The Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride is adding some shining new scenery for its 17th year.

The annual Watershed Ride is a fundraiser for the Buzzards Bay Coalition, where every dollar raised helps support the Coalition’s work to improve the health of the Bay ecosystem for everyone through education, conservation, research, and advocacy.

The 2023 course has been updated to include the newly opened Shining Tides Mile of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail. This magnificent mile crosses the Mattapoisett River estuary, salt marshes, and Reservation Beach at the head of Mattapoisett Harbor, offering sweeping vistas of the Buzzards Bay coastline.

The newly opened Shining Tides Mile (photo credit: Ann Byant)

“The Watershed Ride was created 17 years ago to showcase the beauty of Buzzards Bay,” said Nina Chomak, Director of Public Engagement for the Buzzards Bay Coalition. “This stunning section of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail is sure to be a course highlight for our riders, and we couldn’t be happier to include it.”

The Buzzards Bay Watershed Ride is a one-of-a-kind community event for cyclists of all ages and ability levels. Participants begin their ride in Little Compton, Rhode Island, Westport, Massachusetts, or Rochester, Massachusetts on 100, 75, or 35 mile overlapping routes across the beautiful Buzzards Bay watershed. All routes end together at a finish line celebration in Woods Hole.

Cyclists on the 100 and 75 mile courses will experience the updated route, which was plotted in close partnership with the Friends of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail and the town of Mattapoisett.

Renee Pothier, Friends of The Mattapoisett Rail Trail Board President, remarked, “The Coalition has always supported the creation of bike paths in our region, especially in Mattapoisett. We’re thrilled they can use it for this year’s fundraiser.”

To celebrate this exciting update, the Buzzards Bay Coalition is offering 50% off of Watershed Ride registration using code SHININGTIDES. Visit savebuzzardsbay.org/ride to register.