Middlesex Canal Trail – Main St.

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823 Main St,
Wilmington, MA

(42.5333061,-71.1594925)

Directions

Park at the Wilmington Dog Park. Follow the path which begins at the kiosk and boulders past the dog park and take a right at the end onto the dirt trail. This is the dry bed of the canal.

All Destinations Canals & Waterways Hiking Trails

The Middlesex Canal was built from 1793 to 1803 allowing travel between Boston and Merrimack River in Lowell. Barges were towed along the canal by horses at a pace of 3 miles per hour. This short trail follows a remnant of the canal. Starting at the wide dirt path next to the dog park, the trail quickly enters the now dry canal bed. The tow-path where the horses walked appears on the right and a berm to contain the water is on the left. Further along the trail curves to the right. At this point, the rope tethered between the horse and barge would rub against a boulder as the horse turned the curve before the barge. The Tow Path Grooved Boulder can be found on the right with the grooves made by the tow line still visible. At the end of the trail are stone abutments and pier. This is a reconstruction of the Maple Meadow Brook Aqueduct which built in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration. The original aqueduct had a wooden section of canal supported over Maple Meadow Brook allowing the horse and barge to cross over the brook.