Outdoor Activities
The Battle Road Trail is a five mile trail connecting historic sites from Meriam’s Corner in Concord to the eastern boundary of the park in Lexington. Much of the trail follows the original remnants of the Battle Road: Where thousands of Colonial Militia and British Regulars fought a bloody engagement on April 19, 1775. In some areas the trail leaves the historic road to follow the route of the Minute Men traversing farming fields, wetlands, and forests. Aside from it's significance as a hallowed battlefield, the trail is known for it's scenic beauty, biodiversity, and natural resources.
Bicycling the trail is welcome and a great way to enjoy the park. The trail is accessible by several parking areas along Route 2A and Lexington Road. Bicycles, e-bikes and traditional, are allowed on park roads and in parking areas that are otherwise open for motor vehicle use by the general public. Before arriving, we recommend reading the following precautions, policies and laws. We require that all laws and regulations listed below be followed while visiting the park.
Precautions:
- Visit our Maps and Directions page for more information or pick up a park map at either park visitor center. The Minute Man page of the NPS Mobile App also includes location based GPS mapping.
- Traffic on park roads can be very busy during summer months and weekends in the spring and fall. Park avenues intersect with busy public roads and traffic can be heavy at those intersections so please observe STOP signs and use caution when passing through intersections.
- Bicycle racks are located at both visitor centers. Riders are urged to use locks and security devices while bikes are left unattended.
- The National Park Service urges bicyclists to wear proper safety equipment and bright colored clothing so that you can be easily seen by motorists who may be distracted by the park scene.
- Bicyclists in Middlesex County should check on-line for advice on bike trails and paths through this area. All of the roads into Lexington, Lincoln, and Concord are heavily traveled throughout the year and few have adequate shoulders to keep riders out of harm's way. Route 2A is the primary access road to the North Bridge Visitor Center and Main Visitor Center.
Where can you ride?
Bicycles are allowed in Minute Man National Historical Park in the following areas and trails with special exceptions noted below
- North Bridge Trail
- Battle Road Trail
Riders must dismount and walk bikes on the following sites: boardwalks, the North Bridge, on the Vernal Pool and Fisk Hill Loop Trails, the Buttrick Garden Paths, the Buttrick Mansion/North Bridge Visitor Center Paths, and other places as indicated. Bicycles may not be ridden in fields, on lawns, or in undeveloped areas or off-trail. Riding abreast of another rider is permitted on the Battle Road Trail as long as it does not impede other visitors, or otherwise create a hazardous condition.
What is an e-bike? The term “e-bike” means a two- or three-wheeled cycle with fully operable pedals and an electric motor of less than 750 watts (1 h.p.).
How to ride an e-bike in the park?
- E-bikes are allowed in Minute Man National Historical Park where traditional bicycles are allowed. E-bikes are prohibited where traditional bicycles are prohibited.
- All e-bikes must utilize pedaling while riding the bike. Except where use of motor vehicles by the public is allowed, using the electric motor exclusively to move an electric bicycle for an extended period of time without pedaling is prohibited.
- The speed limit for bicycle on the above trails is 10mph.
- Riders must yield right of way to pedestrians.
- Operation of bicycles must comply with Massachusetts law. Except as specified in the Superintendent Compendium, the use of an e-bike within Minute Man National Historical Park is governed by State law, which is adopted and made part of the Superintendent Compendium. Any violation of State law adopted by this paragraph is prohibited.
A person operating an e-bike is subject to the following sections of 36 CFR 4.30. This action is covered by the categorical exclusion 3.2.E in the NPS NEPA Handbook. Planning documents regarding this topic include the park’s 1999 EA which can be viewed at park headquarters.
The Battle Road Trail is a five mile trail connecting historic sites from Meriam’s Corner in Concord to the eastern boundary of the park in Lexington. Much of the trail follows the original remnants of the Battle Road: Where thousands of Colonial Militia and British Regulars fought a bloody engagement on April 19, 1775. In some areas the trail leaves the historic road to follow the route of the Minute Men traversing farming fields, wetlands, and forests.
Aside from it's significance as a hallowed battlefield, the trail is known for it's scenic beauty, biodiversity, and natural resources.
The trail is accessible by several parking areas along Route 2A and Lexington Road. Visit our Maps and Directions page for more parking information and pick up a park map at the Minute Man Visitor Center.
To learn more, visit our website! The Battle Road Trail - Minute Man National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Programming
We welcome interest in Minute Man National Historical Park’s Junior Ranger Program. It is a seasonal program run in the park annually from May 7 to October 31st.
The Junior Ranger program at Minute Man was designed as an in-person experience for Junior Rangers and their families to complete onsite. As a result, booklets are only available at the park; we are unable to mail them.
Junior Ranger badges are only available in the park, and we are unable to honor any requests to mail them, so be sure to complete the activities before you leave the park to be eligible for a badge.
Pick up a Junior Ranger booklet to guide your exploration of the park at Minute Man Visitor Center in Lexington or North Bridge Visitor Center in Concord. Complete the activities as you visit different sites in the park. Before you leave, show your work to a park ranger at either visitor center to get your Junior Ranger badge!
What did it mean to be a minute man in 1775? How were they trained and armed? Join a park ranger at the historic Hartwell Tavern in Lincoln MA, where John and Isaac Hartwell, two minute men from the town of Lincoln, lived. Discover the motivations and realities faced by those who volunteered to be “ready at a minute’s warning.” This program includes a musket firing demonstration. Visitors with hearing concerns should exercise caution.
Meet at North Bridge Visitor Center
Moments of great importance often hinge upon individuals making decisions in the heat of the moment. At Concord’s North Bridge on April 19, 1775 soldiers on both sides made decisions that changed the course of history. Meet a park ranger at North Bridge Visitor Center for a 40 minute walking tour from the visitor center to the North Bridge battle site. Learn about the battle from the perspective of the participants. Along the way, the 18th century battlefield and landscape will be revealed as you walk in the footsteps of the minute men.
At 11:00 a.m. meet a Park Ranger at the benches by the North Bridge for this daily 30 minute program. Learn about the momentous battle at Concord’s North Bridge, where the British Army suffered its first casualties of the war, and the legacy of this event in American History.
Outdoor Activities
Event Programming
