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Hidden Gem
According to local resident and regular Rider contributor Scott A . Williams , “ the Trans-Mass Trail isn ’ t an ‘ official ’ route .” The “ set of mostly dirt roads and trails through western Massachusetts was pieced together by adventure riders and shared so anyone who ’ s interested can check it out .” Although not particularly challenging , it ’ s best suited to high-clearance dual-sports and adventure bikes , especially after rains turn some sections into mud . At the northern end of the route , not far from Vermont , the route crosses the Deerfield River on Bardwell ’ s Ferry Bridge , which at 198 feet is the longest singlespan lenticular truss bridge in Massachusetts . Built in 1882 and restored in the 1990s , the woodendeck bridge is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and its faded red paint adds an extra splash of color to a colorful fall day . Photo by Scott A . Williams