Seacoast Greenway Rail Trail, NH

• 4-star hikes
• 8 to 13 miles each way
• Easy & medium | Easy elevation
• Portsmouth - Seabrook, NH | Seacoast Region
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cyclists enjoying a ride on a dirt path surrounded by trees and grass, under a clear blue sky.

Riding the new hardpack trail.

1 Seacoast Greenway North (8.0 miles, hardpack surface)
Opened in 2024, the Seacoast Greenway segment beginning at Portsmouth and heading south for eight miles is now a wide hardpack rail trail built for pedestrians and cyclists. This new linear park passes a pond and a new skate park as it journeys in the direction of North Hampton through woodland and wetland environments. Major road crossings are avoided thanks to the upkeep of former railroad overbridges and traffic protection systems are in place at other quieter intersections.

In North Hampton, the trail passes by the former Boston & Maine Railroad passenger depot which is looking magnificent thanks to restoration work by private owners. A little further down the line - and just before the newly constructed section of trail ends - is the Hampton Airfield, where pilots and cyclists can mingle at the on site cafe.

dark green square

Hardpack,

Rough,

Road,

Live Rail,

No Access, ⬤ Parking Expand ↓ Map

1 2 4★ Seacoast Greenway North & Central 11.6 mi ea way, easy/med, gain 140ft (170ft S-N)
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

3 3★ Seacoast Greenway South 1.3 mi ea way, medium, gain 30ft (10ft S-N)
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

2 Seacoast Greenway Central (3.6 miles, rough)
Those with a more robust bicycle and sense of adventure may want to continue the trail further south on the undeveloped, informal narrow trail that continues along the old railbed. The continuing trail remains mostly hardpack but expect occasional rocks and roots to bump over. Watch out for Bogie's Bar and Grill which occupies the former station at Hampton's Depot Square, which we predict is going to be a great midway point for refreshments, once the full length of the New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway trail is complete.

To continue much further, you'll need to walk your bike over some gentle embankment slopes to cross the gap where the Drakeside Road bridge used to be. Because the State of New Hampshire purchased the full length of the route from Portsmouth to the state line in 2019, any 'no trespassing' signs you find along this right of way have ceased to be enforceable.

A person riding a bike along a trail that passes under a bridge. The bridge has metal railings and appears to be made of wood and steel. The trail is flanked by trees, and there is graffiti on the stone walls supporting the bridge. It’s a sunny day with clear skies.

One of several faced stone abutment overbridges.

Travelling under the Route 1 and Route 101 interchange does get a little bumpy, though it's worth the effort to reach the salt marshes of the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary. This is our favorite section of trail. Here we leave the woodland behind and now face expansive views that lead the eye all the way to the New Hampshire coastline.

Rusted old railroad bridges underfoot are still sturdy and easy enough to cross the inlets and rivers below, but proceed with care. The old railroad continues South alongside electricity lines originating from the Seabrook nuclear power plant visible before us. Trail users have reported that previously washed-out parts of this marshland trail can require some wading in extreme conditions. There's a large parking area at the South end of the trail for trail users and birders, located on the site of the former Hampton Falls station of which no trace remains.

The image shows an old, rusted metal bridge over a body of water, possibly a river or canal. The bridge has graffiti on it, and there are green fields and trees in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.

The Seabrook salt marshes on the unimproved trail.

The navigable portion of this rail trail ended for us just before the power plant, where the route becomes too overgrown to continue. From the outskirts of Portsmouth to this point we measure around 11.6 miles, which includes the 8 miles of new formal trail. We look forward to the day when this trail connects all the way to the Old Eastern Marsh Trail and Massachusetts's network of great rail trails.

Trail Conditions: 8.0 miles of easy hardpack trail. Continues for a further 3.6 miles on a rougher single-file undeveloped route with occasional rocks and roots.

The image shows a view of a pathway running alongside a white building with multiple doors and an asphalt ground. To the right of the pathway is a green area with trees and yellow wildflowers. The sky is partly cloudy, suggesting it might be a pleasant day.

Unimproved trail passing the old Hampton depot.

3 Seacoast Greenway South (1.3 miles, rough)
This one's for the completists only. We like to investigate all rideable sections of rail trail in New Hampshire, and in case you have a similar curiosity we've marked this rough and undeveloped section on our map between Seabrook and the state line. This is best accessible by an intersecting road, or possibly via an informal access trail from Route 286 that runs alongside private property that we've marked in blue on our map. Also beginning by Route 286 is the 3.6 mile Old Eastern Marsh Trail (trail review linked below) that continues the Hampton Branch into Massachusetts and ends on the Northern banks of the Merrimack River by Newburyport.

Once complete the New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway Rail Trail will be an excellent way of traversing the full length of the state without sharing high-speed roads with cars, trucks and with almost no bicycle accommodation. Presently this is the only way to connect Massachusetts with Maine on the US East Coast Greenway. Thanks go out to all those involved in the purchase and development of the rail trail route and its current development.

Trail Conditions: Rough unimproved trail. Moderate embankment climb by Walton Rd missing bridge. Elevation gain otherwise minimal.

a serene lakeside view with lush green trees and clear blue skies reflected in the calm water. The landscape is interesting due to the natural beauty and tranquility it portrays, with the reflection creating a symmetrical balance between sky and land.

Pond on the South Trail, marked on our map.

The image shows a building with a prominent front porch featuring white railings and a series of steps leading up to it. The house is painted in light colors, predominantly gray and white. There is a well-maintained lawn in front of the house, and the property is bordered by trees.

The former North Hampton Station looks splendid today.

The image shows a small red and white airplane parked on a tarmac in front of a large hangar with the sign “HAPPY LANDINGS AIRPORT.” There is a clear sky with few clouds, and the environment appears calm. The hangar door is partially open, revealing what seems to be another aircraft inside. To the left of the airplane, there is a green area with trees in the background, and on the right side, there is a partial view of another vehicle. A red windsock indicating wind direction can be seen flying atop a pole.

The bustling Hampton Airfield includes a well-appointed cafe.

Tangents:
• Official: US East Coast Greenway
• NH Audubon: Hampton-Seabrook Estuary
• Facebook Group: Like, Leave a Comment

Trailspotting Nearby
4★ Old Eastern Marsh Trail (4 mi) · 4★ Rockingham-Portsmouth Rail Trail (28 mi) · 4★ Stratham Hill (1-5 mi) · 3★ Little Harbor Loop (2 mi) · Show Map

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