Minuteman Bikeway
Photo: John Phelan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

Minuteman Bikeway

The Minuteman Bikeway is a 10-mile paved path on an old rail line from Alewife Station in Cambridge to Bedford. People ride, walk and skate it to get to work and school, and to visit Arlington Center, Spy Pond and Lexington Center.

Length
10 mi
rail trail
Surface
Paved
the whole way
Get on at
7 places
on the map

From Alewife Station to Bedford Depot Park

Parking at 3 of the 7 places to get on · See where

Plowed in winter · Who clears it

Open. No closures as of Oct 26, 2026.

Ride it as a roam Directions to Alewife Station

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. Alewife Station, Cambridge

    East end of the bikeway. The Alewife Linear Park starts here too.

    Alewife (Red Line). Buses 62, 67, 76 and 350.
    MBTA Alewife garage (paid).
    Directions

  2. Lake Street, East Arlington

    Crossing with a traffic light. Spy Pond is next to the path between Linwood Street and Lake Street.

    Buses 77 and 350 stop on Massachusetts Ave, a few blocks away.
    Directions

  3. Arlington Center (Mystic Street and Swan Place)

    The path meets Arlington Center here. There are Bluebikes stations at Railroad Lot and at Swan Place.

    Buses 67, 77, 80, 87, 95 and 350 stop on Massachusetts Ave.
    Directions

  4. Bow Street, East Lexington

    The water main work that closed the path from Bow Street to Maple Street on weekdays is done. Lexington says the path is open.

    Bus 62 on Massachusetts Ave.
    Directions

  5. Lexington Center (Meriam Street crossing, by Depot Square)

    Public restrooms at the Lexington Visitors Center, 1875 Massachusetts Ave.

    Buses 62 and 76.
    Town lots at Depot Square, the NStar lot and Waltham Street. All are paid. The Depot Square lot takes PayByPhone only.
    Directions

  6. Hartwell Avenue, Lexington

    Crossing with a traffic light between Lexington Center and Bedford.

    Directions

  7. Bedford Depot Park, Bedford

    West end of the bikeway. The Narrow Gauge Rail Trail and the Reformatory Branch Trail start here.

    Bus 62 stops near the Depot.
    Parking at Depot Park near Loomis Street and South Road. Bedford named it a Park and Pedal spot in 2016.
    Directions

Getting there

By transit
Take the Red Line to Alewife and start riding at the station.
More

Bus 62 runs from Alewife through Lexington Center to Bedford. Bus 76 serves Lexington Center. Buses 77 and 350 run along Massachusetts Ave in Arlington. Bikes ride free on the Red Line on weekends and outside weekday rush hours.

Bike share

Near Alewife Station, right now

  • Alewife MBTA at Steel Place1 min walk · 17 bikes
  • 87-101 Cambridgepark Drive2 min walk · 1 bike
Parking
Paid parking at the MBTA Alewife garage.
More

The MBTA has a long repair project there, and it dropped its plan to rebuild the garage in January 2026. Paid town lots in Lexington Center. A lot at Bedford Depot Park.

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.

The whole trail

Minuteman Bikeway

6.4 mi 42 minIn the Shift app

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

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Keep going

The Minuteman Bikeway 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 Minuteman Bikeway

Surface
Paved (asphalt) the whole way.
Rules
Keep right, pass on the left, and call out before you pass. Bike riders yield to people walking. A headlight and rear reflector are required at night. Leash laws in Arlington, Bedford and Lexington apply on the path. Pick up after your dog. Lexington says its part of the path is normally plowed in winter.
In winter
Arlington, Lexington and Bedford plow their sections after the roads and sidewalks are done. Source
Conditions on every path
Restrooms
Lexington Visitors Center, 1875 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington Center.
Food
Cafes and shops in Arlington Center and Lexington Center, a short walk from the path.
Who looks after it
The towns of Arlington, Lexington and Bedford, with the City of Cambridge at the Alewife end. Each town looks after its own part. The MBTA owns the old rail corridor and leases it to the towns.
Also called
Minuteman Commuter Bikeway, Minuteman Bike Path, Minuteman Trail

More about the trail

Where these facts come fromChecked Oct 19, 2026