Photo: Pi.1415926535 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0Marblehead Rail Trail
Two historic seaports, tide pools, and a thousand years of stories
Part of the MassTrails 10
Ten signature shared-use trails across Massachusetts, selected by MassDOT and DCR for 2026. Complete them all to earn the Trail Master badge — plus 50 bonus entries in the Shift Your Summer sweepstakes (June 15 – August 15). Complete all 0 routes to earn the Trail Master badge.
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 route
Visit all 4 stops to complete this roam
Preston Beach
Starting point
A hidden beach with tide pools and rocky shoreline, accessible from the trail
Learn more →Route: Seaview Ave — quiet street (0.3 mi), Marblehead Rail Trail — separated path, packed dirt (2.5 mi)
Elevation: Flat — no appreciable climb
Wyman Woods & Harbor Glade
33.5 acres of conservation land with woodland trails connecting to the rail trail
Learn more →Route: Marblehead Rail Trail — separated path, packed dirt (0.5 mi), Salem Bike Path — separated path, asphalt (1.9 mi), Charter & Front St — quiet downtown streets (0.2 mi)
Elevation: Flat — no appreciable climb
Salem Witch Trials Memorial
A solemn memorial dedicated to the victims of the 1692 Salem witch trials
Learn more →Route: Charter St & Axelrod Garden Walkway — pedestrian area, plan to walk your bike (0.1 mi)
Elevation: Flat
Peabody Essex Museum
Final stop
A world-class museum featuring the transplanted Yin Yu Tang Qing-era Chinese house
Learn more →Bonus stops nearby
Optional detours worth the extra steps.
Abbot Hall & Downtown Marblehead
Marblehead's iconic 1876 town hall, home to the original Spirit of '76 painting
Learn more →Leslie's Retreat Park
Site of the first armed confrontation of the American Revolution in February 1775
Learn more →How it works
A roam is a guided, self-paced adventure you follow in the free Shift app.
Follow the route
Open this roam in the Shift app and follow the turn-by-turn route at your own pace.
Check in at each stop
The app detects when you arrive and checks you in automatically. No scanning, no codes.
Earn the Marblehead Rail badge
Complete the roam to earn the Marblehead Rail badge and 10 XP. Finish all 0 routes in the MassTrails 10 for a bonus badge.