Charles River Path – Bridge Street

Overview

Walkway is similar in feel to the Bridge Street to Galen Street stretch, with dirt and gravel trails, boardwalks, split log benches, and riverside overlook decks. Native plants reintroduced for minimum upkeep.

The Elm Street to Moody Street connection opened in 2015, permitting off-road travel almost all the way from Boston to Norumbega Park.

Blue Heron Bridge is a stunning 140-foot suspension bridge that crosses the river at Cheesecake Brook.

Size: About 2.5 miles long Longest Walk: 5 mile loop Acquired: This portion of the Upper Charles River Restoration Project was mostly completed in 2005, and extended in 2015.

Longer Walks that include this property:
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: The Fitchburg commuter rail line and many bus lines serve Moody Street

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

Connects to: Charles River Path: Galen Street to Bridge 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

1814

Francis Cabot Lowell opened a textile mill at what is today the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation. The mill is called America’s first factory. Moody Street was named for mechanical genius Paul Moody, who perfected the mill’s operations.

1816

A second mill was opened to produce cloth and textile machinery.

1994

Planning begins for riverwalk. First phase is between North Street in Newton and Elm Street in Waltham.

2005

Blue Heron Bridge completed, allowing continuous walking along the river from Watertown Square to Elm Street.

2015

The connection from Elm Street to Moody Street completed.

Features

Accessible Trails, Biking, Birding, Canoe & Kayak Rental, Charles River Walk, Cross Country Skiing, Historic Site, Picnic Tables, Scenic View, Woods Trail

Additional Information

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

Walks and Maps:

Walks along this path

DCR website and maps of eastern and western sections of the park

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

More about the Blue Heron Trail

Charles River Path – Bridge Street

Overview

Maps