42°16′01″N 72°40′14″W / 42.2670°N 72.6705°W / 42.2670; -72.6705

Manhan Rail Trail
Manhan Rail Trail, Easthampton, MA
Length6 mi (9.7 km)
LocationHampshire County
TrailheadsNorthampton
Easthampton
Southampton
UseWalking, running, bicycling, roller blading, and cross country skiing
DifficultyEasy
Seasonyear-round
Hazardsdeer ticks, poison ivy, road crossings
SurfacePaved surface
Right of wayformer railroad line
Websitemanhanrailtrail.org/
Massachusetts
Location in Massachusetts
Location in Massachusetts

The Manhan Rail Trail is a rails-to-trails paved recreational trail and non-motorized commuter route located in the lower Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts in the town of Easthampton. The 6-mile-long (9.7 km) trail, completed in 2003, is part of the larger New Haven and Northampton Canal Greenway that would extend from New Haven, Connecticut, to Northampton, Massachusetts. The trail, named after the Manhan River which it parallels, utilizes the bed of the former Pioneer Valley Railroad, which served the industrial towns of the lower Pioneer Valley from the mid-19th century until 1992. It begins at the Northampton/Easthampton line near Route 10 and ends at Coleman Road, just over the Southampton town line. There are plans to extend the route south through Southampton and eventually to Westfield to connect with the Columbia Greenway.[1]

The Manhan Rail Trail, universally accessible, is open to walking, running, bicycling, inline skating and, in the winter, cross country skiing. The trail also provides a non-motorized commuter transportation route linking Easthampton, Northampton, and Southampton, Massachusetts. The trail is part of the Commonwealth Connections greenway initiative which links it to the adjacent trails of the Mount Tom Range and the Arcadia Audubon Sanctuary.

The Manhan Rail Trail served the surrounding community for eight years as the location for Derrill's Race.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Home". Friends of the Manhan Rail Trail. Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  2. ↑ Lederman, Diane (January 26, 2012). "Race to honor late Easthampton police officer Derrill Stoddard has run its course". Springfield Republican. Springfield, Massachusetts. Retrieved 2015-01-02.
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