Photo: Pi.1415926535 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0Shift Roams · Sudbury · Hudson
MCRT: Sudbury to Hudson (SudHud)
Rail history, WWII bunkers, and a rare Pine Barrens ecosystem
This roam covers 5.4 miles of the 7.8-mile Mass Central Rail Trail section through MetroWest, connecting South Sudbury to downtown Hudson. Features the Diamond Crossing historic railroad junction, 2,000-acre Assabet River wildlife refuge with visible WWII ammunition igloos, and a globally rare Pine Barrens ecosystem.
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
South Sudbury Station & Diamond Crossing
Historic railroad junction where two rail lines crossed, now a distinctive roundabout trailhead
Hop Brook Marsh
Conservation land with marsh views along Hop Brook
Desert Natural Area
A globally rare Pine Barren ecosystem — one of only a few inland sand plains in the Northeast
Marlborough-Sudbury State Forest
State forest with trail connections to the Assabet River corridor
Fort Meadow Brook Bridge
A steel truss bridge crossing Fort Meadow Brook, rebuilt in 2024 after the original timber trestle was destroyed by fire. The brook drains the 260-acre Fort Meadow Reservoir to the south.
Roam it for real
Open this roam in the free Shift app to follow the route, check in at each stop, and earn the SudHud Rider badge.