Bay Circuit Trail
Name: Bay Circuit Trail
Start: Newburyport, MA
Finish: Kingston, MA
GPX: Ride with GPS File
Distance: 209.60 Miles
Description: The route circumnavigates Boston through dozens of town forests on a designated and well-marked trail. The last known completion was in 2019 by Jamie Lent, 80 hours was the time.
Submitted by Rob Martin: The Bay Circuit Trail (BCT) is a 230-mile greenway forming a "C"-shaped arc around the outer suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. Stretching from Plum Island in the north to Kingston Bay in the south, the trail was first envisioned in 1929 as an "outer Emerald Necklace," complementing the inner greenbelt of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The BCT offers a scenic and recreational corridor through eastern Massachusetts, providing opportunities for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding.
Passing through 37 towns, the trail traverses diverse landscapes, including notable spots like Walden Pond, the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, and Harold Parker State Forest. The BCT’s mix of off-road trails, paved sections, and gravel paths presents a unique challenge for mountain bikers. Sections like Bedford feature moderate climbs and descents, making the trail suitable for a variety of skill levels. However, riders should be prepared for frequent transitions between on- and off-road sections, as well as occasional technical terrain, particularly in rocky areas.
The trail is largely used by day hikers, but camping options are available for bikepackers willing to plan ahead. Key resupply points along the trail include towns like Lowell, Concord, and Wayland, though water sources can be scarce in some off-road sections, particularly during dry seasons.
Since 2012, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has played a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing the BCT, focusing on connecting trail segments, protecting open spaces, and ensuring long-term preservation. The BCT remains a collaborative effort between local governments, conservation groups, and volunteers, serving 4 million people in the surrounding region.
While the trail is mostly closed to motorized vehicles, it’s shared by hikers, horseback riders, and cyclists, so adhering to trail etiquette is essential. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly ride or a more technical challenge, the BCT offers an immersive experience through Massachusetts’ natural beauty and historical landmarks, including Minute Man National Historical Park and Walden Pond.
North to South
Unsupported
Men:
Para:
Supported:
Men:
Women:
Team
Unsupported
Men:
Women:
Para
Supported:
Men:
Women:
Team :
Name: Bay Circuit Trail
Start: Newburyport, MA
Finish: Kingston, MA
GPX: Ride with GPS File
Distance: 209.60 Miles
Description: The route circumnavigates Boston through dozens of town forests on a designated and well-marked trail. The last known completion was in 2019 by Jamie Lent, 80 hours was the time.
Submitted by Rob Martin: The Bay Circuit Trail (BCT) is a 230-mile greenway forming a "C"-shaped arc around the outer suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. Stretching from Plum Island in the north to Kingston Bay in the south, the trail was first envisioned in 1929 as an "outer Emerald Necklace," complementing the inner greenbelt of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. The BCT offers a scenic and recreational corridor through eastern Massachusetts, providing opportunities for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding.
Passing through 37 towns, the trail traverses diverse landscapes, including notable spots like Walden Pond, the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, and Harold Parker State Forest. The BCT’s mix of off-road trails, paved sections, and gravel paths presents a unique challenge for mountain bikers. Sections like Bedford feature moderate climbs and descents, making the trail suitable for a variety of skill levels. However, riders should be prepared for frequent transitions between on- and off-road sections, as well as occasional technical terrain, particularly in rocky areas.
The trail is largely used by day hikers, but camping options are available for bikepackers willing to plan ahead. Key resupply points along the trail include towns like Lowell, Concord, and Wayland, though water sources can be scarce in some off-road sections, particularly during dry seasons.
Since 2012, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) has played a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing the BCT, focusing on connecting trail segments, protecting open spaces, and ensuring long-term preservation. The BCT remains a collaborative effort between local governments, conservation groups, and volunteers, serving 4 million people in the surrounding region.
While the trail is mostly closed to motorized vehicles, it’s shared by hikers, horseback riders, and cyclists, so adhering to trail etiquette is essential. Whether you're looking for a family-friendly ride or a more technical challenge, the BCT offers an immersive experience through Massachusetts’ natural beauty and historical landmarks, including Minute Man National Historical Park and Walden Pond.
North to South
Unsupported
Men:
- Jonathan Karpatkin, 25:36:21, June 20, 2026
- Ryan Gies, 29:04:13, July 25, 2025
- Jesse Boudart, 36:03:28 | October 2, 2022
Para:
Supported:
Men:
Women:
Team
- Male, unsupported, team - Rob Martin - Hot Tubes Cycling, Louis Perry - Relentless Endurance, 34:37:20, October 19-20, 2024
Unsupported
Men:
- Derrick Salvatore, 09/13/25, 26:43:31
Women:
Para
Supported:
Men:
Women:
Team :
Notes from the ride
From Jonathan Karpatkin's successful attempt: What an adventure. I started at 7:03pm on Saturday, after missing the 3:30 train out of Boston. The first few miles of road were quick and relatively painless, and I was feeling good about my pace, but as expected the 36mi block of trails from Rowley to Andover were very slow-going, made worse by the huge spiders who had made their webs right across the trail. I'm not as uncomfortable with spiders as I used to be, but I had a proper little freakout when I took an ounce of arachnid to the face at 12mph. I took it much slower after that.Andover's 24h CVS was a respite - I shouldn't have paused my navigation here, because it threw off my average speed field, which would have been helpful for pacing. I also should have bought something for saddle sores here, instead of poison ivy wipes that took up more space than they were worth.
The pavement and BFRT from Andover to Lowell and Concord were fast and easy. The temporary route through Lowell needs to be worked on - there are more turns than there need to be.
Daylight in Framingham brought Dunkin, and a turkey breakfast sandwich gave new life to tired legs and my first ever full night on the bike (sunrise pictured). Restocked on fluids. Again, should have found something for the saddle sores, but didn't.
The Framingham to Ashland section was quick, the Ashland to Walpole section not so much. Trails in Rocky Narrows that were flooded when I scouted a month or so ago were bone dry. With the best of intentions, I added electrolytes to all my water at a CVS in Walpole, but this turned out to be a major mistake. By mile ~170 I couldn't tolerate the saltiness, and all I wanted was some fresh clean water, but even with a filter, all the water sources near the trail were swampy, nasty standing water.
Sharon to Bridgewater were generally faster trails, although still with their share of bullshit rocks and roots, but at this point my rear was so beat up I could barely sit on the bike. I got plenty of practice with tech climbing while standing vs. winching!
Mile 186 through Burrage Pond was flooded waist deep and very dirty water. I couldn't see my footing and unfortunately fell partly in. The silt in the shoes and the wet socks became yet another significant discomfort.
Somewhere around here I found an ice cream parlor that partially fixed my hydration problem, but I should have dumped my reservoir and bottles and gotten more fresh water. I had underestimated how many hours I still had ahead of me.
The various camps in the 190s were sandy and loose with poor trail marking. Some wrong turns were made.
The last unpaved sections were more my speed, or would have been if I wasn't so raw and deep into a dehydration-worsened bonk.
The well-marked end point gave punctuation to the finish. Other races I've done have lacked a clear finish line, and I must say I prefer having one to not. No better prize than the sound of waves lapping at the shore as dusk settled in. Jose came through with an Uber home, shower, chipotle, bed. Plenty of new mistakes, some old lessons relearned.
Video and photo highlights: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18331191079250495/
From Rob Martin and Louis Perry's successful attempt: It all kicked off at 5:15 AM—pitch dark, a bone-chilling 36°F, and we were already questioning our sanity. But hey, records don't set themselves! Right off the bat, we hit our first hurdle: a bridge we were supposed to cross was out. So, we’re rerouting, burning daylight and miles... well, we hadn’t planned on that one.
Just as the sun started to poke its head over the horizon, we found ourselves bushwhacking through a gnarly, overgrown section of the trail. Honestly, that set the tone for the ride—it wasn’t going to be fast, but it was going to be epic. We pressed on, because, you know, adventure!
The southern half was a beast. It was like someone had dumped a million baby heads on the trail—seriously, we had never seen so many rocks. The climbs? Forget it. We were off the bike half the time, doing the good old hike-a-bike routine, dragging the loaded bikes through rocky sections that seemed to stretch on forever.
Oh, and just when we thought we’d seen it all, we hit a section where the local beavers had decided to build their own obstacle course. The trail was flooded with three feet of water, and we had to inch across a tiny ridge to avoid turning into human popsicles. Wet feet, but dry-ish bodies, so we kept pushing.
By the time we hit the 100-mile mark, night had turned into day and back to night again. Time was slipping away, but then came salvation—a glorious 7/11! We scarfed down sandwiches, donuts, water, and candy like we hadn’t eaten in days (which, in ultra-endurance time, we basically hadn’t). Armed with fresh supplies and a sugar rush, we were back in action.
Once the sun dipped again, it was time for warm clothes and another long, cold push through the night. The animals? Yeah, they were smarter than us—snoozing away while we trudged on, crossing paths with a single deer and catching whiffs of a skunk here and there.
But the real kicker came when our water situation got dicey. No stores, no open taps for 13 hours, until finally, a Dunkin’ Donuts appeared like a mirage. Water, donuts, and OJ never tasted so good! That pit stop gave us the kick we needed, and soon enough, the sun reappeared.
With the finish in sight, we knew we had a good shot at the record, but the trail wasn’t done with us yet. Harold Parker State Forest brought back all the rocky, frustrating, time-sucking terrain we’d been battling for over 24 hours. But after we got through that, the trail became home turf. We knew it like the back of our hands, and the pace picked up.
Just when we thought we were cruising to the end, we hit a flooded road in Newbury. People were standing around, gawking at the ocean that had decided to make a surprise appearance on the road. What did we do? We went for it! The water was a foot deep, 300 yards long, but nothing was stopping us now.
The final stretch? A hard push with everything we had. We hammered into the finish, stopping the clock at 34:37:20—a brand new Fastest Known Time! What a ride.
From Jonathan Karpatkin's successful attempt: What an adventure. I started at 7:03pm on Saturday, after missing the 3:30 train out of Boston. The first few miles of road were quick and relatively painless, and I was feeling good about my pace, but as expected the 36mi block of trails from Rowley to Andover were very slow-going, made worse by the huge spiders who had made their webs right across the trail. I'm not as uncomfortable with spiders as I used to be, but I had a proper little freakout when I took an ounce of arachnid to the face at 12mph. I took it much slower after that.Andover's 24h CVS was a respite - I shouldn't have paused my navigation here, because it threw off my average speed field, which would have been helpful for pacing. I also should have bought something for saddle sores here, instead of poison ivy wipes that took up more space than they were worth.
The pavement and BFRT from Andover to Lowell and Concord were fast and easy. The temporary route through Lowell needs to be worked on - there are more turns than there need to be.
Daylight in Framingham brought Dunkin, and a turkey breakfast sandwich gave new life to tired legs and my first ever full night on the bike (sunrise pictured). Restocked on fluids. Again, should have found something for the saddle sores, but didn't.
The Framingham to Ashland section was quick, the Ashland to Walpole section not so much. Trails in Rocky Narrows that were flooded when I scouted a month or so ago were bone dry. With the best of intentions, I added electrolytes to all my water at a CVS in Walpole, but this turned out to be a major mistake. By mile ~170 I couldn't tolerate the saltiness, and all I wanted was some fresh clean water, but even with a filter, all the water sources near the trail were swampy, nasty standing water.
Sharon to Bridgewater were generally faster trails, although still with their share of bullshit rocks and roots, but at this point my rear was so beat up I could barely sit on the bike. I got plenty of practice with tech climbing while standing vs. winching!
Mile 186 through Burrage Pond was flooded waist deep and very dirty water. I couldn't see my footing and unfortunately fell partly in. The silt in the shoes and the wet socks became yet another significant discomfort.
Somewhere around here I found an ice cream parlor that partially fixed my hydration problem, but I should have dumped my reservoir and bottles and gotten more fresh water. I had underestimated how many hours I still had ahead of me.
The various camps in the 190s were sandy and loose with poor trail marking. Some wrong turns were made.
The last unpaved sections were more my speed, or would have been if I wasn't so raw and deep into a dehydration-worsened bonk.
The well-marked end point gave punctuation to the finish. Other races I've done have lacked a clear finish line, and I must say I prefer having one to not. No better prize than the sound of waves lapping at the shore as dusk settled in. Jose came through with an Uber home, shower, chipotle, bed. Plenty of new mistakes, some old lessons relearned.
Video and photo highlights: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18331191079250495/
From Rob Martin and Louis Perry's successful attempt: It all kicked off at 5:15 AM—pitch dark, a bone-chilling 36°F, and we were already questioning our sanity. But hey, records don't set themselves! Right off the bat, we hit our first hurdle: a bridge we were supposed to cross was out. So, we’re rerouting, burning daylight and miles... well, we hadn’t planned on that one.
Just as the sun started to poke its head over the horizon, we found ourselves bushwhacking through a gnarly, overgrown section of the trail. Honestly, that set the tone for the ride—it wasn’t going to be fast, but it was going to be epic. We pressed on, because, you know, adventure!
The southern half was a beast. It was like someone had dumped a million baby heads on the trail—seriously, we had never seen so many rocks. The climbs? Forget it. We were off the bike half the time, doing the good old hike-a-bike routine, dragging the loaded bikes through rocky sections that seemed to stretch on forever.
Oh, and just when we thought we’d seen it all, we hit a section where the local beavers had decided to build their own obstacle course. The trail was flooded with three feet of water, and we had to inch across a tiny ridge to avoid turning into human popsicles. Wet feet, but dry-ish bodies, so we kept pushing.
By the time we hit the 100-mile mark, night had turned into day and back to night again. Time was slipping away, but then came salvation—a glorious 7/11! We scarfed down sandwiches, donuts, water, and candy like we hadn’t eaten in days (which, in ultra-endurance time, we basically hadn’t). Armed with fresh supplies and a sugar rush, we were back in action.
Once the sun dipped again, it was time for warm clothes and another long, cold push through the night. The animals? Yeah, they were smarter than us—snoozing away while we trudged on, crossing paths with a single deer and catching whiffs of a skunk here and there.
But the real kicker came when our water situation got dicey. No stores, no open taps for 13 hours, until finally, a Dunkin’ Donuts appeared like a mirage. Water, donuts, and OJ never tasted so good! That pit stop gave us the kick we needed, and soon enough, the sun reappeared.
With the finish in sight, we knew we had a good shot at the record, but the trail wasn’t done with us yet. Harold Parker State Forest brought back all the rocky, frustrating, time-sucking terrain we’d been battling for over 24 hours. But after we got through that, the trail became home turf. We knew it like the back of our hands, and the pace picked up.
Just when we thought we were cruising to the end, we hit a flooded road in Newbury. People were standing around, gawking at the ocean that had decided to make a surprise appearance on the road. What did we do? We went for it! The water was a foot deep, 300 yards long, but nothing was stopping us now.
The final stretch? A hard push with everything we had. We hammered into the finish, stopping the clock at 34:37:20—a brand new Fastest Known Time! What a ride.