Northampton & HADLEY, Ma
Currently, I don’t have a bike. But since moving to Northampton, I do find myself having increased stamina for outdoor adventuring. For example, a jaunt down the Northampton bike path near my apartment turned into a four-hour-long journey (with breaks) over the Connecticut River via the connecting Norwottuck (Branch) Rail Trail and into the farmlands of Hadley.
The Norwottuck Rail Trail is… very long. 11 miles from Northampton to Belchertown. Most of the travelers are on bikes, and the trail is relatively flat and shaded. One of the more scenic stops is on the Norwottuck Rail Trail Bridge overlooking the Connecticut River.
Zel and I went as far as Hadley, veering left of the trail to head towards the farmland and the long walking trail along the river. While mostly unshaded, walking through vast flat land with mountains in the background was surreal and worth applying the extra sunblock.
My favorite part though was walking the more tree-covered path along the river. I’ve since learned that this area is called the Alexandra Dawson Conservation Area and it has nearly 2 miles of trails. The views here were incredible. More incredible was the fact that hardly anyone was around on such a nice Sunday afternoon. We did wave hi to some river boaters though!
Things to Know about the Norwottuck Rail Trail
You can find Norwottuck Rail Trail maps and parking info at the here on the Mass.gov website. Biking, walking, and rollerblading are all the vibe here.
