MBTA-Assisted Wachusett Region Bike Overnight: Wachusett Station-Barre-Worcester
Origin
My fiancée Emily and I have been riding our bikes more frequently this year. I’ve had a great start to my season with plenty of early days on my hardtail (Banshee Paradox) and a fun “race/ride” at the Mix Tape event in Freetown, MA. As Emily built up her own riding strength, we wanted to embark on a multi-day trip together.
I’ve been interested in bikepacking since purchasing my Surly CrossCheck in 2018 but had never actually taken the plunge. Usually, climbing trips, work, and family obligations took precedence. This year, I decided to prioritize cycling—particularly gravel riding and mountain biking. On January 1, 2025, I committed myself by registering for the Vermont Overland Race (August) and the Mix Tape race (April). There’s only time for so many pursuits in a given year, and I prefer to immerse myself deeply in whatever I’m focusing on.
With this mindset, I had been planning a bikepacking overnight from Arlington to Salem and then Salem to Rockport, using the MBTA for the return journey and camping near Salem. However, I wanted to do a shakeout ride a few weeks earlier without camping. Emily and I had been fascinated by using trains to facilitate bike trips that might otherwise be too long or tedious without a car. Our preferred riding style mixes gravel, country roads, paths, fire roads/double track, and singletrack—we’re not big fans of pure road riding. This led me to search for MBTA-accessible routes that would give us a good overnighter (with a hotel stay), allowing us to experience bikepacking without worrying about tents and sleep systems.
The Route
When planning, I considered several options:
- The Mid-State Trail (mostly not well-maintained for our style of cycling), which has shelters along the route
- Rutland State Forest/Ware River Rail Trail
- Mass Central Rail Trail
At first glance, these seemed too remote to access without a car. However, I discovered that Wachusett Station (the end of the Fitchburg Line) was within a ~15-mile ride of Rutland State Forest. From there, I needed to find accommodations.
This region of Massachusetts is surprisingly sparse in services despite numerous residences — food, hotels, and other amenities are limited. We had previously visited Barre, MA for the NEMBA Barre Awesome Ride, which sits at a logical connection to Rutland State Forest and near the Mass Central Rail Trail. Fortunately, we found suitable lodging in Barre and had heard good things about Stone Cow Brewery. This became our overnight destination.
Originally we intended to camp, exploring options like HipCamp and Mid-State Trail shelters (including Pout and Trout), but decided to reduce pressure by staying indoors to improve the chances of an enjoyable late April/early May adventure.
For our return journey, we plotted a route along the Mass Central Rail Trail down to Worcester, which would allow us to visit Emily’s family before catching the train home.
Packing and Gear
I was on a Surly Bridge Club, I ran a rear rack with a 20L dry bag on the rear. This was lashed down with Voile straps. For other bags: a small saddle bag with my repair kit I had sewn together the day prior (roll top style), a top tube bag (Revelate MagTank), a home made stem feed bag, and a Swift Catalyst handlebar bag. I also ran 2 water bottles in the frame cages.
All of my clothes went in the dry bag, and then food, water, layers, etc went in the front bags.
Emily used the “Rock Dove”, her lovingly-named Salsa Journeyer with Panniers and a frame bag + rando closure style front bag I had made a few weeks ago.
The Bridge Club has 27.5 x 2.35" Vittoria Mezcals (mostly overkill but performed well). The Journeyer had 650b x 47 mm Terraveil Washburns (which performed well for all but the chunkiest of terrain). The route was probably about 60/30/10 between pavement (mostly quiet country roads), gravel, and singletrack. That is an approximate estimate.
Day 1: Wachusett Station (Fitchburg Line) to Barre, MA
Day 1 began with a 6 AM wake-up. After a hearty breakfast of eggs, lox, and yogurt, we cycled to catch an 8 AM train from Belmont Station. Our morning proved slightly chaotic when we realized we had each routed to different rail stations. Fortunately, both stations were along the same route, so our miscommunication actually allowed us to board earlier than anticipated. On the train, we found ourselves squeezed into a car with four other bikes, leaving minimal space for our own. After standing with our bikes briefly, we eventually found adequate space for them.
We arrived at Wachusett Station around 9:45 AM and began our ride. I had worried this section might involve some harrowing roads, but we mostly encountered peaceful country lanes with minimal traffic and beautiful views.
We routed to Wachusett Mountain where we enjoyed the gravel of Balance Rock Road, taking it up and across the mountain before descending North Road to access more excellent gravel on the far side. From there, we stitched together lovely gravel, dirt, and paved country roads until we reached a section of singletrack along the Mid-State Trail.
As lunchtime approached with many miles still ahead, we stopped at Pout and Trout.
The weather alternated between pleasant conditions and windy periods threatening rain. We refueled with tuna packets and cheese sticks before continuing toward the prison camp roads in Rutland State Forest.
Rutland State Forest offers amazing gravel riding—highly recommended for enthusiasts. While some sections are chunky (wider tires increase comfort), the riding was mostly non-technical. The area features several interesting historical buildings worth exploring. Our path led us to Barre Falls Dam, which presented a uniquely gorgeous landscape for Massachusetts.
Eventually, we encountered an unplanned creek crossing, adding to our adventure. This was indicated as a through way on all the maps we saw, but there was no bridge. We almost turned around, but we noticed the water was only shin deep and we were able to wade across with no issues. Thankfully, I had packed sandals and was able to safely ferry our bikes across safely.
The remaining journey to Barre was beautiful, though punctuated by one particularly cruel climb to finish the day.
After reaching the Jenkins Inn and showering, we visited Stone Cow Brewery for excellent food, beer, and outstanding ice cream; all enjoyed during a surprising deluge outside.
Day 2: Barre, MA to Worcester, MA
Day 2 started with a delightful breakfast and stretching before we made our way to the Mass Central Rail Trail. The trail offered smooth, easy riding – a stark contrast to the navigational and terrain challenges of our first day. We even encountered family members along the way and made excellent time.
Eventually, we decided to try a shortcut rather than following the roads suggested by the Mass Central Rail Trail signs. This detour introduced us to rougher terrain and downed trees, though we saw clear evidence of previous travelers. Soon we encountered a swamp, followed by a section where the trail disappeared, requiring us to cross a water gap on a single wooden beam. Finally, we faced a second creek crossing—our third water crossing overall, despite planning for none!
From there, we continued along the marked Mass Central Rail Trail toward Worcester to visit family and catch the MBTA from Union Station. I had concerns about cycling through Worcester, but the Sunday afternoon streets were largely empty, and we enjoyed bike lanes or quiet roads as we approached from the north.
Reflection
This trip proved to be truly exceptional. Packing our bags and setting off was empowering, as was completing an adventure without relying on a car. I was struck by the beauty of this region of Massachusetts—an area I’d never properly explored despite its proximity. I’ve visited Crow Hill and Farley Ledges numerous times for climbing, but this region between those areas offered stunning views, expansive meadows, surprisingly vast vistas, and beautiful forests, streams, and glimpses of fading industrial heritage.
Both Emily and I found it liberating to travel with minimal gear while exploring and living fully in the moment. Despite the emotional fluctuations of navigation and conversations about life, I remained content throughout. Returning home, unloading our bikes, and unpacking was refreshingly simple. Often when we load up the car for climbing or mountain biking trips, we bring extensive camping equipment and extra clothing for contingencies. On this journey, we committed to a single course of action, enjoyed ample relaxation time, and found true empowerment in the simplicity. I’ll definitely be planning more MBTA and train-powered overnights in the future!
I also want to thank our friends who we texted updates to so that we had a good line of communication in case an issue cropped up.