This short, 100% on-trail route can also easily be adapted into a short walk or stroll. At just under 5-miles, this ride combines a trail with interesting infrastructure for a perfect family outing.
The Blackstone River Greenway is a multi-use trail system that spans more than 20 total miles between Massachusetts and Northern Rhode Island. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) manages the trail in Massachusetts. The Blackstone River Valley is historically significant as a birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, as factories utilized the river for energy and transportation of manufactured goods. Today, the Blackstone River Greenway is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, and the Greenway is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation.
Given its location, this trail is only accessible by car. Parking locations are indicated on the map.
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Millville Lock (1.7 miles from start)
Though the Blackstone River has flowed for thousands of years, it wasn’t navigable for freight transport until the construction of the Blackstone Canal in 1828. A crucial part of this canal system was 49 locks that allowed boats to navigate steep elevation changes and could be filled and emptied to raise and lower passing vessels. The Millville Lock, with its robust, granite block construction, is the best-preserved lock along the canal and can be seen from the trail.
Triad Bridge (2.1 miles from start)
While the Blackstone Canal was the initial catalyst for the valley’s explosive industrial growth, it was quickly supplanted by the Providence-Worcester Railroad, completed in 1847, which provided far-superior freight transport parallel to the river. The Providence-Worcester Railroad was one of several railroads that operated in the area, and the Triad Bridge was intended to be a series of three railroad bridges that would cross over each other similarly to a highway interchange. The first of these bridges is still an active freight line used by the Providence-Worcester Railroad and runs at the lowest elevation. Crossing over the tracks, the second bridge was used by the New York and New England railroad until 1969 and has been since been repurposed as part of the trail. The third bridge of the triad was planned as a part of the Southern New England railroad, however after construction of the line was cancelled in 1915, the pilings and abutments seen today were abandoned.
Blackstone Viaduct (3.8 miles from start)
The Blackstone River Viaduct was constructed in 1872 to bypass lower, flood prone areas along the New York and New England Railroad. The 1,600-foot-long viaduct is the second largest 19th century masonry bridge structure remaining in the state of Massachusetts. In 2025 the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) completed a major restoration project to repurpose the viaduct as a part of the greenway, with a new deck and guardrails installed atop the historic granite structure.
Museum of Work and Culture (off trail)
A short ride from the End of the trail in Woonsocket, you can visit the Museum of Work and Culture. This museum focuses on the lives of workers whose labor powered the many factories along the Blackstone River during the industrial revolution. The museum specifically focuses on the experiences of French-Canadian immigrants, and the dramatic social shifts that came with leaving behind agricultural life in Québec to enter the fast-changing world of industrial labor.
You can learn more about the Blackstone River Greenway and where it overlaps with the Southern New England Trunkline Trail, which are both DCR trails.
You can also check out the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor page.