Ashland State Park

If you know where you're going, this makes for an awfully fun night ride.

Definitely a fun loop, but not the best I've ever ridden. Beautiful views of the reservoir in the summer and fall. Also there's a wicked fun rope swing on the back edge of the close island (short swim, but really fun)!

Maybe my review is bias because I've been riding here since i was a kid but this place rocks. Very flowy mix of cross country fire trails and rocky rooty single tracks. There's what i call an easy side and a tough side. The easy side has a bunch of nice flowy single tracks that intersect with and parallel a fire trail (some more technical than others) some nice elevation changes but nothing incredibly tough. The harder side (east side that touches Northeastern University property) is much trickyer with an awesome downhill rock garden (last 10 min of my video) and tons of roots and other gritty obstacles. Riding down the dyke is also a ton of fun. Enjoy !

Go Pro video http://youtu.be/-imDGotjcaU

The gate closes early and through most of the year, so park next to the soccer fields and playground. Ride up and bear right into the ST between the rocks and follow the double track all the way to the water. Then, as mentioned, just keep it on your right and do the 4 miles around. Lots of dogs if you go after work, but I still love this as a good bumpy ride. Make it two laps and you'll end with a good 8 mile ride.

I came here years ago and hated it. I was new to MTBing and didn't think anyone would ever enjoy this. A few years later, I'm a good rider and in good shape on a FS, and I LOVED it. Sure, it's covered in roots and rocks, but this may be a secret technical challenge to Metrowest. Keep the water on your left and just keep riding - 7 miles around, and you'll have some dismount moments, but if you want to challenge your suspension and your handling, this is worth it.

Hug the waters edge in a clockwise circle and have and intence ride. otherwise clockwise but ride left and even if you think you getting to far away you soon reach the beach and you can ride a little further up a rocky road to the acueduct

Came here with my 10yr old daughter for her first "off road" bike ride. Started from the beach, around half of the Ashland Reservoir. On the forest side of the AR its too technical for a rookie. Lots of tall roots and rocks with dips. 6 out of 10 for technical. Their are a bunch of doubletracks to "train" on. Doesn't really offer too much for the intermediate and up. But, my daughter had a blast. Another member of the MTB community!

I live 3 minutes from the back gate so it's not a bad place to take a quick hour ride to. Most of it is pretty easy being fire roads and wide trails, but the Northeastern University side has some get technical spots.

$5 to park here, mainly double track and fire road. However, if you ride past the reservoir and cross the bridge, take an immediate right into some VERY challenging single track with lots of roots and huge rocks. Leads to some nice waterfront and more double track, and that route circles the lake, making for a long and difficult ride. Nice to be able to jump in the water if you're hot, though!

Did race for the last 2 years. No to technical, one big hill. This can be done on just a cyclocross bike