The Cochituate Rail Trail
Bringing Natick and Framingham Together
The Cochituate Rail Trail is a beautifully-designed and functional 4 mile greenway connecting Natick's vibrant downtown with the Natick Mall and Golden Triangle, crossing Route 30 to connect to Framingham's completed trail section that ends in Saxonville Village.
For a printable CRT map, click here
To schedule an event on the CRT in Natick, please complete and submit this form to the Town
Parking is available at a Town of Natick lot at 11 Mechanic Street; at the end of Chrysler Road in Natick; and at 81 Speen Street in Framingham
Construction Updates:
The Natick section of the CRT is completed from Navy Yard/Whitney Field up to Saxonville.
An extension to the new Natick Center MBTA station is anticipated to open in early Fall 2025.
Lake Cochituate Path, an extension to West Natick along Route 9, is expected to be constructed starting in 2026/2027. Information about this MassDOT project is available here.
The Route 9/27 Interchange Project will establish multi-use paths connecting to the CRT. This MassDOT project is now under construction. Project page link.
The Town of Natick is designing a direct connection to Main Street in Natick Center. Construction TBD.
Watch the Cochituate Rail Trail - Moving Together Virtual Tour video produced for a MassDOT conference in December 2021 that tells a story of how the CRT came to be.
About the CRT
The CRT welcomes walkers, runners, bicyclists, cross-country skiers, wheelchair users, hikers and others who like the outdoors and use alternative ways to travel and commute. Routes 30 and 9 no longer divide our communities, and it is now possible for residents and visitors to bike or walk to enjoy many of our region’s destinations without fighting traffic.
The uses for this transportation greenway are endless. Businesses benefit from increased access and exposure to customers without the overhead of parking. Employees enjoy the overall health and well being of having such a scenic and safe greenway for commuting and daily exercise opportunities. The Cochituate Rail Trail is a unique opportunity to experience a better quality of life, and enhances the vitality of our region.