Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail is a 20-mile paved path on an old railroad line, from Lowell south through Chelmsford, Westford, Acton and Concord to South Sudbury. People ride and walk it to get between town centers, ponds and farms without busy roads.

Length
20 mi
rail trail
Surface
Paved
the whole way
Get on at
8 places
on the map

From Cross Point to Union Avenue

Parking at every place to get on · See where

Train back from West Concord station · Next trains

Not plowed in winter · Who clears it

Open. No closures as of Oct 21, 2026.

Directions to Cross Point

Where to get on

Numbers match the list; P has parking.

Download the GPX

For Ride with GPS, Strava, Komoot or a bike computer.

  1. Cross Point, Lowell/Chelmsford line (north end)

    North end of the trail, by Route 3. The path goes under Route 3 in a short tunnel.

    LRTA bus 16 stops at Cross Point Towers on Chelmsford Street.
    Crosspoint Towers lot, 900 Chelmsford St, Lowell. Weekends and holidays only.
    Directions

  2. Chelmsford Center (Cushing Place)

    Seasonal public restrooms at the Cushing Place Artwalk. Shops and places to eat in Chelmsford Center.

    LRTA buses 15 and 16 stop in Chelmsford Center.
    Trail lot at Cushing Place (Chelmsford Center Artwalk). Also the Chelmsford Center for the Arts, 1A North Rd, and the town lot behind Santander Bank, 5 Billerica Rd.
    Directions

  3. Heart Pond, Pond Street, South Chelmsford

    Seasonal public restrooms here. The trail runs next to Heart Pond.

    Town land at Heart Pond, 2 Pond St.
    Directions

  4. North Acton lot, Main Street (Route 27)

    Seasonal public restrooms at this lot.

    Trail lot across from 1000 Main St (Route 27), North Acton.
    Directions

  5. Great Road (Route 2A), Acton

    Pedal Power Bike and Ski, 176 Great Rd, is next to the trail and lets trail users use its restroom during store hours.

    Gould's Plaza behind Donelan's Supermarket, 248 Great Rd. Patriot Square, 179 Great Rd, on weekends and holidays only.
    Directions

  6. West Concord Center (Main Street)

    Shops and places to eat in West Concord village. Seasonal restrooms at Gerow Park.

    West Concord station, MBTA Fitchburg Line commuter rail, right next to the trail.
    Trail parking near Nashoba Brook in West Concord Center, with accessible spaces. Gerow Park, 369 Commonwealth Ave, is just north.
    Directions

  7. Broadacres Farm, Morse Road, Sudbury

    Public restroom here. The ramp from this lot to the trail is due to be rebuilt for wheelchair access.

    Broadacres Farm lot, 62 Morse Rd. About 32 spaces.
    Directions

  8. Union Avenue, South Sudbury (south end)

    South end of the trail. It meets the Mass Central Rail Trail here at the Diamond Crossing. Public restroom here.

    Six spaces on Union Ave near the Diamond Crossing, two of them accessible.
    Directions

Getting there

By transit
Take the MBTA Fitchburg Line commuter rail to West Concord.
More

The station is right by the trail in West Concord Center. In Chelmsford, LRTA buses 15 and 16 reach Chelmsford Center, and bus 16 stops at Cross Point near the north end.

Parking
There are free trail lots in every town.
More

Some are open on weekends and holidays only, like Crosspoint Towers in Lowell and Patriot Square in Acton. The Friends group keeps the full list with addresses.

Ride out, train home

Ride the trail one way and take the Commuter Rail back. West Concord station is right on the trail.

Keep going

The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail joins other paths and protected bike lanes. Pick a direction to see it on the map.

This trail Where you can keep going Other bike paths

About the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

Surface
Paved the whole way. The path is 10 feet wide with a 2 foot packed shoulder on each side.
Rules
The Friends group says: keep right, pass on the left, and call out before you pass. Dogs must be on a leash. Class 1 and Class 2 e-bikes are allowed. Other motor vehicles are not. Groups of 25 or more need to register an event.
In winter
Not plowed, so people can ski and snowshoe on it. Watch for ice, especially on bridges. Source
Conditions on every path
Restrooms
Seasonal restrooms at Cushing Place (Chelmsford Center), Heart Pond, the North Acton lot, NARA Park, near Donelan's in Acton, and Gerow Park in Concord. Restrooms at Davis Field, Broadacres Farm, Parkinson Field and Union Ave in Sudbury. Pedal Power in Acton during store hours.
Food
Places to eat in Chelmsford Center and West Concord village, and Donelan's Supermarket on Great Road in Acton, all next to the trail.
Who looks after it
Each town looks after its own part. In Sudbury, MassDOT handed upkeep to the Town of Sudbury in July 2026. The Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail is the volunteer group that supports the whole trail.
Also called
BFRT, Bruce Freeman Trail, Bruce Freeman Bike Path, Bruce Freeman Bikeway

More about the trail

Where these facts come fromChecked Oct 21, 2026