Danvers MA | Danvers Rail Trail

Danvers Rail Trail

The Danvers Rail Trail is a 4 1/3-mile non-motorized shared-use path linking schools, downtown Danvers, parks, residential areas, and trails in the neighboring towns of Peabody, Wenham, and Topsfield. Ideal for walking, biking, or jogging, the compacted stone dust trail is built along what was once part of the historic Boston to Maine railroad running from Newburyport to Danvers. The Danvers Rail Trail is managed and maintained by a group of community volunteers and provides a healthful recreational option available to all residents and visitors.

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Thank You Medtronic!

Ten volunteers from Medtronic, a local medical technology company, worked on the trail Friday May 3, 2024, as part of their commitment to community service. It turned out to be a sunny spring day, and all agreed it was nice to be outside and get some exercise.

Working alongside two RTAC volunteers and two Danvers Natural Resources staff, the Medtronic folks were split into two crews to work the north and south sections of the trail. Both groups spent the afternoon collecting trash and loading falling branches and other debris into two trucks provided by the town. This work will help make the trail safer for spring mowing and generally more attractive. This is the fifth time Medtronic helped us maintain and improve the trail.
Thank you, Medtronic!

Successful Earth Day 2024 Cleanup on the Trail

Thanks to everyone who helped clean up the trail for Earth Day 2024. Some started early, and others late to avoid the rain. And a few hardy souls worked during the rain (at least it was not too cold). By quick count, we picked up about 20 bags of trash on the current trail and extension.

Thanks to Danvers Natural Resources staff for helping us prepare and finish the clean up.

Downtown Streetscape Improvements

Town Officials presented a "Downtown Streetscape Improvement" plan to the Selectboard on December 19th, a plan which includes improvements to the Danvers Rail Trail crossing at Maple Street Church and Western Cycle

The rail trail crossing at Maple Street will be addressed in 2024, using the Chapter 40R Downtown Fund to install a new safer crossing on the rail trail by Maple Square, where the town and rail trail volunteers have observed that pedestrians typically jaywalk to save time. To the east toward Domino’s, the current crosswalk will likely be removed to recreate the parking that will be lost from this new addition. The RTAC has long advocated for improvements to the crossing and is thrilled to see this in the town’s downtown improvement plan.

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