Best of Merrimack Region, NH

. See latest trail reviews or download Map Pack

Named for the wide and fast-flowing river of the same name, the Merrimack Region encompassess three of New Hampshire's largest cities and much of the state's historic industrial age development. It's also the region that Trailspotting calls home.

Here are some the region's best trails. We link to individual trail reviews with photography and smartphone route maps for easy navigation. Or scroll down to our free Map Pack for ALL our trail reviews in a single download for offline route finding.

Hiking Trails

	4★ Purgatory Falls Mont Vernon • 1-5 mi • Easy Chain of three waterfalls along Purgatory Brook. We've mapped out routes for hikers of all skill levels.
	4★ South Mt Pawtuckaway Nottingham • 1-6 mi • Moderate Several routes to this popular fire tower atop a mountain created by a ring dike.
	4★ Hedgehog Mountain Deering • 2-8 mi • Moderate An often overlooked gem surrounded by spectacular views, offering varied terrain and a ridgeline hike.
	4★ Frog Rock New Boston • 1 mi • Easy A short excursion to a curious rock that has been a hidden local spectacle for over a century.

Rail Trails

	4★ Rockingham Portsmouth Branch Rail Trail Manchester-Rockinham • 28 mi • Easy Long hardpack trail traversing countryside out of Manchester toward the coast.
	4★ New Boston Rail Trail New Boston • 5 mi • Easy A tranquil riverside trail leading to the picturesque and well preserved old town of New Boston. Easy 2 mile connection to the Goffstown Trail.
	4★ Granite-Brookline-Potanpio Rail Trails Milford-Brookline • 11 mi • Easy & Moderate Remarkably varied and scenic route heading South out of Milford past ponds, through forest and across a covered bridge.
	4★ Derry & Windham Rail Trails Derry-Windham • 8 mi • Easy Smooth asphalt trail suitable for all, this trail also continues South into Massachusets on the Salem and Methuen rail trails.

Trailspotting Map Pack

MAP PACK:  NH Sunapee Region Download · Instructions

Map Packs provide a single smartphone download of all the region's trails, with trail reviews and route navigation. Free for personal use and even work when you're offline. We also like to using them as a 'todo' list - deleting each trail from our personal copy of the map as we visit each destination.

Regional Categories

• Rating	5 stars   4+ stars   4 stars   3 stars
• Type	all hikes   all railtrails
• Difficulty	easy   moderate   hard
• Mileage	0-3 miles   3-5 miles   5-7 miles   7-10 miles   10+ miles
• 4+ Star Hikes	0-3 miles   3-5 miles   5-7 miles   7-10 miles   10+ miles

Best Trails of New Hampshire
See our favorite hiking trails and rail trails for each region of New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Rail Trails
The state's first and only complete rail trail map. Photos, reviews and downloads.

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