Charles River Path – Galen Street

Overview

The Riverwalk features vestiges of one of the oldest dams on the Charles River, with remains of raceways built by David Bemis in 1778, and scenic views of the Charles River. The path from Galen Street in Watertown Square, improved by the MDC in 1998, offers scenic overlooks, a fish ladder at Watertown Dam, falls, fishing areas, and boat launches.

Forte Park, formerly Allison Park, features a soccer field, basketball courts, children’s playground, and restrooms. On summer evenings, herons roost on the Charles River bank next to the park.

Size: About 1 mile long Longest Walk: 2 mile loop Acquired: 1960

Longer Walks that include this property:
Along the Charles River Path: Loop from Watertown Square to Bridge Street
Along the Charles River Path: Loop from Watertown Square to Moody Street
Along the Charles River Path: Loop from Watertown Square to Auburndale
Along the Charles River Path: Moody Street to Watertown Square (by foot and bus)

Maps

Get here by MBTA: Many bus lines end on Galen Street at Watertown Square

Other maps and aerial photos: Bing Maps bird’s-eye view

Connects to: Charles River Path: Bridge Street to Moody Street

Trail Map

Click map for larger image

GPS Enabled Trail Map

Access City of Newton GIS Map

To see your location, press the location icon while viewing the map on your smartphone. If the blue location dot doesn’t appear when you open the map, come back to this page and click here.

Owner & Administrator Websites

DCR

Photo Gallery

In 2018, the Thompson Footbridge replaced an earlier bridge just upstream from Watertown Dam.

In December, the Department of Conservation and Recreation opened a new section of the Charles River Greenway in Waltham, closing a gap between Elm Street and Moody Street.

The eastern entrance to the new section is at the north end of the Elm Street bridge.

Most of the new section was built on piers in the river, adjacent to the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation.

2013

Seagulls hunt for herring and alewives at Watertown Dam. The fish ladder (under the cage) was built in 1972 to help migratory fish swim upstream to spawn.

A fisherman catches a 14-pound carp

Watertown Dam

Black-crowned night heron

The path under water after record rainfall

A squirrel in its nest

Black-crowned night heron

A heron waits for fish...

... and finds one

The all-time-record high temperature of 69 degrees on January 6th was 36 degrees above the average high temperature for the day.

On the Blue Heron Bridge

Blue Heron Bridge

The East Coast Greenway is a planned trail that will link cities from Maine to Florida

Blue Heron Bridge

Fishing

A new footbridge under construction

Near Watertown Square

Stretching

The Charles River Museum of Industry is along the path near Moody Street in Waltham

A new entrance to the path is under construction at Moody Street

Looking east from Moody Street

A Black-Crowned Night Heron on the dam at Moody Street

The dam at Moody Street

A new footbridge just west of Galen Street

A Conservators tour of the path

Fishing

Gulls looking for fish at Watertown Dam. Watertown Square is just past the dam.

Fishing

Bikers use new trail, still under construction west of Bridge Street

A new footbridge will span the Charles near the mouth of Cheesecake Brook, between Bridge Street and North Street

The approach to the new footbridge

A Conservators tour spots a yellow warbler

Bemis Mill and the remains of the old Bemis Dam

Early fall

Fishing

Don't feed the geese

In the 1970's

First three photos shown here. Click a photo to view the complete slideshow or click here to browse the complete gallery.

History

1632

The first dam on the Charles was built in Watertown.

1753

David Bemis bought 37 acres surrounding the river.

1760

Bemis Mill and Millrace built.

1778

Raceway built by David Bemis on 1/2 acre.

1821

Rolling stone dam built

1822

Breached rolling stone dam built to power textile mills owned by the Bemis family on both sides of the river.

1880s

Aetna Textile Mill Building constructed.

1944

Dam breached.

1974

MDC was persuaded not to rebuild dam and to leave the breach as a passage for anadromous fish to lay eggs upstream, the fry returning to the ocean.

1998

Riverwalk built from Galen Street to Bridge Street.

Features

Accessible Trails, Biking, Birding, Boat Launch, Charles River Walk, Cross Country Skiing, Historic Site, Picnic Tables, Playground, Scenic View, Sports Fields, Woods Trail

Additional Information

Newton Assessor’s Map ID: [many separate parcels]

Walks and Maps:

Walks along the Charles

DCR website and map

This park is part of Walk 25 in the book, WalkBoston

More about the Blue Heron Trail

General Descriptions:

The Charles River Greenway at 30, by Richard Primack

Let the Charles River Run Free: The Case for Removing the Watertown Dam

Essay by Alison Leary

Wikipedia

Boston Globe article

Wildflowers Near the Charles River

Forte Park is a small city park on this route.

Charles River Path – Galen Street

Overview

Maps