Upper Coos Rail Trail, NH

• 4-star trail
• 10 miles each way
• Moderate | Low gradient
• Colebrook NH - Beecher Falls VT | Great North Woods
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The image shows a person riding an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on a dirt path through a scenic natural landscape. The path is surrounded by green vegetation and leads towards a mountain in the distance under a clear blue sky with scattered clouds.

ATV riders are frequent trail users in the north of the state.

New Hampshire's northernmost rail trail is a scenic delight, particularly as its location on the edge of the Connecticut River basin affords wide and spectacular river scenes with a distant mountain backdrop. Stretching from Colebrook in New Hampshire to Beecher Falls across the river in Vermont over nine-and-a-half miles, the Upper Coos Recreational Rail Trail ends just a thousand feet from the Canadian border.

The trail is maintained by the New Hampshire State Parks Bureau of Trail and groomed for ATV traffic rather than bicycles, so we'd advise not trying to tackle the trail with anything less rugged than a hybrid bike. We were able to avoid most of the potholes on our heavy e-bike though we did shake out a water bottle or two along the way. Also an unfortunate side effect of all the potholes was that we probably spent more time looking at the trail surface than enjoying all the scenery.

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Rough,

No Access, ⬤ Parking Expand ↓ Map

4★ Upper Coos Recreational Rail Trail 9.5 mi ea way, moderate, gain 140 ft (230 ft S-N)
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

Aside from the excellent visuals, features along the route include a variety of farm buildings, Canaan's hydropower dam and the nearby steel railroad bridge. The bridge not only crosses the Connecticut River but also the New Hampshire - Vermont state line and the 45th parallel, although there are no signs to tell you any of this.

The end of the line stops short of the Canadian border a few hundred feet from the US customs and border patrol station. Unless you've brought your passport with you we suggest turning around before getting too close to the border to avoid having to explain yourselves to officials.

The town of Colebrook has the best selection of restaurants, grocery stores and fast food near the trail. There is also the Spa Restaurant close to the north end of the trail in West Stewartston which is open during daytime hours.

Trail Conditions: Hardpack trail but potholed by frequent ATV use. Best recommended for gravel bikes and mountain bikes, but also possible for rugged hybrids too.

The image shows a serene wetland landscape during what appears to be late afternoon. The sun is partially obscured by clouds and its light reflects off the water’s surface. Various types of vegetation, including grasses and a tree with red foliage, suggest an autumnal setting. In the background, mountains add depth to the scene.

Wide and spectacular scenic views across the Connecticut River basin.

The image shows a bridge with a wooden walkway and steel truss structures, spanning over a body of water. The bridge is surrounded by greenery and trees under a blue sky with few clouds. The shadows of the truss structure create an interesting pattern on the walkway due to the sunlight.

Canaan Dam's Railroad Bridge crosses both stateline and 45th parallel.

The image shows a dam with water flowing out of its spillway into a river. There is a person standing on the left side of the image, looking towards the dam. The sky is partly cloudy, and there are trees in the background, indicating a rural or natural setting.

Fishing at Canaan Dam.

Tangents:
• NH State Parks: Upper Coos Recreational Rail Trail
• TrailLink: Upper Coos Rail Trail
• Public Maps at AllTrails: Upper Coos Rail Trail
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article

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