The Canalside Rail Trail - Spacious Outing Along a Power Canal

Water is power - and you can see this truth all along DCR's 3 mile Canalside Rail Trail in Turners Falls, Massachusetts. From Unity Park  - with an adjacent dam below the bridge leading into town from Route 2 - to the Connecticut River, most of the pedestrian and cycling path follows a power canal. This trail is well-used but surprisingly uncrowded during the pandemic. 

Rail trails are by nature wheelchair accessible, since they follow old railroad beds with flatter grades. This is one of DCR's shortest rail trails, and least known, making it a good candidate for anyone who'd like to venture out onto a rail trail these days. I hear many reports and concerns about overcrowded rail trails as people flock to major places to recreate this summer. I've been to Canalside several times and always see people, but well spread out. Several access points help to users maintain good distance.

For best accessibility to the Canalside Rail Trail, I recommend the quieter Connecticut River end of the trail in Deerfield. From River Road find McClelland Farm Road where you will quickly locate a paved parking lot with a level access route to the trail. For a good overview of the trail, click here for a map. This will help reference the various highlights mentioned next.

The Great Falls Discovery is an easier to locate access point, being right next to the town bridge, with a small designated accessible parking lot right off Avenue A. Be aware though that the access to the trail is a lengthy paved downgrade that Ts to the trail on a curve. Good wheelchair or bike braking skills are necessary to access this point safely. There are a few other smaller and level parking access points from streets within Turners Falls. Unity Park is not recommended for wheelchair access as the parking lot is rough dirt and very bumpy with deep mud puddles when wet. 

The trail is 10 feet wide at either end and 8 feet wide as it passes through town. Be cautious where the trail crosses roads in town - these spots are probably the trickiest to navigate. 

Once the power canal ends, the trail uses quiet streets for a quarter mile or so, between Depot Street and Greenfield Road to connect two rail trail sections. This section has a crossing over Montague City Road, that will likely require stopping and waiting for traffic to clear. There is a hill on one side of this main road, so again, good braking or propelling ability is necessary. 

In the straightaway near Greenfield Road, there is a lovely opportunity to travel along a rock face with ferns growing out and enjoy the shade of overhead trees. Much of the trail is fairly sunny with shade trees on occasion. The most forested section is before and after the Connecticut River. It is easy to pick a section of this trail to explore if you prefer to avoid the section with streets and crossing.

My favorite part is the traverse across the Connecticut River. It's always great to see how mighty and peaceful the more natural flow of the river looks as it travels through the heart of the Pioneer Valley.

DCR (Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation) advocates for people to stay close to home and visit parks within walking distance or a short drive. If you plan to venture further afield, as well as on any outing, please protect yourself and others. In addition to following safe practices outlined by the CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health, please be sure to follow these additional DCR guidelines for safe park visiting:

• Minimize outdoor recreational time to limit potential exposure to COVID-19;
• Stay within solitary or small groups, and avoid gatherings of ten or more people;
• Practice social distancing of at least six feet between individuals;
• Administer healthy personal hygiene, such as handwashing for at least 20 seconds;
• Participate in only non-contact recreational activities;
• Leave a park or area should large gatherings begin to build; and,
• Stay home if ill, over 70, and/or part of a vulnerable population