Herring River Trail: a short path following the Old Colony Railroad line

Herring River with remnants from the railroad past

The MBTA Greenbush station is the final stop of today's Greenbush line—the commuter rail line that connects Boston's South Station with Scituate and Greenbush. The line “runs on” southward as a walking and bicycling trail to the Herring River marshes by following the Old Colony Railroad bed. The trail ends at the north bank of the Herring River, but the railroad bed continues on the other side. From 1871 to 1938 the Old Colony Railroad was operating all the way to Marshfield. That service was terminated in 1938 when a hurricane severely damaged the tracks [1-3].

Herring River Trail with trees showing their fall colors (early November, 2020)

The Herring River Trail—also known as Herring Brook Trail [2]—begins next to Dunkin Donuts on Driftway. The paved Driftway Multi-Purpose Path links the Herring River Trail with the Driftway Conversation Park. 

Herring River Trail seen from its marsh section near the river

The first section of the half-mile-long Herring River trail is lined by trees on both sides, before the trail enters marshland. A few wooden railway ties scattered alongside the converted track remind us of the railroad past. Some remnants of what once was a bridge or viaduct can still be seen at the Herring River. 

References and more to explore

[1] Herring River Trail. North and South Rivers Watershed Association. Blog Post URL: https://www.nsrwa.org/listing/herring-river-trail/.

[2] Local Rail Trails. North and South Rivers Watershed Association. Blog Post URL: https://www.nsrwa.org/local-rail-trails/.

[3] The Abandoned Scituate to Marshfield railroad line. Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YxVHX6lwX0.