Walking Tour 7 - Battle Road Trail
5-mi-long (8-km) trail starting 1.4 mi (2.25 m) east of Monument Square. Several parking areas & starting points along the trail.
The Battle Road Trail in Minute Man National Historical Park is a 5-mile (8-km) walking and biking path that retraces, more or less, the route that the British Redcoats followed on their march to Concord on April 19, 1775, and the route along which they retreated.
The unpaved sandy path stretches between Meriam’s Corner in Concord to Fiske Hill in Lexington, crossing fields, meadows, swamps (over causeways), and past historic houses and sites. These include the place where a British patrol arrested Paul Revere during the night of April 18-19, 1775 as he rode to spread the alarm that “the Regulars are out!"
Bicycle is the best way to travel the entire trail (and back to your starting point), or you can drive along MA Route 2A (Lexington Road/North Great Road) and stop at the several parking areas for shorter walks on parts of the trail.
The sites below all have parking areas from which you can start your walk, hike, or bike ride.
Meriam's Corner & Meriam House
One of the bloodiest skirmishes of the Redcoat retreat took place at Meriam’s Corner, where Lexington Road meets Old Bedford Road, 1.3 miles (2 km) east of Monument Square. The Nathan Meriam House marks the western end of the Battle Road Trail, with a small parking area.
Meriam House at Meriam's Corner.
Samuel Brooks House
The Samuel Brooks House, in the group of houses known as Brooks Village, is one mile (1.6 km) east of Meriam’s Corner and one mile west of the Hartwell Tavern. The parking area is relatively small.
Samuel Brooks House
Hartwell Tavern
One of the larger parking areas is a short walk from the historic Hartwell Tavern, a good place from which to walk in either direction on the Battle Road Trail. The Paul Revere Capture Site is a 20-minute walk to the east.
Hartwell Tavern
Samuel Hartwell House Site
Samuel Hartwell, owner of the Hartwell Tavern, and his wife Mary, lived in this house, just a short stroll east of the tavern, during the dramatic days of the Revolutionary War. Owned by other families over the centuries, it was being used as a restaurant in 1968 when it burned to the ground, leaving only the massive multi-level chimney within. A protective framework was constructed in 1985 showing the dimensions of the house.
What's left of the Samuel Hartwell House: the great chimney assembly.
Paul Revere Capture Site
Paul Revere, William Dawes and Dr Samuel Prescott were the messengers who rode from Charlestown to the towns and villages of Middlesex County to warn that “the Regulars are out!” An expeditionary force was marching from Boston in search of “rebel” military stores hidden in Concord. Revere and Prescott met a British patrol here. Revere was arrested, but Dr Prescott leaped a fence and rode on to Concord and beyond sounding the alarm. The parking lot is of medium size. The Minute Man Visitor Center is a 15-minute walk to the east along the Battle Road Trail.
Revere was captured, but Dr Prescott got away....
Minute Man Battle Road Visitor Center
The Minute Man Battle Road Visitor Center has the largest parking lot and the most services. The location is excellent for walks to the Paul Revere Capture Site, several historic houses, and for the Fiske Hill Loop Trail.
Minute Man Battle Road Visitor Center
Battle Road marker.