Natick Trail Mail is a monthly email from the Friends of Natick Trails to share news, opportunities and stories about trails in Natick. You’re receiving this because you’ve connected with us in the past - but it’s easy to opt out (see below).

Who is FoNT?

The Friends of Natick Trails was established in 2016 to help support the Town of Natick’s work to bring about the Cochituate Rail Trail. Our mission is:

To promote outdoor recreation and alternative transportation within our community and to encourage and support collaboration within and between communities to ensure the safe enjoyment of the trail network for all users and neighbors.

FoNT is a non-profit organization with a fiscal sponsor, Mission.Earth.

Get involved!

Become a FoNT member

Want to be part of FoNT? We are member-based, and we welcome you to join us! There is no commitment to membership, but we hope you will participate if you support the FoNT mission. We have several ways for volunteers to engage, such as our Trail Keepers program to maintain and improve the CRT, and we have a number of committees where members can also participate. Sign up here and we will get back to you!

Our Board of Directors

We occasionally have vacancies on our Board of Directors. Do you have experience or interest in serving on a Board? We are particularly interested in people with legal, fundraising and policy skills and experience. Sign up here and we will follow up right away. 

Sponsorship Opportunities

Since 2021, FoNT has provided over $190,000 to the Town of Natick for maintenance and improvements to the Cochituate Rail Trail. These funds come from sponsorships of various amenities along the trail, such as benches and bike repair stations, and we also plan programs and events that can be supported by underwriting. MathWorks, Landry’s, Middlesex Bank, TJX, MetroWest Subaru and Sincere are among the companies that have supported the CRT. If you, or your organization would like to participate, please visit this page or email [email protected]. 

All Aboard!

In partnership with the Town of Natick Recreation and Parks Department, FoNT helps run All Aboard, a program to make cycling accessible to riders with disabilities or mobility limitations. All Aboard is scheduled on five Saturdays in 2025, starting on April 12. This free program is funded by grants, and relies on volunteers. Learn more and sign up to ride or help out here. All Aboard is supported by grants from the MetroWest Health Foundation, the MathWorks Community Foundation, and the Rotary Club of Natick. 

Trail News

Since the Natick section of the Cochituate Rail Trail opened in 2021, the CRT has been a popular amenity and transportation corridor from Saxonville Village in Framingham to Whitney Field in Natick, with over 600,000 visits. And it’s poised to get even better. 

• In 2025, the trail will extend from its current terminus near Whitney Field to the outbound platform of the new Natick Center MBTA Station after the accessibility improvements at the station are complete. There will be covered bike parking at the trailhead.

• MassDOT is constructing a path along Route 9 from the CRT to Hartford and Speen Streets, making the trail more accessible to West Natick. Called Lake Cochituate Path, this project is anticipated to be built starting in 2026.

• Natick is designing an extension that will bring the trail up to Main Street, just north of the MBTA Station. A public hearing to review the design of this extension is anticipated in 2025; construction is expected in a few years with federal and state funding. 

2025 will be a year of many trail projects in MetroWest and beyond, with trails opening in Sudbury, Hudson and many more communities. We will have more news in the coming months.

Happy New Year (a few months late)

Did you enjoy New Year’s Eve on the Cochituate Rail Trail? Both the Friends of Natick Trails and the Friends of Framingham Trails organized community celebrations. Over 2000 people enjoyed fire pits, food and entertainment in Natick. FoNT appreciates all the fire pit hosts, volunteers, performers and our sponsor, TJX Corporation. 

We welcome your participation as we get ready for next time! Sign up at this page and we will get in touch when we start planning in a few months.

2024 Trails Summit

FoNT, along with the Natick Conservation Commission, Open Space Advisory Committee, and Trails and Forest Stewardship Committee hosted a Natick Trails Summit in October 2024 to promote collaboration and identify priorities for trails in Natick. We have a resources page with information that trails enthusiasts may find useful: click here to learn more and get involved.