Rail Trails of New Hampshire
.
Rail Trail, 
Live Rail,
Historic,
Other.
Trail Reviews:
All New Hampshire rail trail reviews.
Rail Trail List:
Flat and wide trails criss-cross the state through woodland, past ponds, along rivers, over historic bridges and between charming small towns. Often separated from road traffic by miles, these routes once carried steam trains but now offer tranquility and a way to explore New England like never before.
We're on a mission to explore and review every rail trail featured on our map, where we provide detailed information on each route including mapping and photography. Check out our latest rail trail reviews here. Our rail trail maps are a combination of desktop research and fieldwork. Be aware that information on any rail trails that we've not yet reviewed should be regarded as approximate and subject to clarification. Follow Trailspotting to be notified as we continue to review New England's rail trails.
Tangents:
• New Hampshire Rail Trail Challenge On our list above we identify the trails that are part of the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition's Rail Trail Challenge. Complete the full challenge to get a patch and bragging rights.
• New Hampshire Rail Trails Book by Charles F Martin is an excellent authority on this subject and goes into more historical details than Trailspotting ever will. The book has recently been given away free with NHRTC membership as shown in the link.
• The Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail travels along river valleys and through the White Mountains on rail trails, dirt roads, bike paths and quiet paved roads all the way across the state.
Trailspotting Links:
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article
Rail Trail, Live Rail,
Historic, Other.Trail Reviews:
All New Hampshire rail trail reviews.
Rail Trail List:
| Rail Trail | Review | Length | Gain | Cond |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst |
Map | 1.9 mi | 60, 30 | Rough |
| Ammonoosuc 🏆 |
Map, Link |
19.1 mi | 1010, 700 | Rough |
| Androscoggin | Map | 3.4 mi | 50, 150 | Rough |
| Ashuelot 🏆 | Map, Link |
23.0 mi | 630, 920 | OK |
| Belmont Village Spur | Map, Link |
1.9 mi | 100, 100 | OK |
| Bobby Woodman 🏆🔗 | 3★ | 1.7 mi | 50, 50 | Good |
| Brookline 🏆🔗 | 4★ | 4.5 mi | 70, 160 | Rough |
| Brown's Way | Map | 2.5 mi | 230, 140 | Rough |
| Buffler Memorial | Map | 0.6 mi | 82, 30 | Rough |
| Cheshire North 🏆 | Map, Link |
23.0 mi | 1180, 990 | OK |
| Cheshire South 🏆 | 4★ | 20.3 mi | 1170, 760 | OK |
| Colby | 3★ | 0.7 mi | 30, 10 | Rough |
| Cotton Valley 🏆 | 5★ | 12 mi | 350, 290 | Good |
| Derry 🏆🔗 | 4★ | 3.8 mi | 110, 100 | Good |
| Dover 🏆 | Map, Link |
4.1 mi | 200, 240 | OK |
| Everett Dam | 3★ | 2.0 mi | 40, 90 | OK |
| Farmington 🏆 | 3★ |
7.2 mi | 70, 180 | Rough |
| Fisherville Road 🏆 | 4★ | 2.5 mi | 20, 40 | OK |
| Fort Hill 🏆 | Map, Link |
6.9 mi | 160, 180 | Rough |
| Franconia Notch | Map, Link |
8.8 mi | 560, 938 | Good |
| Goffstown 🏆🔗 | 4★ | 5.6 mi | 90, 220 | Good |
| Granite Town 🏆🔗 | 4★ | 2.9 mi | 190, 95 | OK |
| Hancock East 🏆 | Map, Link |
0.5 mi | 40, 60 | Rough |
| Hancock West 🏆 | Map, Link |
1.5 mi | 110, 90 | Rough |
| Harrisville Chesham 🏆 | Map, Link |
0.6 mi | 10, 0 | Rough |
| Harrisville Eastview 🏆 | Map, Link |
1.9 mi | 90, 70 | Rough |
| Harrisville Jaquith 🏆 | 3★ | 2.8 mi | 90, 240 | OK |
| Harrisville Skatutakee 🏆 | Map, Link |
0.3 mi | 10, 20 | Rough |
| Heads Pond 🏆 | 4★ | 1.8 mi | 70, 50 | Good |
| Henniker | 3★ | 2.3 mi | 60, 70 | OK |
| Henniker Line | 3★ | 2.1 mi | 60, 50 | Rough |
| Hillsborough 🏆 | 4★ | 7.4 mi | 160, 120 | OK |
| Hooksett Riverwalk | 3★ | 1.0 mi | 10, 10 | Good |
| Lake Winnisquam 🏆🔗 | 4★ | 1.8 mi | 60, 30 | Good |
| Lilac City 🏆 | 3★ | 1.9 mi | 20, 20 | Rough |
| Londonderry 🏆 | 4★ | 4.5 mi | 200, 190 | Good |
| Mascoma 🏆 | Map, Link |
2.3 mi | 180, 90 | OK |
| Mason-Greenville 🏆 | 4★ | 8.6 mi | 50, 50 | OK |
| Mast Yard | 3★ | 1.7 mi | 20, 40 | OK |
| Monadnock 🏆 | 4★ | 8.9 mi | 230, 200 | OK |
| Nashua Heritage 🏆 | Map, Link |
1.3 mi | 0, 40 | Good |
| Nashua River 🏆🔗 | Map, Link |
1.0 mi | 390, 350 | Good |
| New Boston 🏆 | 4★ | 4.8 mi | 180, 70 | Good |
| Northern 🏆 | Map, Link |
57.4 mi | 2720, 3040 | Good |
| Peanut | 3★ | 1.4 mi | 40, 30 | OK |
| Peterborough 🏆🔗 | 4★ | 8.5 mi | 260, 220 | Good |
| Piscataquog 🏆🔗 | 4★ | 2.0 mi | 70, 110 | Good |
| Potanipo 🏆🔗 | 4★ | 3.5 mi | 62, 110 | OK |
| Presidential 🏆 | Map, Link |
20.3 mi | 710, 1030 | OK |
| Profile 🏆 | Map, Link |
2.1 mi | 160, 30 | Rough |
| Rockingham-Fremont 🏆 | Map, Link |
18.0 mi | 310, 480 | Rough |
| Rockingham-Portsmouth 🏆 | Map | 27.9 mi | 960, 1210 | OK |
| Roxbury | Map | 1.9 mi | 140, 30 | Rough |
| Salem 🏆🔗 | Map, Link |
5.0 mi | 40, 140 | Good |
| Sargeant Station Rd | 3★ | 0.9 mi | 20, 30 | OK |
| Seacoast Greenway 🔗 | 4★ | 11.6 mi | 140, 170 | OK |
| South Manchester 🏆 | 3★ | 1.6 mi | 50, 50 | OK |
| Stevens 🏆 | 3★ | 2.2 mi | 30, 50 | Good |
| Sugar River 🏆🔗 | 5★ | 9.3 mi | 470, 250 | OK |
| Tilly Wheeler | 3★ | 0.6 mi | 20, 30 | OK |
| Upper Coos 🏆 | Map, Link |
9.0 mi | 150, 240 | Rough |
| Warner 🏆 | 3★ | 0.3 mi | 0, 10 | Good |
| Warner Bagley Field | 3★ | 0.7 mi | 20, 20 | OK |
| Warren 🏆 | Map, Link |
10.8 mi | 750, 760 | Rough |
| West Hopkinton | 3★ | 2.3 mi | 50, 50 | Rough |
| Windham 🏆🔗 | 4★ | 4.1 mi | 50, 170 | Good |
| Windham Greenway | 3★ | 2.6 mi | 130, 20 | Rough |
| Winnipesaukee River 🏆 | 4★ | 4.9 mi | 270, 130 | OK |
| Woodsville🏆 | Map | 3.7 mi | 110, 70 | Rough |
| WOW 🏆🔗 | 4★ | 2.4 mi | 120, 110 | Good |
Good - Asphalt or hardpack trail conditions
OK - Occasionally rough surface
Rough - Hiking & mountain/rugged bikes
Gain - Elevation gain (ft) moving West to East or North to South. Second number is return gain.
🏆 - NH Rail Trail Challenge (see below)
OK - Occasionally rough surface
Rough - Hiking & mountain/rugged bikes
Gain - Elevation gain (ft) moving West to East or North to South. Second number is return gain.
🏆 - NH Rail Trail Challenge (see below)
Connecting Trails:
🔗 Bobby Woodman + Sugar River = 11.5 mi
🔗 Derry + Windham + Salem = 13.0 mi
🔗 Granite + Brookline + Potanipo = 11.3 mi
🔗 Goffstown + Piscataquog = 7.6 mi
🔗 Lake Winnisquam + WOW = 4.2 mi
🔗 Seacoast Greenway South + Old Eastern Marsh (MA) = 5.1 mi
🔗 Nashua River + Massachusetts = 12.2 mi
🔗 Bobby Woodman + Sugar River = 11.5 mi
🔗 Derry + Windham + Salem = 13.0 mi
🔗 Granite + Brookline + Potanipo = 11.3 mi
🔗 Goffstown + Piscataquog = 7.6 mi
🔗 Lake Winnisquam + WOW = 4.2 mi
🔗 Seacoast Greenway South + Old Eastern Marsh (MA) = 5.1 mi
🔗 Nashua River + Massachusetts = 12.2 mi
Flat and wide trails criss-cross the state through woodland, past ponds, along rivers, over historic bridges and between charming small towns. Often separated from road traffic by miles, these routes once carried steam trains but now offer tranquility and a way to explore New England like never before.
We're on a mission to explore and review every rail trail featured on our map, where we provide detailed information on each route including mapping and photography. Check out our latest rail trail reviews here. Our rail trail maps are a combination of desktop research and fieldwork. Be aware that information on any rail trails that we've not yet reviewed should be regarded as approximate and subject to clarification. Follow Trailspotting to be notified as we continue to review New England's rail trails.
Tangents:
• New Hampshire Rail Trail Challenge On our list above we identify the trails that are part of the New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition's Rail Trail Challenge. Complete the full challenge to get a patch and bragging rights.
• New Hampshire Rail Trails Book by Charles F Martin is an excellent authority on this subject and goes into more historical details than Trailspotting ever will. The book has recently been given away free with NHRTC membership as shown in the link.
• The Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail travels along river valleys and through the White Mountains on rail trails, dirt roads, bike paths and quiet paved roads all the way across the state.
Trailspotting Links:
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article