The way points of this bicycle route:
Park and start at Pathfinder Regional High School parking lot. Alternate parking is across the street at the Palmer District Court.
Left onto Route 181. Route 181 is the busiest road you'll encounter on this route. There's only a few miles of it, however, and the road is wide enough to ride safely.
Ice Cream in the summer months. Maybe on the way back?
Gas Station w/Convenience store and Dunkin' Donuts
Right onto State Street at the tiny "traffic circle"
Left onto Emery Street after railroad tracks and before bridge. This *may* also be called Airport Road.
Old private air field, which was active until late 1990's - early 2000's. Now a housing development.
Make Right onto Route 9. WATCH FOR CARS. You'll be making a left in a few hundred yards, but this road has narrow shoulders with high speed traffic.
Quabbin Cemetery on your right is where they moved the graves from cemeteries that were flooded when the Quabbin Reservoir was flooded. Go ahead in and explore the cemetery, if you'd like.
Make Left to enter Quabbin Reservoir Park. This is one of three entrances to the Park.
Make a Right to visit the Goodnough Dike. Note that access to the dike is closed to vehicles since 9/11, but you CAN ride your bike, or walk across the dike.
Turn around here and re-trace your route across the dike. You CAN go ahead, but after a steep downhill ride, there's a steep uphill climb. Your choice really. Turn around to save your legs, or go straight and loop back after DOWN then UP to get to main road again.
Right onto main road.
If you'd like you can enter the parking lot on your right and walk down to the water's edge.
Very nice view!
Go around traffic circle, and follow signs up the hill to the left to Quabbin Tower (or is it "Summit")
Quabbin Summit Walk up the path to the tower and the views! There's usually portable toilets across the parking lot. After soaking in the view, retrace your route down the hill back to the traffic circle.
Around Traffic Circle to make a LEFT to continue down the main road.
Spillway. When the reservoir is completely full, excess water is released over this spillway.
Make a Right to go over the damn. The road is closed to vehicular traffic since 9/11. You CAN bike/walk across the damn!
Visitor's Center. Possible rest room/drinking water.
Make left onto route 9. Busy road with narrow shoulder. Use caution down the hill!
Make right onto East Street at sign for Trout Hatchery.
Trout Hatchery, includes visitor's center. Rest rooms? Water?
Rustic camping area on your left with access to the Swift River. Stop and explore if you are not in a hurry.
Make left at end of road to go over bridge.
Boat launch on Swift River
Make first Right after going over bridge. (Is this called Bondsville Road?)
Go straight onto Route 181 through small village of Bondsville
Welcome to Bikely, take a step by step tour of this path:
Press Start Tour - then use the navigation buttons below to move along the path.
A low traffic, 25 mile ride with moderate hills and beautiful scenery.
Tagged with: Onroad, Intermediate, Low traffic, Rural, Scenic
