Ware | MassCentralRailTrail

MCRT: Ware

About MCRT Ware

Ware is a former mill town that offers a mix of small-town village and rural areas, including the southern end of the Quabbin Reservoir with its iconic dams and lookout tower. The Ware River is an important recreational asset in town, ideal for kayaking and fishing along much of its length.

The Mass Central RR extended for over 7 miles through Ware, behind houses, through a dense industrial area, and a rural section with scenic views close to the Ware River. It once crossed the Ware River and nearby streams on 5 bridges that have all been removed, and a mile of the MCRR corridor was merged with a parallel railroad or eliminated. Two remaining scenic sections, almost 5 miles of rail trail, have been developed by the Town of Ware and the East Quabbin Land Trust, and are included in the MCRT route through Ware.

Highlights in Ware include the Gibbs Crossing shopping center with stores and restaurants on the MCRT, the historic Ware Center Meeting House 1 mile north of the MCRT, the Goodnough Dike on the Quabbin Reservoir 4.5 miles north of the trail, downtown Ware with old mills and shops, and Grenville Park on the Ware River. The Ware River offers over a mile of canoeing and kayaking in a quiet rural area north of the park. The Ware-Hardwick Covered Bridge is located at Bridge St in Gilbertville.

Visiting the MCRT in Ware

Access Points:

MCRT alternate route enters Ware on Emery St / Babcock Tavern Rd
MCRT Trailhead and parking at Gibbs Crossing
Robbins Rd and Rt 32 (Ware Senior Center, 182 West St) - parking
Grenville Park, 67 Church St - parking, walking trail start, seasonal porta-potty
MCRT parking lot and trailhead, 250 Church St

Additional Resources

MassTrailTracker
Ride with GPS

Suggested Itinerary:

This route starts from the on-road MCRT route as it exits Palmer, and continues on road and trail through Ware to Hardwick. The MCRT in Ware is packed stone dust and usually fine for any bike tire; however, the 0.3 mile connecting trail from Grenville Park to the MCRT is narrow, rocky and twisting; most visitors will need to walk their bikes through this section.

RideWithGPS Route - https://ridewithgps.com/routes/53521244

Trail Guide (West to East)

Mile

0.0 mi - Palmer. Ware town line on Emery Street - becomes Babcock Tavern Rd. Continue north through rural farms overlooking the Ware River - very scenic.

1.0 mi - Right on Old Belchertown Road.
1.6 mi - Bear right to continue on Old Belchertown Rd. 

2.6 mi - Turn left at light onto Rt 32 (busy road!) - Ware River on your right. 

2.8 mi - turn right into Walmart / GIbbs Crossing parking lot, then stay to the left.

3.0 mi - turn left onto the MCRT trail, dedicated to Steven Hawk, a long-time advocate for completing this section.

4.3 mi - Turn right on a dirt path downhill for a short distance, then follow the dirt road to the left.

4.7 mi - A short walking trail to the right brings you to the site of the former RR bridge that once crossed the Ware River here - only the abutments remain.
Continue straight up Robbins Rd.
5.2 mi - Turn right on Rt 32. Pass several stores and restaurants.

6.0 mi - Turn right onto Main St / Rt 9, entering downtown Ware.

A left turn here will bring you to the historic Ware Meeting House in 1.8 miles, and to the Goodnough Dike on the Quabbin Reservoir in 5.2 miles.

6.1 mi - Turn right on South St for 0.1 miles to the bridge over the Ware River for an excellent view of the old mill buildings on both sides of the river. All were powered at one time by water from the Ware Dam.
6.2 mi - Return to Main St and turn right.
6.5 mi - Left on Park St, go up hill.

6.6 mi - Right on path next to the river, overlooking the dam and reservoir that once powered the mills.

Follow the one-way road through Grenville Park.

7.4 mi - turn right onto footpath through woods . Walk your bike.

7.8 mi - Join the MCRT - stone dust path. Turn right to see the former bridge location - nice place to stop with a picnic table.

Continue north on the MCRT. This section was developed by East Quabbin Land Trust in collaboration with National Grid. 
8.6 mi - short footpath loop to the right with an excellent overlook over the scenic Ware River
8.9 mi - Turn right on Church St just before the parking lot to continue to Gilbertville.

The MCRT continues north for another 1.5 miles to a dead end. This section is very close to the Ware River, with excellent views of the river and the old Gilbert Mill buildings on the other side of the river.

Continue east on Church St for 0.3 miles.

9.2 mi - Turn left on Rt 32 north.  9.6 - Hardwick town line (continue north to Gilbertville in 0.8 miles)

Current MCRT Projects in Ware

Developing an accessible path from Grenville Park to the MCRT at the Ware River, through a grant from Mass Trails to the East Quabbin Land Trust and the Town of Ware. Planning for an alternative MCRT route from the southern end of Robbins Rd to South St by the Friends of the Mary Lane Hospital.

A Brief History of the MCRT in Ware

The first railroad came through Ware in the 1860s, eventually becoming the Mass Central RR, now owned by the Mass State Dept of Transportation. The Central Mass RR began operations from Northampton through Ware to Boston in 1887, but passenger service ended in 1932 and through freight service ended after the hurricane of 1938 destroyed several sections of track between Palmer and Rutland. The Town acquired about 1.6 miles of the MCRT rail-bed between Gibbs Crossing and downtown Ware, placed an underground sewer line in this location, and subsequently developed this as a rail trail in 2019. An agreement with National Grid to use the 2.8 mile MCRT rail-bed from Grenville Park to the covered bridge at the Hardwick town line was negotiated by East Quabbin Land Trust, who completed this project in 2021. Currently there is no access from the northern end of this section to Old Gilbertville Rd and the covered Ware – Hardwick bridge.

For more information on the MCRT in Ware

The East Quabbin Land Trust continues to make progress in assembling the MCRT corridor in Ware. Learn more about their work at eqlt.org . Donations are welcome – visit https://eqlt.org/support/

Volunteers for EQLT are encouraged to sign up at https://eqlt.org/about-us/volunteers/ - there are many great opportunities to help complete and maintain the MCRT.

The Friends of the Mary Lane Hospital are working to complete a MCRT route from Robbins Road, across the Ware River, and north into downtown Ware.