Amesbury Riverwalk

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A black, white, and dark blue striped header image with the text Amesbury Riverwalk

For my last history stop during my adventure to Amesbury, MA and Portsmouth, NH in September 2023, I strolled along the Amesbury Riverwalk. Built atop a former railway, the 1.3 mile out-and-back trail passes the historic Carriage House and underneath major roads along with providing a story walk for younger adventurers. The flat, paved path is perfect for people of all ages and abilities.

Side View of Carriage House in Amesbury; three-story red brick building with many windows Lily Pad Painted Crosswalk in Amesbury Tunnel Underneath the Highway on the Amesbury Riverwalk

Near the start of the path is the red brick Carriage House and a large open patio, owned by the Carriage House Museum, which also manages the Industrial History Center, and undergoing renovation. According to the Carriage House website, the carriage industry in Amesbury started in 1853 as local entrepreneur Jacob R. Huntington moved a shop from the nearby town of Merrimac. He used standardized parts and hired specialized workers to manage each section of the assembly line, a precursor to the moving assembly line invented by Henry Ford for his car company. When a massive fire in 1888 destroyed most buildings in the industry, owners and employees banded together to rebuild their carriage making empire. The same year, Huntington donated the statue of Josiah Bartlett near the library, an excellent quick history stop.

Front View of the Carriage House and Patio; the red brick three-story building stands behind a large patio made of pavers with a fountain in the middle. Three-Quarters View of the Carriage House and Patio Side View of the Carriage House and Patio with Bike Racks

Signage along the Amesbury Riverwalk documented its history and shared reproduction photographs of the area. It began life in 1848 as the Salisbury-Amesbury Branch of the Eastern Railroad, which provided transportation for goods produced in local mills. By 1884, Boston & Maine (BM) took over the railroad, allowing a substantial increase in train traffic. Like the carriage industry, the train industry declined with the introduction of cars. Passenger service in Amesbury folded in 1936, while the freight trains stopped in 1972. By 1982, the track was abandoned and removed. Not until 2001 was the new paved path created. Today, Amesbury Riverwalk is part of the Coastal Trails Network, which includes the Newburyport Clipper City Rail Trail, which I walked in September 2022.

Tiny Train Station in Amesbury; a single story building with a little door and two little windows Classic railroad cross sign by the tiny train station Informational Sign for Amesbury Railroads; text describing the history of the railroad along with black and white reproduction photographs

This fairly quiet trail provided a place to decompress after a long two days of historical exploration. Ample signage and maps assure that visitors do not become lost while navigating the trail. A large parking lot down the road from the trail entrance provided plenty of space for hikers, bikers, and other trail users. As for the story walk portion of the trail, the book featured during my visit was Amara and the Bats by Emma Reynolds, which combined a cute story about a little girl who loves bats with bat facts that adults would appreciate. The walk was a perfect end to a satisfying adventure.

Amesbury Riverwalk Mile 0.0 marker; trail adopted by Institution for Savings, includes the Coastal Trails logo on the upper left Sign for Riverwalk Trail; a pictograph of a bicycle and an arrow pointing right Informational Sign with Map of Amesbury Riverwalk

Abby Epplett’s Rating System

Experience: 8/10

Accessibility: 8/10



Location: Amesbury Riverwalk, Amesbury, MA 01913, USA