Watertown-Cambridge Greenway

A paved path on an old rail line that links Fresh Pond in Cambridge with East Watertown, about 2 miles long. People ride and walk it to get between Fresh Pond, Mount Auburn Street and Arsenal Yards with few street crossings, and it leads on toward the Charles River paths.

Length
1.9 mi
rail trail
Surface
Paved
the whole way
Get on at
5 places
on the map

From Fresh Pond Reservation to School Street at Arsenal Street

Parking at 2 of the 5 places to get on · See where

Open. No closures as of Oct 21, 2026.

Directions to the trail

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. Fresh Pond Reservation, water treatment plant driveway off Fresh Pond Parkway, Cambridge

    North end. Bluebikes station "Fresh Pond Reservation" is right here. Joins the Fresh Pond perimeter path and the Fresh Pond Bikeway.

    MBTA Route 75 bus on Huron Ave at Larch Rd, about 0.2 mi. Alewife (Red Line) is about 1 mi north.
    Fresh Pond Reservation lots need a Cambridge resident parking permit. Visitor permits are not accepted.
    Directions

  2. Huron Avenue, Cambridge

    About 0.4 mi from Fresh Pond. The path goes under Huron Avenue. The way in from Huron Avenue is unpaved.

    MBTA Route 75 bus at Aberdeen Ave and Huron Ave.
    Directions

  3. Holworthy Street ramp, near Mount Auburn and Belmont streets, Cambridge

    About 0.7 mi from Fresh Pond. Paved ramp. The path passes under Mount Auburn and Belmont streets in a short tunnel. Bluebikes station "699 Mt Auburn St" is close by.

    MBTA Routes 71 and 73 bus on Mount Auburn Street at Homer Ave.
    Directions

  4. Arlington Street at Nichols Avenue and Crawford Street, Watertown

    About 1.3 mi from Fresh Pond. Bluebikes station "Nichols Ave. at Watertown-Cambridge Greenway" is here. The 2022 section meets the older 2011 section here.

    MBTA Route 71 bus on Mount Auburn Street, about 0.25 mi.
    Directions

  5. School Street at Arsenal Street, Watertown

    South end of the Greenway. The Watertown Community Path goes on west along Arsenal Street. About 0.15 mi west, a short path through Arsenal Yards leads to the Charles River paths. Bluebikes station "Arsenal on the Charles" is about 0.15 mi away.

    MBTA Route 70 bus, Arsenal St at School St.
    No trail lot. Nearby garages and lots serve the Arsenal Yards and Arsenal on the Charles sites.
    Directions

Getting there

By transit
MBTA buses cross the path at several points: Route 75 on Huron Avenue, Routes 71 and 73 on Mount Auburn and Belmont streets, and Route 70 on Arsenal Street at the south end.
More

Alewife (Red Line) is about 1 mile from the Fresh Pond end.

Bike share

Near Fresh Pond Reservation, right now

  • Fresh Pond Reservation1 min walk · 8 bikes
  • Vassal Lane at Tobin VLUS3 min walk · 19 bikes

Near School Street at Arsenal Street, right now

  • Arsenal on the Charles3 min walk · 8 bikes
Parking
Parking is hard. Fresh Pond Reservation lots are for Cambridge permit holders only. In Watertown, the lots near the south end belong to shops and offices. Plan to arrive by bus or bike.

Keep going

The Watertown-Cambridge Greenway 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 Watertown-Cambridge Greenway

Surface
Paved (asphalt) the whole way.
Rules
Fresh Pond Reservation, at the north end, is open dawn to dusk. There, bikes must ride with care and people on foot have the right of way.
Restrooms
At Fresh Pond Reservation, at the north end.
Water
Water fountains at Fresh Pond Reservation, at the north end.
Food
Star Market and Sofra Bakery and Cafe near the Holworthy Street ramp. Restaurants near Arlington Street and at Arsenal Yards by the south end (OpenStreetMap).
Who looks after it
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), with the City of Cambridge. MassDOT built the 2022 section.
Also called
Watertown Greenway, Cambridge-Watertown Greenway, Watertown Branch rail trail, Charles River-Alewife Connector

More about the trail

Where these facts come fromChecked Oct 21, 2026