Emerald Necklace paths
A chain of Olmsted parks joined by paths, from the Back Bay Fens along the Muddy River and Jamaica Pond to Franklin Park. People walk, run and ride it for shade, ponds and a green route across Boston and Brookline.
- Length
- 7 mi
- greenway
- Surface
- Mixed
- paved and unpaved
- Get on at
- 8 places
- on the map
From Back Bay Fens to Franklin Park
Partly plowed in winter · Who clears it
Where to get on
Back Bay Fens, near Boylston Street
North end of the paths through the Fens.
- Hynes Convention Center (Green Line), about 0.25 mi. Kenmore (Green Line), about 0.3 mi.
Shattuck Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway
Emerald Necklace Conservancy visitor center. Hours vary by season; check before you go.
- Northeastern University (Green Line E), about 0.15 mi. Museum of Fine Arts (Green Line E), about 0.3 mi.
Riverway at Longwood Avenue
Paved path along the Muddy River on the Brookline side.
- Longwood (Green Line D), right next to the path
Olmsted Park north end, Route 9 at Brookline Village
Paths go south through Olmsted Park past Leverett and Ward's ponds.
- Riverway (Green Line E), about 0.1 mi. Brookline Village (Green Line D), about 0.2 mi.
Jamaica Pond Boathouse
The path around the pond is 1.5 miles.
- Routes 35, 39 and 41 bus on Centre St, about 0.2 mi.
Arborway at the Arnold Arboretum
Paved path along the Arborway toward Forest Hills.
- Forest Hills (Orange Line), about 0.25 mi.
Forest Hills, Arborway
The Southwest Corridor path also starts near here.
- Forest Hills (Orange Line), about 0.1 mi. Many bus routes stop here.
Franklin Park, Morton Street at Circuit Drive
South end. Paths continue inside Franklin Park.
- Routes 21 and 31 bus at Morton St and Circuit Dr.
Getting there
- By transit
- The Green Line D branch (Longwood, Brookline Village) and E branch (Northeastern, Museum of Fine Arts, Riverway) run close to the north half.
MoreLess
The Orange Line at Forest Hills serves the south end. Buses 35, 39 and 41 on Centre St are a short walk from Jamaica Pond.
- Bike share
Near Back Bay Fens, right now
- Ipswich St at Van Ness St4 min walk · 3 bikes
- Massachusetts Ave at Boylston St.4 min walk · 17 bikes
Near Franklin Park, right now
- Shattuck / Franklin Park Tennis Courts7 min walk · 10 bikes
A roam 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 Mark Olsen on UnsplashGet Shift, free. Follow a roam with turn-by-turn directions to each stop, and see closures on your trails before you go.
Keep going
The Emerald Necklace 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 Emerald Necklace paths
- Surface
- Mixed. The Riverway, Olmsted Park, Jamaica Pond and Arborway paths are mostly paved asphalt with some packed stone dust. The Back Bay Fens has paved paths plus gravel and stone dust paths.
- Rules
- Boston park rules say no one may stay in a city park between 11:30 p.m. and 6 a.m., but you may pass through on the walks. Dogs must be on a leash no longer than 8 feet. On DCR parkway paths, DCR allows Class 1 e-bikes on paved paths 8 feet wide or more.
- In winter
- Paths beside the Riverway, Jamaicaway and Arborway are on the state plowing plan. Paths inside the parks can wait days after big storms. Source
- Conditions on every path
- Who looks after it
- City of Boston Parks and Recreation (parks), Massachusetts DCR (parkways such as the Jamaicaway and Arborway), Town of Brookline (Brookline side of the Riverway and Olmsted Park). The Arnold Arboretum is run by Harvard University.
- Also called
- Emerald Necklace paths, Back Bay Fens, Riverway, Muddy River path, Jamaicaway path, Jamaica Pond path, Arborway path, Olmsted Park
Notices
Work and changes along the trail, with the way around where there is one.
Back Bay Fens pathway rebuild, done in phases
Back Bay Fens. Phase 1 this fall is around the Victory Gardens. Staging is on the basketball courts.
The city expects to finish in 2026. Work is phased so the whole park is not closed at once. Follow posted signs.
Source
More about the trail
- Official page · boston.gov
- Friends of the trail · emeraldnecklace.org
Where these facts come fromChecked Oct 19, 2026
- emeraldnecklace.org
- emeraldnecklace.org/parks/jamaica-pond
- boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/improvements-back-bay-fens-pathways
- boston.gov/sites/default/files/file/2026/10/Back%20Bay%20Fens%20Construction%20Update%20October%202026.pdf
- boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/parks-rules-and-regulations
- boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/dogs-and-boston-parks
- hoodline.com/2026/09/bowker-overpass-rebuild-enters-phase-two-aims-to-revive-charlesgate-park
- boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/project/franklin-park-circuit-drive-traffic-and-drainage
- mass.gov/info-details/arborway-parkways-improvement-project
- boston.gov/departments/parks-and-recreation/project/jamaica-pond-boathouse-study
- mass.gov/e-bikes-on-dcr-property
- gbfs.bluebikes.com/gbfs/en/station_information.json
- api-v3.mbta.com/stops
- openstreetmap.org