Springfield, with a population of 150,000, is the third largest city in Massachusetts. Located on the Connecticut River, Springfield has an interesting history as a center of innovation and industry. It’s also known as the ‘City of Homes’, owing to its large collection of Victorian architecture. It’s also the site of the Basketball Hall of Fame, MGM Casino, and Six Flags amusement park. The best running in Springfield is centered on riverfront trails, large parks, and some of its historic residential neighborhoods. Unfortunately, the construction of I-91 in the 1960s impacted some pedestrian connections, but we’ve researched workarounds.
For running along the Connecticut River, there are two main (not connected) sections: The 3.7 mile River Walk on the east bank, located near downtown; and 1.7 miles on the west bank in Agawam. Another great place to run in Springfield is historic Forest Park, with both paved paths and some more rugged trails. For a sense of Springfield’s history, important sites, and Victorian homes, take our ‘runseeing’ tour. There are also some excellent trail running options in Wilbraham, just east of town, most notably the Rice Preserve.
There is a bus system that operates in Springfield.
