Hadley | MassCentralRailTrail

MCRT: Hadley

About MCRT Hadley

Hadley is a former agricultural town, now, among the farms that remain in Hadley are housing and commercial areas. UMass Amherst has been the economic force driving this transformation. Roughly 4.4 miles of the Norwottuck branch traverses Hadley loosely paralleling Route 9.

Riding East across Hadley, from the Connecticut River to the Amherst town line has a total ascent of approximately 80 feet (estimated). You will travel through farmland, businesses, hotels, motels and restaurants. There are multiple at-grade road crossings along with a tunnel under Rt.9 at about the mid-point of the trail in Hadley, along with a Boardwalk.

Visiting the MCRT in Sudbury

Access Points:

From Northampton, continuing east on the MCRT -

Cross Path Rd. (No Parking)
Hadley Depot, off West Street (parking)
South Maple St (parking at the trail and nearby at shopping centers)

Additional Resources

MassTrailTracker
Ride with GPS - for the Norwottuck Branch

Connecting Trails:

Arthur R. Swift Amherst/UMass Bike Connector - Connects the University of Massachusetts at Amherst to the Norwottuck Branch of the Mass Central Rail Trail.

Suggested Itinerary:
Travel through Hadley during the Norwottuck Branch Essential Trip. Read more.

Trail Guide (West to East)

Mile

0.33 mi – Start at Cross Path Rd. The Hadley Northampton town line is west of Cross Path Rd. It’s worth it to head towards Northampton and cross the bridge over the Connecticut River. Keep an eye out for raptors feeding in the fields on the north side of the trail as you ride east away from the river.

1.12 mi – Cross West St and the West Street Commons – you’re one block north of Hadley Center and the Town Hall. If you go north on West St about 825 yards, you can visit the Connecticut River Oxbow.

2.7 mi – Ride the Boardwalk and thru the tunnel under Route 9.

3.57 mi – South Maple St. – Access to some of the malls, stores and restaurants in Hadley.

Continue towards Amherst, with glimpses of forests, farmland and the Mount Holyoke Range State Park, a hiking and mountain biking opportunity. https://www.mass.gov/locations/mount-holyoke-range-state-park

4.4 mi – Eastern terminus of the Hadley section at the Amherst town line.
 

Images credit: John Phelan

A Brief History of the MCRT in Hadley

The MCRT began service in Hadley in 1887, just after the railroad bridge over the Connecticut River was completed. Passenger service ended i the 1930s, and all train service ended in 1979. The state purchased the MCRT corridor from Northampton to Amherst in 1985, and opened it as a bike path in 1993, one of the early rail to trail projects in the state.