Charles River paths

A paved loop on both banks of the Charles River, from the Museum of Science to Watertown Square. People ride, run and walk it for river views, and bridges along the way make shorter loops easy.

Length
17.1 mi
river path
Surface
Paved
the whole way
Get on at
8 places
on the map

Loops through Boston, Cambridge, Watertown

Parking at 3 of the 8 places to get on · See where

Partly plowed in winter · Who clears it

3 notices: Cambridge riverfront path and Riverbend Park closed for the Memorial Drive Phase III project, cambridge side, from Gerrys Landing Road (Eliot Bridge) to JFK Street (Anderson Memorial Bridge)
Ride it as a roam Directions to Museum of Science

Where to get on

Numbers match the list; P has parking.

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

  1. Museum of Science, Charles River Dam

    East end of the loop. The path runs on both banks from here.

    Science Park/West End (Green Line), right next to the path
    Directions

  2. Hatch Shell, Charles River Esplanade

    Seasonal restrooms behind the Hatch Shell, mid-April to mid-October.

    Charles/MGH (Red Line), about 0.3 mi. Arlington (Green Line), about 0.4 mi.
    No public parking on the Esplanade. Use garages in Beacon Hill or Back Bay.
    Directions

  3. Massachusetts Avenue (Harvard Bridge), Boston side

    Cross the Harvard Bridge to the Cambridge side for a short 4-mile loop.

    Route 1 bus at Mass Ave and Beacon St. Hynes Convention Center (Green Line), about 0.3 mi.
    Directions

  4. Herter Park, Allston

    Boston side, across the river from the Memorial Drive work zone.

    Routes 70 and 86 bus at Western Ave and Everett St, about 0.4 mi.
    DCR's Artesani lot on Soldiers Field Road is next to Herter Park.
    Directions

  5. Watertown Square, Galen Street bridge

    West end of the loop. DCR paths keep going west through Watertown, Newton and Waltham.

    Routes 52, 57 and 504 bus at Watertown Yard. Routes 70 and 71 bus in Watertown Square.
    Directions

  6. Harvard Square, Anderson Memorial Bridge (JFK Street), Cambridge side

    The Cambridge riverfront path west of here to the Eliot Bridge is closed for 2026 for Memorial Drive work. Use the Boston side.

    Harvard (Red Line), about 0.4 mi.
    Directions

  7. Magazine Beach, Cambridge

    The grassy beach area is fenced for construction until about November 30, 2026.

    Route 47 bus at Granite St and Pearl St, about 0.1 mi.
    Limited. A lot near the boat landing by the BU Bridge and a small pullout on Memorial Drive.
    Directions

  8. Longfellow Bridge, Cambridge side

    Cross the Longfellow Bridge to reach the Esplanade and close the eastern end of the loop.

    Kendall/MIT (Red Line), about 0.4 mi. Charles/MGH (Red Line) is across the bridge.
    Directions

Getting there

By transit
The Red Line (Charles/MGH, Kendall/MIT, Harvard) and Green Line (Science Park/West End, Arlington, Hynes, Kenmore, BU stops) are all a short walk from the path.
More

Buses 70 and 71 reach Watertown Square at the west end.

Bike share

Near Museum of Science, right now

  • Museum of Science3 min walk · 13 bikes
  • Blossom St at Charles St3 min walk · 2 bikes

Near Longfellow Bridge, right now

  • One Memorial Drive2 min walk · 18 bikes
  • Kendall Street5 min walk · 14 bikes
Parking
There is no public parking on the Esplanade.
More

On the Boston side, DCR lots on Soldiers Field Road (such as the Artesani lot at Herter Park) give access to the path. Parking at Magazine Beach in Cambridge is limited.

Roams on this trail

A roam is a self-guided route with stops along the way. The free Shift app checks you in at each stop, and you unlock a badge at the end.

Photo by G Schwan on Unsplash

The whole trail

Charles River Bike Path Loop

4.1 mi 27 minIn the Shift app

Photo by Sahaj Bedi on Unsplash

0.4 mi on this trail

The Sunset Pedal

1.6 mi 10 min

Get Shift, free. Follow a roam with turn-by-turn directions to each stop, and see closures on your trails before you go.

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Keep going

The Charles River paths join 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 Charles River paths

Surface
Paved. Asphalt path or wide sidewalk on both banks the whole way.
Rules
DCR lists the Charles River Reservation as open sunrise to sunset. DCR allows Class 1 e-bikes on paved DCR paths 8 feet wide or more. Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes are allowed only where cars are allowed or in DCR bike lanes. On Sundays through November 8, 2026, DCR closes Memorial Drive to cars from Western Ave to JFK St, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., for people to walk and ride.
In winter
The state parks department (DCR) clears the main river paths after the roads, with one narrow pass. Some stretches upstream may stay snowy. Source
Conditions on every path
Restrooms
On the Esplanade, behind the Hatch Shell and at Dartmouth Comfort Station, open dawn to dusk from mid-April to mid-October. Portable gender-neutral restrooms behind the Hatch Shell, by the Teddy Ebersol Red Sox Fields and by the Alfond spray deck. Year-round restrooms are planned at the new Charlesbank pavilion.
Water
Water fountains on the Esplanade, open mid-April to mid-October. The Esplanade Association lists them as closed now.
Who looks after it
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Charles River Reservation
Also called
Charles River Bike Path, Charles River paths, Paul Dudley White Path, Esplanade path, Charles River loop, Memorial Drive path

Notices

Work and changes along the trail, with the way around where there is one.

  • Cambridge riverfront path and Riverbend Park closed for the Memorial Drive Phase III project

    Cambridge side, from Gerrys Landing Road (Eliot Bridge) to JFK Street (Anderson Memorial Bridge)

    The park is closed through 2026, and the project should last into fall 2027. Use the Boston-side path along Soldiers Field Road, which covers the same stretch.

    Source

  • Grassy beach area at Magazine Beach fenced for construction (Phase 2.2)

    Magazine Beach, Memorial Drive, Cambridge

    DCR expects the area to reopen in December 2026. DCR says areas outside the construction fence stay open.

    Source

  • Gloucester Street Pier closed after fire damage

    Charles River Esplanade at Gloucester Street, Boston (the pier, not the path)

    Until further notice.

    Source

More about the trail

Where these facts come fromChecked Oct 19, 2026