Biking at Breakheart

Yes, you can bike at Breakheart Reservation. DCR lists biking among the park's activities, and its three paved roads, Pine Tops Road, Elm Street and Hemlock Road, are closed to cars and form two loops: the 2-mile Inner Loop and the 3-mile Outer Loop. They are shared paths, so DCR asks riders to go carefully and yield to people on foot. Riders 16 and under must wear a helmet.

The Paved Loops

DCR's hiking guide describes both loops as popular multi-use trails through pine and mixed hardwood forest, suitable even for strollers and mobility aids.

• Inner Loop, 2 miles, easy: Pine Tops Road, marked with green hearts as DCR's Healthy Heart Trail. It passes picnic areas, the off-leash dog park, Pearce Lake beach and the shore of Silver Lake.
• Outer Loop, 3 miles, moderate: Pine Tops Road, Elm Street and Hemlock Road, over hillier ground with large glacial boulders along the way. Clockwise, stay left at every paved intersection; counter-clockwise, stay right.

Both start at the Saugus entrance by the visitor center, and the Outer Loop also reaches the Wakefield entrance. DCR's map notes that the gates on these roads are there to keep motor vehicles out, and that all other users are welcome past them.

Sharing the Path

The paved loops are the busiest paths in the park, used by walkers, runners, families with strollers and dog walkers. DCR's instruction to bikers is plain: ride cautiously and yield to pedestrians. In practice that means slowing down at the beach and picnic areas, calling out before you pass, and giving dogs on 10-foot leashes room. On summer weekends, ride early.

Off the Pavement

DCR's trail map describes Breakheart as offering hiking, biking and trail running, and its trail-use guidelines ask everyone to stay on designated trails and roads. DCR does not publish a list of which blazed trails are open to mountain bikes, and many of them are rocky and steep around the hills. If you ride the dirt, stay on established trails, avoid them when they are wet, and yield to hikers. The trail map page lists the named trails and forest roads. Two places are clearly off limits to bikes:

• Stories in Stone, DCR's self-guided history route, is for foot traffic only.
• Camp Nihan Education Center bans biking and mountain biking, according to DCR.

Rules That Apply to Riders

• Riders age 16 and under must wear a bicycle helmet; DCR's guide notes it is the law, and recommends helmets for everyone.
• Motorized uses are prohibited on Breakheart's trails.
• The park is open sunrise to sunset; see hours.
• Keep groups to 12 or fewer and stay together at the pace of the slowest rider, per DCR's guidance.
• Carry water; DCR says drinking water may not be available.

Full list on the rules page.

Good For

• Kids learning to ride on a car-free loop with no traffic.
• An easy 2-mile spin or a 3-mile loop with a few climbs.
• Combining a ride with a swim at Pearce Lake in season.

Maybe Skip If

• You want a long, fast road ride: the loops are short and crowded on weekends. The Northern Strand Trail runs for miles.
• You want more dirt: Lynn Woods has over 30 miles of trails and allows mountain biking except in winter, according to the City of Lynn.

Getting There

Parking is free at both entrances; the Saugus lot at 177 Forest Street puts you right at the start of both loops. See parking and directions.