Newburyport-Salem Coastal Route (Road Ride)

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Newburyport, MA, US

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Route Overview

All Day Adventures

Hiking, Cyclo-Cross, MTB, Fat Bike, Road Bike: in Eastern Mass, and New England www.AllDayAdventures.org

60 mi.

2,061 ft.

Advanced Level Road Ride, Lots of Hills. >60 mile Road Ride, lots of Ocean Stops.

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Route Details

The **Newburyport to Salem Coastal Road Ride** is a long hilly road ride, with lots of coastline scenic views. This ride is designed for more riding focus. Other (shorter) rides I have listed have a lot of leisure time built in, taking you to better viewing locations.  While this ride has some wonderful view points and scenic stops, this ride is 60+ miles.

[**www.AllDayAdventures.org**](https://www.alldayadventures.org)

**Riding Equipment:**  This route is for Road Cycling.   A cycle-cross bike is a good second option. Anything else is strongly discouraged because of the distance and hills.  The ride distance is 60+ miles, with a 20 mile Plum Island option, and a few shorter options to Cranes Beach, or Wingaersheek Beach which would expand this ride to 100 Miles.  There are very few flat roads along this coastline ride.  Because of these reasons, this is an Advanced Level Road Ride. Expect 5 – 8 hours for this route. Expanded to 10+ hours if you explore the option routes. Food stops are available at many on-route locations.

**About this Ride:**  This ride uses the MBTA train system to either start or end your ride. This allows a full 60+ Miles coastline route, instead of ½ that on a circular route. Starting in Newburyport, this ride will take you to the back marshes scenic viewpoints of Newburyport before heading South to many other famous North Shore towns. One about every 4 – 7 miles. A good ½ way point for lunch is Gloucester before heading South on the Route 127 portion of this ride.  Ending in Salem for dinner, or back to the MBTA station.

**Riding the Route:**  Starting at the Newburyport Rail Trail, you will take this short extension to Downtown Newburyport. Following along the @photo[coastline](1633111) for a short distance before heading inland for the Newburyport Marshes.  At this point, is where you would split off to explore@poi[ Plum Island](1922374).  This is a 20 mile ride extension through a nature preserve.  Entry fee of $3.00 for bikes.  10 miles out, 10 miles back. Sandy point beach is worth the site, which overlooks Cranes Beach. This road turns to dirt at the 5 mile mark. Can ride with road bikes but dusty.

Continuing on the original route, the @poi[Newburyport Marshes](1922376) offer a @photo[few nice places](1633112) to stop.  I do try to keep you on back roads as much as possible, but main road ways are necessary.  Heading through Rowley on route to Ipswich, you will be on Rt 133. Before Town Center you have an option to visit@poi[ Great Neck. ](1922377) If beach season, and the beaches are busy, this is the Extension for you.  Great site to visit, not a lot of folks.  This is near Mile 17 on this route and is about 8 miles out-and back.  You can see @poi[Sandy Point,](1922375) Plum Island from here.

Just past town center is a back road, where you have an option to visit @poi[Cranes Beach](1922377) and the Crane Estate.  If beach season, expect lots of traffic and entry fees.  This option is also an out and back route.  Worth-it…!
Back on the route, the seaport town of @poi[Essex ](1922379)is next, well known for the Shellfish industry.  Just past the downtown area, you are routed onto @photo[backroads](1517579) again.  There are some wonderful @poi[viewpoints](1922380) on this route, but you have to look to find them as this is a @photo[residential](1517580) area.  Also a great@poi[ Farm Stand](1922381) stop is on this section.

Just past the farm stand is another optional viewpoint. @poi[Wingaersheek Beach](1922382).  The ride along this narrow roadway is stunning for the views of the salt water marshes, but if it is a beach season day, this roadway can be very dangerous to cyclist because of RV Motor homes. Great Views just stay alert.  If you make it to the beach, (maybe a fee) YOU MUST view @photo[Annisquam Harbor](1575198).

After this area, you are heading into @poi[Gloucester](1922384). You will be in this town for a while.  The rolling hills continue on this ride, some of the biggest hill climbs in this stretch. At Gloucester Harbor, I did include a scenic route loop ride.  Starting at the seaside, this loop heads through a busy downtown, but to a beautiful Eastern Gloucester coastline, unlike any you have seen on this ride so far. Striking Beauty for miles.  This is a loop, so you will return to this same spot.  Good place for a lunch break before the final stretch.

Route 127 South is the most popular cycling route on the North Shore.  You will see many cyclist and the vehicle traffic is sparse and well aware of sharing the road.  Some very narrows, so keep alert.

While I have other versions of this same ride with more scenic viewpoints, by this point in the ride, you maybe over 50 miles so RT127 is a good place to just think Cycling for the last 1 ½ or so.  The hills do not let up at all.  Long rolling hills leaving Gloucester and for the next 14 miles,
no flat spots.

Ride ends in the Beverly / Salem Area. Beverly has a few public beaches if you want to swim, or Salem Has a great downtown experience.  The MBTA can be caught in Beverly or Salem, and actually many places along the route once you are in Gloucester.  So it is Easy to plan a bail-out.  Contact me with any questions about this ride, and enjoy…

**View Points:**  Plum Island Road, Sandy Point Beach, Great Meadow @ Parker River, Great Neck, Cranes Beach, Essex Harbor, Walker Creek, Wingaersheek Beach, Gloucester Harbor, Good Harbor Beach, Bass Rocks, Eastern Point Light, Stage Fort Park, Shore Road, Kettle Cove, Lynch Park

Newburyport-Salem Coastal Route (Road Ride)

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