Concord to Lake Sunapee Rail Trail, NH
• 4-star trails
• 1 to 3 mile segments
• Easy & Moderate | Low gradient
• Newbury to Concord, NH | Merrimack, Sunapee
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A restored caboose by the shores of Lake Sunapee
The Concord to Lake Sunapee Rail Trail follows the former Boston and Maine Railroad corridor through central New Hampshire. When complete, the full route will span 34 miles from the state capital to Lake Sunapee. The trail passes through wooded areas, over wetlands, across bridges - including a historic covered bridge - and provides connections to nearby communities.
At present, there are 9 miles of trail available to explore. Some sections are surfaced with crushed stone to accommodate many trail activities, including walking, running, and cycling. Others are accessible only via unimproved trail surfaces. We've explored and mapped all sections available today and describe below what to expect from them.
GPX File · AllTrails · MAP PACK ???
Our map also includes a hidden layer showing suggested road biking routes that link together sections of the Concord to Lake Sunapee Rail Trail - scroll down for more information. Our road biking links illustrate how easy it is to extend your ride onto the 58-mile Northern Rail Trail toward Lebanon, or south along the unimproved rail trails of Hopkinton and Henniker Rail Trails. We've reviewed these other rail trails in the links provided here, complete with trail condition descriptions and downloadable maps.
Trail Index & Links:
1 Tilly Wheeler Rail Trail (0.6 miles ea way)
2 Warner Rail Trail (0.3 miles each way)
3 Bagley Field Rail Trail (1.2 miles each way)
4 Stevens Rail Trail (2.2 miles each way)
5 Little Tooky Trail (1.1 mile loop)
6 Mast Yard Rail Trail (1.7 miles each way)
7 O'Reilly Fleetham Trail (0.6-1.4 mile options)
8 Fisherville Rd Rail Trail (2.5 miles each way)
Development of the Lake Sunapee to Concord Rail Trail has progressed through the combined efforts of volunteers, private donations, and municipal support. Local trail groups organize work parties for maintenance and construction, while funding from individuals and grants has enabled infrastructure improvements. The project continues to expand incrementally. Those interested in supporting the trail can volunteer for scheduled work days, contribute to fundraising campaigns, or advocate for trail expansion with local officials. Additional information about volunteer opportunities and donations is available through the trail organization's website.
One of the shortest trails you'll find on our website, the Tilly Wheeler Rail Trail also offers quite the variety of scenery and attractions. From woodland to lakes, distant mountain views, fitness equipment, and eateries. After parking at Bradford Town Hall, head up the quiet Church Street to find the start of the Tilly Wheeler Trail and head west from here. Before you do so, take a quick look to the east—the former rail route used to run where Route 103 now stands, and Bradford Station once served passengers at the intersection with Main Street.
This short trail through Whitman Park has been enjoyed by locals for decades and features several fitness stations along its route. Now part of the growing Concord to Lake Sunapee Rail Trail project, the route has been extended further west, running parallel to Route 103 across Lake Todd. As you cross the lake, it's clear that the project is edging closer to its destination, evidenced by a visible Mount Sunapee in the middle distance.
The Warner Rail Trail is another route that is short in length but has plenty to see along the way - from the Dalton Covered Bridge at the east end to the charming town center of Warner at the west end. The trail also boasts a novel approach to attract younger visitors, with a story walk. Beginning at the Pillsbury Free Library on Depot Street, a story is revealed page by page over the course of twenty-one podiums placed along the one-third-mile route.
We combined our rail trail walk with a return riverside walk on the opposite bank of the Warner River, where we were able to pick out an informal path along the riverbank between the ball fields of Riverside Park and the covered bridge. This was the best place to enjoy some riverside views, since the rail trail itself does not provide as much of a view as we would prefer. Also, choose the right day to visit and you could pay a visit to Warner's New Hampshire Telephone Museum.
The Bagley Field Rail Trail runs alongside the Warner River and Route 103 through wooded terrain in Warner. Originally opened as a half-mile section in 2014, the trail has now been expanded to 1.2 miles including across a re-decked 100-foot steel truss bridge spanning the Warner River.
The crushed stone trail begins at Bagley Field sports complex off Exit 8 of Interstate 89 and heads northwest. Users will find parking on Depot Street, a bike repair station with tools and pump near the trailhead kiosk, and portable restroom facilities at the park. The flat, straight route accommodates walkers, runners, and cyclists of various abilities. The trail remains open year-round when conditions permit.
A century and a half ago, as many as ten trains a day would steam across the covered railroad bridge over the Contoocook River, packed with vacationers heading to Lake Sunapee and beyond. Today, that same traffic travels up Interstate 89 on a mostly parallel journey. You can now enjoy a section of this old rail route - thankfully set back and cushioned from freeway noise by dense forest - along an excellent hard-packed gravel trail surface suitable for walkers, runners, and cyclists alike.
The best starting point for this trail is at the Hopkinton Town Library at the south end, close to Contoocook Village and what is known as the world's oldest railroad covered bridge, located next to the Contoocook Railroad Museum. Although the old alignment immediately north of the river is now built over and privately owned, Stevens Rail Trail detours through a half-mile path across sports fields and woodland to connect sections of the old rail bed. The trail mostly travels through forest, with a creek feeding marshland at the halfway point.
Eventually bisected to the north by the I-89 freeway, the trail then leads off to the east along a very pleasant, meandering quarter-mile route that connects to Warner Road. There are no parking facilities available at the northwest end of the trail.
This one‑mile trail is best suited for pedestrians and includes a quarter‑mile stretch of railbed that connects the two ends of a forested path. It is also possible to continue along the railroad alignment beyond the Little Tooky Trail loop, where you can enjoy several riverbank views before encountering a cordon across the trail with a 'No Trespassing' sign. Note that this extended walk is on private property, but it may be a right‑of‑way, as there are no other 'No Trespassing' signs before this point.
We also have a separate review of the Little Tooky Trail that provides additional details, including a non‑motorized path linking this hike to the Contoocook Cemetery, the railroad museum, and the historic covered bridge.
The Eastern white pines that grow along the Contoocook River were once highly prized as masts for 19th‑century ocean‑going vessels. Today, the 1.7‑mile section of railbed that runs through Mast Yard State Forest is a much quieter place.
We recommend combining an exploration of the rail trail with a return along the single‑track path that follows the banks of the Contoocook River. Along the way, you'll cross NH Heroes Bridge, pass a power‑line corridor, and enjoy excellent riverside views. Our separate Mast Yard State Forest trail review covers this and other trails in the park. Expect a grassy, hard‑packed rail trail suitable for foot traffic and rugged bicycles. The single‑track riverside trail can also be traversed on similar bikes and is an enjoyable way to complete a loop.
We are advised that the railbed beyond the western limits of the Mast Yard Rail Trail, leading to Penacook Road, is privately owned and that the owner does not welcome public access. We have no information about any rights‑of‑way across this property and suggest that trail users respect any posted 'No Trespassing' signs.
The O'Reilly‑Fleetham Trail is best suited for foot traffic, but we've included it in this article because the short loop features a section of railbed and offers the best views of the abutments of the old river‑spanning railroad bridge—without needing to launch a boat from the neighboring Contoocook River Canoe Center.
These trails are in good condition, with mostly firm ground underfoot and very few rocks or muddy sections. We brought our bicycles onto these trails and found the route to be a fun diversion and a pleasant complement to our rail‑trail explorations. A circuit of the Loop Trail is 0.6 miles long, and you can add an out‑and‑back along the Riverside Trail for a total of 1.4 miles. More details are available in our slightly longer O'Reilly‑Fleetham Trail review.
Presently the easternmost segment to be developed along the route, this 2.5‑mile stretch between Fisherville Road and the Contoocook River offers a hard‑packed trail through woodland north of Concord. Beginning at a well‑appointed trailhead with parking and a cycle Fixit station, the wide gravel surface makes walking or riding the entire length. This trail offers forest views almost exclusively, though we recommend continuing north on Carter Hill Road just a short distance to reach the Contoocook River.
CLSRT Road Biking Connections:
There's a hidden layer to our map that shows suggested road biking routes that connects the fragmented segments of the Concord to Lake Sunapee Rail Trail. To view you can enable the road biking layer in the sidebar of the expanded map, or with the downloaded Map Pack. Road biking connections are always under 2.5 miles, except for the link between Little Tooky Trail and the Mast Yard Rail Trail, which requires a 4.7‑mile ride. We note that it may be possible to shorten this last connection substantially if riders can access the west end of the Mast Yard Rail Trail at its intersection with Penacook Road—see our Mast Yard description above concerning access issues due to private property. Elevation changes on these road biking connections are modest.
Tangents:
• Official: Concord to Lake Sunapee Rail Trail
• Facebook Group: Comment, Follow Us
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