilt in 1915 and was the first to span the Charles River. Since 2006, the Charles River Conservancy has pushed for pedestrian and bicycle underpasses on the Boston side of the Anderson Memorial, Western Avenue, and River Street Bridges, aiming to create a 7-mile uninterrupted, car-free corridor along the Charles River.

Tip by

16.9 km

Charles River Greenway

Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway

The Charles River Bike Path, also known as the Charles River Greenway, offers a 22-mile paved route connecting Boston to its western suburbs. Following both shores of the Charles River from the Museum of Science to Norumbega Park in Newton, the path passes through Watertown and Waltham, making up part of the planned 3,000-mile East Coast Greenway. A segment named after cardiologist Paul Dudley White highlights his advocacy for preventive medicine, and biking. This mixed-use trail includes picnic tables and allows dogs outside, with scenic loops running along Cambridge, Watertown, and Boston neighborhoods like the West End, Back Bay, and Allston-Brighton.

Tip by

17.8 km

Charles River Reservation Bike Path

Highlight (Segment) • Cycleway

The Charles River Reservation stretches 20 miles along the Charles River, offering oppertuity for a range of activities from biking, hiking, and boating to picnics and playgrounds. Open from sunrise to sunset, the reservation includes parking areas at sites like Herter Park, Watertown Dam, and Landry Park. Bikers can explore over 20 miles of paved bike paths, enjoy non-motorized boating such as canoeing and kayaking, or participate in sports like basketball, tennis, and football. Facilities include athletic fields, picnic areas, playgrounds, skating rinks, spray decks, and wading pools. The reservation also hosts educational programs, weddings, and public moorings at the Charles River Basin.

Tip by

19.6 km

Watertown Bridge Over the Charles River

Highlight • Bridge

The Watertown Bridge stretches over the Charles River and connects Watertown Square to Watertown Yard in Massachusetts. Built in 1907, it features pedestrian walkways on both sides and has a history of crossings dating back to 1641. The bridge offers a scenic spot with chances to see blue herons, geese, and turtles. If it looks familiar, it might be recognized from its appearance in the opening scene of the 1994 film The River Wild, featuring Meryl Streep rowing downstream beneath it.

Tip by

25.2 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

20.9 km

2.06 km

1.23 km

707 m

178 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

15.1 km

5.57 km

3.33 km

1.08 km

< 100 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Today

Friday 15 May

13°C

7°C

52 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 14.0 km/h

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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.

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Charles River Greenway – Charles River Greenway loop from Waltham

Charles River Greenway

Charles River Reservation

Charles River Canoe & Kayak – Allston/Brighton

Charles River

Anderson Memorial Bridge

Charles River Greenway

Charles River Reservation Bike Path

Watertown Bridge Over the Charles River

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