Nashua River Rail Trail, NH-MA

• 4-star trail
• 12 miles each way
• Easy | Low gradient
• Pepperell-Ayer MA | Northeast MA, Merrimack NH
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A tranquil outdoor scene with a wooden path leading towards a line of trees under a clear blue sky. On the left, a calm body of water reflects the trees and sky. Sunlight from the right casts shadows on the path

Groton School Pond has some of the best views along the trail.

From the first trains in 1848 to the last in the early 1980s the Worcester and Nashua Railroad line transported passengers and delivered freight including textiles and paper as far north as Portland, Maine. After the last of the local paper mills chose road haulage over rail, the line was finally abandoned. Rails were ripped up, and eventually the Massachusetts' Department of Conservation and Recreation paved opened the Nashua River Rail Trail in 2002.

Beginning at the suburbs of Nashua, New Hampshire and heading South for a mile before reaching the Massachusetts border, the rail trail passes through Pepperell and Groton, before ending at the town of Ayer which is still served by several live railroads today.

Asphalt,

Live Rail,

No Access, ⬤ Parking Expand ↓ Map

4★ Nashua River Rail Trail 12.2 miles each way, easy, gain 320 ft (280 ft S-N)
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

Despite passing though several towns the trail has a distinctly woodland and rural feel. From the North the route cuts through dense forest, and over time opens up to wide vistas across large ponds and wetlands. Trail users can spot heron, beavers and turtles among the wetlands and catch sightings of deer and an occasional flock of turkeys.

One of the highlights nearby the trail is the Pepperell covered bridge, one of only ten covered bridges in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and one of only three that is open to vehicular traffic. Though a covered bridge has stood on this spot since 1848, today's bridge is the third and it's only a teenager, having been opened in July 2010. We have a Map of Massachusetts Covered Bridges if you'd like to visit more of them.

Trail Conditions: Asphalt paved for its entire length, Nashua River Rail Trail is a smooth trip for all types of pedestrian and cyclist. Most of the trail should be considered flat, though there is a two mile section with a 45 ft/mi gradient. It is uphill for 2 miles in a Southbound direction, ending in Groton, though the gradient is slight and many cyclists will hardly feel it.

A covered wooden bridge with a gabled roof spans over a river or stream. The bridge has vertical plank siding and a paved road leading into it, with a metal barrier separating the road from a pedestrian walkway on the right.

Pepperell Covered Bridge, a short diversion off the rail trail.

A forested area with tall trees and a person walking on a path alongside a body of water, possibly a river or stream. Sunlight filters through the branches, creating patterns of light and shadow on the ground

Single-track riverside walk off the rail trail, North of Pepperell.

A split view showing two scenes: on the left, an old industrial building with a rusted metal structure and yellow stairs leading to its entrance, surrounded by a chain-link fence; on the right, a water channel with cascading water, bare trees on either side, and a road with a car running parallel to the channel.

Pepperell power-plant and dam, generating electricity since 1918.

Tangents:
• Official: Mass.gov
• TrailLink: Nashua River Rail Trail
• Public Maps at AllTrails: Nashua River Rail Trail
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article

Trailspotting Nearby
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Rail Trails of New England
The first and only complete rail trail map. With photos, reviews and downloads.

New England Covered Bridges
Maps, lists, directions and nearby trails to New England's covered bridges.