Daily Parking Fee:  $8 MA Vehicle, $10 non-MA Vehicle

With most of the trails bordering the 157-acre Ashland Reservoir, Ashland State Park offers some calm and shimmering scenery. Due to their proximity to the waters’ edge, however, the trails provide a novice-level of smooth and flowy dirt equally mixed with unforgiving roots and rocks that will make you appreciate your suspension (leading to the moniker “Bashland”).

The 470-acre park’s primary riding is single and double track bouncing around the reservoir in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, as well as crossing the dam. Frequent short single track off-shoots offer some steep, brief climbs and the chance to add 2-3 exploratory miles to the 4.5-mile loop that provides a surprisingly pleasant technical challenge interspersed with smooth dirt. Featuring a large waterfront and utilities for picnics/ BBQs, the park is very popular with dog walkers and families in the nicer weather.

The best place to park is at the Town's Community Center. Then head east on Ashland State Park Road. – By Fitch Proctor
  Read more about Ashland State Park

The Southern New England Trunkline Trail is a National Scenic Recreational Trail that runs from Franklin Massachusetts 86 Miles to Willimantic Connecticut. The Massachusetts portion is a linier park managed by the Department of Conservation and Recrretion.

This write-up concerms the Massachusetts portion starting in Franklin and ending near the Connecticut line in the Douglas State Forest.

Few people will ever ride the entire 22 miles. But, many people ride parts of it, using it to connect good riding areas.

The trail itself is straight, very flat but has many whoop-de-dos caused by off road vehicle use. It's very scenic and beloved by area equestrians. 

On the eastern end you have the trail dense Franklin State Forest.

On the western end in the Douglas State Forest there's an alternate staring area at 108 Wallum Lake Road where the SNETT crosses the road.

 From this point if you continue west you'll hit the Connecticut state line. Of particular interest is the Tri State Marker. A stone monolith that marks the intersection of RI, CT and MA. Ride around it and you'll hit three states in a second or two.  Where else can you do that? Read more about Southern New England Trunkline Trail

Callahan State Park is a 958-acre day use area located in Northwest Framingham and the City of Marlboro with a mix of well-maintained fire roads, walking trails and singletrack.    It was named in honor of Raymond J. Callahan, a former local newspaper editor, by an act of the Massachusetts legislature in 1971.  The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.  Callahan has nearly 100 acres of open fields, 70 acres of which are under an agricultural lease.  The Bay Circuit Trail cuts through Callahan and can make for a fantastic endurance ride.

Callahan State Park is a great haven for dog owners and occasional equestrians, who pursue the open space with the same vigor and respect as MTB riders.  Much of the property allows owners to run their dogs run off leash.

 The park abuts, and in some cases envelops land owned by Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT).  Biking regulations vary depending on land ownership, and it is not always evident who the property owner is when biking.  In most sections, it is clearly marked where biking is not permitted.  The SVT map in the link below shows SVT trails were biking is permitted.

For a fun introductory ride to the park, start at the Millwood Parking area.  Enter left onto the large earthen dam. Follow any of the outer perimeter trails and make your way to Red Tail Trail.   Cross Edmands Road carefully, as traffic can be fast, and spin up Gibbs Mountain.  Find your way to the Backpacker trail and follow to the Broad Meadow Rd parking area.  Bike the southern trails back to Edmands Road and continue to the Edmands Road Parking area.  For a hill climb take the Pipeline trail and make your way back to the Millwood Road Parking area.  To avert the climb take Pioneer trail to Rocky Road and make your way back to the parking area.

Two hills worth climbing are the Pipeline trail near the Edmands Rd parking lot and Gibbs Mountain.

Park Directions:
There are three primary parking areas: Millwood Street in Framingham, Edmands Road in Framingham and Broadmeadow Road in Marlborough.  Millwood and Edmands are closer to the majority of trails and are recommended for a first time visit. The Millwood area can fill on days with great weather.  Nearby Edmands Road parking almost always has plenty of space. 

203 Millwood Road: Rt. 9 west to Rt. 30 exit, right at first set of lights to Edgell Rd for .6 miles to Belknap Rd (left) for 1.1 miles, right onto Millwood St for .7 miles to entrance which is about 300 yards north of the street address.

1031 Edmands Road: Rt. 9 West, Right on Maynard Rd for .5 miles, Slight left on Grove St, Continue for 3 miles, Left on Edmands Rd. for ¾ mile.  Parking will be marked on your left.

241 Broadmeadow Road: Rt. 9 West, Right on Maynard Rd. for .5 miles, Slight left on Grove St., Continue for 3 miles, Left on Edmands Rd. for 1.3 miles.  Straight on Parmenter Rd for 1.5 miles.  Turn right on Broadmeadow St.  Continue for .3 miles to parking area by kiosk

SVT Map- Biking permitted SVT land is shown
http://www.sudburyvalleytrustees.org/sites/default/files/NWFramingham.pdf

By Alan  Read more about Callahan State Park, Framingham

Note: There is a Seasonal Trail Closure at Cutler Park during the month of March. The closure is designed to protect the trails during the mud season. Please respect the closure and stay off the trails till they dry out.

The best parking area for Cutler Park is located in Needham MA. But the park itself extends into Dedham, Newton, Brookline and Boston. Cutler park consists of a few hills and a lot of trails near an 800-acre marsh along the Charles River and beside route 128.

Cutler Park is right on the dividing lines of three NEMBA chapters. Greater Boston NEMBA, Blackstone Valley NEMBA and SE MASS NEMBA. but don't let that confusion stop you, everyone's welcome here.  :-)   It's quite close to boston, bordering on route 128 in Newton and Needham. 

There is a large lake near the parking area and the more challenging singletracks are located between it and Route 128. The singletracks nearest to the highway go up and down Cutler's only hill. They are quite fun and include one roller coaster section. See if you can do it without pedaling. 

There are many more trails however, stretching out into the marshes on plank bridges. So expect to spend a bit of time exploring. If you do that you'll eventually make your way out of Cutler Park and into Riverdale Park, Millennium Park, The Brook Farm Conservation Area, and Newton's Nahanton Park. Succeed in doing this and you'll do a 16-mile loop. Cutler Park itself has about 9 miles of trails. The whole complex has about 22 miles of trails to explore.

The first map above shows the entire complex. While the succeeding maps are of individual properties. 

Southeast Mass NEMBA has been doing trailwork at Cutler for many years including the bog bridges. How many times have you been northbound on Route 128 and looked into that marsh, never realizing that there was a trail right through the middle of it?

Cutler's singletracks range from moderately technical to the most buffed singletracks imaginable. There are also some wide dirt roads that are fine for beginners and families. The road around the lake is the best example of that. My favorite trails are on Powell Island which is located after the first long wooden bridge. The trails on Powell's Island roughly form a figure eight. They are quite fast and fun to ride in both directions.

So close to Boston, and yet so far from most people's radar the trails at Cutler and the surrounding parks are worth exploring.

By Bill Boles Read more about Cutler Park, Needham/Newton