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Reformatory Branch Rail Trail

4.8 ★★★★★ 6 Google reviews · Running trail in Concord, Massachusetts · Hours vary

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Paved
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Not reported

Confirmed from Reformatory Branch Rail Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

Reformatory Branch Rail Trail — running trail in Concord, MA, photo 1
PavedTrailhead parking

What runners say about Reformatory Branch Rail Trail

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (6 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

Midweek day (December 2025) off walk in the woods on the Reformatory Branch Trail (Bedford & Concord, MA) . I parked at the NPS North Bridge lot, walked down Monument Street, then east all the way to Concord Road in Bedford, then back west and extended it to the Lowell Road trailhead, and back to the North Bridge lot.

★★★★☆ — David , Dec 2025

This is a beautiful hard pack dirt biking and hiking trail through concord and bedford. Great for connecting the minuteman commuter bike way to concord center and beyond. There are also lots of trails stemming from this which are worth checking out.

★★★★★ — Andrew , Jun 2023

Perfect way to cut from Bedford to Concord, or to walk to Concord Center from the Old Manse or Great Meadows. Easy for bike riding, running, or walking, unless there has been heavy rain or snow, as the surface is packed dirt.

★★★★★ — Joseph , Dec 2024

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 6 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🅿️ Trailhead parking 2 mentions

“There are places for parking on either end of it at neighboring businesses.”

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🛣️ Paved surface

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Plan your run at Reformatory Branch Rail Trail

The practical stuff

  • AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
  • SurfacePaved — asphalt or concrete. Fast and predictable, runnable year-round, and fine with a stroller
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
  • Trail mapOfficial trail map
  • Websitetrailspotting.com
  • Social Facebook

Where to find Reformatory Branch Rail Trail

Reformatory Branch Trail, Concord, MA 01742

Get directions

Running trails near Concord

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Old Calf Pasture

4.7 ★★★★★ 18 reviews

Concord, MA

under a mile away

Simon Willard Woods

4.6 ★★★★★ 9 reviews

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Loop

under a mile away

Harry Beyer Assessed Trail

5 ★★★★★ 3 reviews

Concord, MA

1.1 miles away

Reformatory Branch Trail

5 ★★★★★ 3 reviews

Concord, MA

1.3 miles away

Wright Woods

4.8 ★★★★★ 5 reviews

Concord, MA

1.6 miles away

Chamberlin Woods

4.8 ★★★★★ 16 reviews

Concord, MA

Scenic

1.9 miles away

All running trails in Concord, MA →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.