Photo: Pi.1415926535 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Shift Roams · Marblehead · Swampscott
Marblehead Rail Trail
Two historic seaports, tide pools, and a thousand years of stories
Nearly the whole Marblehead Rail Trail, from the tide pools at Preston Beach to Salem's waterfront — 85% of it on separated path, away from traffic. The Marblehead stretch is packed dirt and flat the whole way, easy going even with kids; it turns to smooth asphalt at the Salem line for the run into downtown, ending at the Salem Witch Trials Memorial and the Peabody Essex Museum.
Numbered pins are the roam's stops; gold rings are bonus stops. Check in at each stop in the Shift app to complete the roam.
The stops
Preston Beach
A hidden beach with tide pools and rocky shoreline, accessible from the trail
Wyman Woods & Harbor Glade
33.5 acres of conservation land with woodland trails connecting to the rail trail
Salem Witch Trials Memorial
A solemn memorial dedicated to the victims of the 1692 Salem witch trials
Peabody Essex Museum
A world-class museum featuring the transplanted Yin Yu Tang Qing-era Chinese house
Bonus stops nearby
Optional detours worth the extra steps.
Devereux Beach
A popular beach linking Marblehead Neck to the mainland with harbor views
Abbot Hall & Downtown Marblehead
Marblehead's iconic 1876 town hall, home to the original Spirit of '76 painting
Leslie's Retreat Park
Site of the first armed confrontation of the American Revolution in February 1775
Roam it for real
Open this roam in the free Shift app to follow the route, check in at each stop, and earn the Marblehead Rail badge.