Neponset River Greenway Last Day of WInter Ride
10:00 am, Saturday, March 19, 2011

This ride follows bike lanes on Truman Parkway north along the Neponset River, then cuts through Milton along the river to the Neponset Trail, which we'll follow to Tenean Beach in Dorchester. We'll follow the route of the future Dorchester Coast Trail to Columbia Point, where we'll pick up the existing paved path along Boston Harbor past UMass/Boston, the Kennedy Library, and the Harbor Point Apartments to Carson Beach and Castle Island. Then we'll head back through South Boston and Malibu Beach to Freeport St., where we'll head through Dorchester to Adams St. and paths through Dorchester Park. We'll cross the Neponset on Dorchester Ave and Adams St. and follow Eliot St. above the trail to Central Ave., where we'll cross back to Boston and take River St. to Mattapan Square, where we'll pick up the new trail and follow it south to the starting point.

This ride is cosponsored by the MassBike MetroBoston chapter and the Boston Natural Areas Network and its community-based Neponset River Greenway Council, which have been working with the DCR to connect parklands along the river since 1990.

Photos from this year's ride [2010] [2009] [2008] [2007] [2003]


The trolleys are back on the High-Speed Line!

Details

  • Where: Meet at the parking lot at Paul's Bridge and Brush Hill Road at the edge of the Blue Hills just off the Neponset Valley Parkway.
  • When: Departing at 10:00 am, Saturday, March 19, 2011
  • Distance: about 27 miles.
  • Pace: Relaxed, probably 6-10 MPH.
  • Terrain: Mostly flat.
  • Route: Mixture of on-road (80%) and shared-use path (20%).
  • Leader: Doug Mink

Maps and Cue sheet

 route map

Getting There

Bicycle

Ride south from Forest Hills on Hyde Park Ave. to Readville, then turn left on the Neponset Valley Parkway to Brush Hill Rd. just after crossing the Neponset River. From the eastern part of Boston, get to Mattapan Square and follow Brush Hill Rd south.

MBTA

You can take your bike on T rapid transit lines and some bus lines, (none of which go near today's ride), for no extra charge. Details are on the MBTA website.

From Forest Hills (Orange Line):
Take Hyde Park Ave. to Readville and turn left on the Neponset Valley Parkway to Paul's Bridge.

Car

Take the Route 138 exit from Route 128/93N, and go north to Brush Hill Rd. Turn left using a right turn through a jug handle.
Click for Google Maps

Bailout points

You can turn around at Mattapan Square or Dorchester Lower Mills. The closest T station to most of the ride is Ashmont on the Red Line, but it is a hike.