Find the top rated trails in Alton, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Salisbury Rail Trail Connector, also known as the Gillis Rail Trail Connector, is a 0.3-mile link between two rail-trails: Salisbury's Old Eastern Marsh Trail and Newburyport's Clipper City Rail...
About a dozen miles west of Concord, the Stevens Rail Trail offers a quiet, wooded route along the former Concord-Claremont rail line in Contoocook Village. It starts off Krzyzaniak Road and continues...
The WOW Trail will one day stretch more than 9 miles in central New Hampshire along the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad. Its acronym comes from three regional lakes, which will be seen from the pathway:...
The South Manchester Rail Trail is a proposed bike/pedestrian path that would connect the downtown Millyard area of Manchester to the Town on Londonderry. The South Manchester Rail Trail will utilize...
The newly open Bradford Rail Trail occupies the former Pan Am rail lines, beautifying an area that once lay strewn with garbage and weeds. The city and numerous dedicated volunteers created the...
The Old Eastern Marsh Trail (a.k.a the Salisbury Rail Trail) runs for 1.4 miles between the north bank of the Merrimack River and Mudnock Road in Salisbury. The beautifully landscaped trail was built...
Currently 1.8 miles, the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail provides a peaceful walk or bike ride through the woods on a well-maintained stone-dust trail. The route is one part of the larger Coastal Trails...
Portland’s Fore River Parkway Trail provides an important transportation link in the community while at the same time offering sweeping views of the Fore River. At the north end of the trail, you’ll...
The Spicket River begins in Derry, New Hampshire, through Methuen and Lawrence, Massachusetts, before draining into the Merrimack River. Like many mill towns of the late 19th and 20th centuries, the...
The paved Back Cove Trail rings its namesake tidal basin and offers lovely views of the Portland skyline. You also might spot great blue herons or other birds along the tree-lined waterfront. A...
The Nashua Heritage Rail Trail begins adjacent to City Hall on Main Street in downtown Nashua. It is a short trail that takes you through one of the first neighborhoods that was planned and built in...
Maine’s Eastern Trail will eventually extend from Casco Bay in South Portland to the Piscataqua River in Kittery, partially along the former Eastern Railroad. Three off-road segments of the trail are...
Although short, the scenic Gloria Braunhardt Bike Path travels through forests and pastures full of birds and wildlife. The asphalt pathway parallels the eastern side of the present-day Interstate 95...
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The Heritage Trail is managed by the state of New Hampshire to provide access to recreational and historical attractions across the state. Eventually, the north-south route along the former Boston and...
The Peanut Trial is a distinct trail in the town of Newton that spans one-mile. This rail-trail was meant to connect to the Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. However, due to a controversial lawsuit by land...
On the banks of Lake Winnipesaukee in central New Hampshire, Wolfeboro bills itself as "America's Oldest Summer Resort." Vacationers have been escaping to this quaint village since passenger rail...
Although less than a mile, the trail running through Salisbury Beach State Reservation offers lovely views of the beaches off the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, just a few miles south of the New...
The Windham Rail-Trail occupies a scenic stretch of abandoned rail (Manchester and Lawrence) between Range Road (at Rockingham Rd.) in Salem and Windham Road, about 4 miles to the northwest. At...
Mile 0.0 - DPW Garage Cross the bridge in the parking area, the trail starts behind the fence, crossing over Great Brook on a old dam. Mile 0.53 - After crossing Union St. you will come to a...
The Piscataquog Trail runs for 2 miles between the east bank of the Merrimack River and Pinard Street at Electric Street. On the east end, the trail begins near the New Hampshire Fisher Cats baseball...
The Warren Recreational Rail Trail starts from an interesting landmark: a Redstone missile brought to Warren by a resident who served in the Army in Alabama in 1970. He found some obsolete missiles in...
The Upper and Lower Nanamocomuck Trails in White Mountain National Forest are accessible from Kancamagus Highway (SR 112) west of Conway. The trails are open for hiking in summer and cross-country...
The Old Eastern Marsh Trail (a.k.a the Salisbury Rail Trail) runs for 1.4 miles between the north bank of the Merrimack River and Mudnock Road in Salisbury. The beautifully landscaped trail was built...
The Sawyer River Trail offers a memorable 7.5-mile journey through a pristine mountain valley. Following the old Sawyer River Railroad logging line, the trail is popular with mountain bikers, and...
Hillsborough Recreational Rail Trail connects three communities in south-central New Hampshire: Hillsborough, Deering, and Bennington. The unpaved trail winds along the Contoocook River through rural...
Also known as the Sugar River Recreational Trail, this picturesque 9.8-mile path stretches from Newport to the southeastern edge of Claremont along the banks of the Sugar River. To reach Claremont...
The Sanford Railroad Trail goes by two other names: the Deering Pond Trail or just plain "Railroad Trail." The trail runs for nearly 5 miles between the town of Lebanon and the University of Southern...
The Goffstown Rail Trail is open, but still in development. About half of the Goffstown Rail Trail has hard packed gravel surface. Goffstown Rail Trail stretches just over 5 miles in length. A bridge...
Stretching 3.5 paved miles north from Windham through woodlands to Derry, the Derry Rail Trail runs on the same former rail bed network on which the Rockingham Recreational Trail is built. This...
The Lincoln Woods Trail runs for 2.6 miles along the east branch of the Pemigewasset River. You can combine the trail with other trails that run through the forest in the White Mountains of New...
The Rob Brook Trail is mostly flat, following the bottomlands of its namesake creek through the White Mountains National Forest. The trail is open to mountain biking and hiking, with cross-country...
The Conway Branch trail runs for 21 miles along an old rail corridor between State Route 113 in Conway and Polly's Crossing in Ossipee. The trail is popular with snowmobiles and rail car clubs; the...
The Nashua Heritage Rail Trail begins adjacent to City Hall on Main Street in downtown Nashua. It is a short trail that takes you through one of the first neighborhoods that was planned and built in...
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The Nashua Canal Trail is part of a series of loop trails in Mine Falls Park, Nashua. A total of 6 miles of trails wind along the canal and river in this beautiful, wooded park. Only 1.2 miles of...
The paved Back Cove Trail rings its namesake tidal basin and offers lovely views of the Portland skyline. You also might spot great blue herons or other birds along the tree-lined waterfront. A...
The Winnipesaukee River Trail courses along its namesake river, connecting the towns of Franklin and Tilton-Northfield. The trail passes through an unusual upside-down covered bridgebelieved to be...
Currently 1.8 miles, the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail provides a peaceful walk or bike ride through the woods on a well-maintained stone-dust trail. The route is one part of the larger Coastal Trails...
Named for the railroad line it parallels, the Mountain Division Trail will one day span 52 miles between Fryeburg and Portland. Two sections of the trail are currently open. A 6-mile segment between...
Portland’s Bayside Trail packs a lot into its 1-mile length. The paved pathway provides a pleasant route between commercial and residential areas in the Bayside and East Bayside neighborhoods. Once an...
These connecting trails follow the bed of the old Beebe River Railroad up to Flat Mountain Pond, a large, remote pool high in the Sandwich Range Wilderness. This is a great trip for advanced mountain...
The South Manchester Rail Trail is a proposed bike/pedestrian path that would connect the downtown Millyard area of Manchester to the Town on Londonderry. The South Manchester Rail Trail will utilize...
Methuen Rail Trail connects three communities in northeastern Massachusetts as it follows the route of the former Manchester and Lawrence Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad. The rail-trail's...
Stretching 3.5 paved miles north from Windham through woodlands to Derry, the Derry Rail Trail runs on the same former rail bed network on which the Rockingham Recreational Trail is built. This...
The Farmington Recreational Rail-Trail runs for 6 miles between the towns of Rochester and Farmington. The trail parallels the Cocheco River and State Route 11 through a wooded corridor. The trail is...
The 1.1-mile, multi-use Clipper City Rail Trail and Harbor Walk connects the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail station and the Merrimack River near downtown Newburyport....
The Harrisville Rail Trail runs for just under two miles between the outskirts of Harrisville and Hancock in rural New Hampshire. The former railroad bed is located on lands conserved by the Harris...
Currently 1.8 miles, the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail provides a peaceful walk or bike ride through the woods on a well-maintained stone-dust trail. The route is one part of the larger Coastal Trails...
The WOW Trail will one day stretch more than 9 miles in central New Hampshire along the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad. Its acronym comes from three regional lakes, which will be seen from the pathway:...
About a dozen miles west of Concord, the Stevens Rail Trail offers a quiet, wooded route along the former Concord-Claremont rail line in Contoocook Village. It starts off Krzyzaniak Road and continues...
The rail-trail through the Martin H. Burns Wildlife Management Area begins at the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail station near downtown Newburyport, a coastal...
The Conway Branch trail runs for 21 miles along an old rail corridor between State Route 113 in Conway and Polly's Crossing in Ossipee. The trail is popular with snowmobiles and rail car clubs; the...
The New Boston Rail Trail follows the old railroad line of the same name, running along the Piscataquog River between the Hillsborough County Youth Center in New Boston and Route 114, about 4 miles to...
The Rob Brook Trail is mostly flat, following the bottomlands of its namesake creek through the White Mountains National Forest. The trail is open to mountain biking and hiking, with cross-country...
The Lincoln Woods Trail runs for 2.6 miles along the east branch of the Pemigewasset River. You can combine the trail with other trails that run through the forest in the White Mountains of New...
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Bicycles are permitted only on the first 2.3 miles of the trail, up to the wilderness boundary (marked with signs). Hiking and cross-country skiing only are allowed past this point.
The newly open Bradford Rail Trail occupies the former Pan Am rail lines, beautifying an area that once lay strewn with garbage and weeds. The city and numerous dedicated volunteers created the...
Maine’s Eastern Trail will eventually extend from Casco Bay in South Portland to the Piscataqua River in Kittery, partially along the former Eastern Railroad. Three off-road segments of the trail are...
On the banks of Lake Winnipesaukee in central New Hampshire, Wolfeboro bills itself as "America's Oldest Summer Resort." Vacationers have been escaping to this quaint village since passenger rail...
The first phase of Belmont's Lake Winnisquam Scenic Trail, nicknamed the Winni Trail, opened September 2016. Stretching just shy of 2 miles, the paved trail winds through woodlands and the Leslie...
The Black Pond Trail itself is short but it can be linked with other trails that run through the forest in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, just northeast of Lincoln. Specifically, the Black Pond...
Trail through Tilton isn't easy to follow. You best start at the train depot (Merrimack Valley RailRoad) where there is a great assortment of cabooses. Behind the cabooses is a parking lot and a park. At the far end of the playing fields you can pick up the trail and head toward Franklin.
The second of trail on the other side of town is very industrial, crosses under an under construction highway bridge, and then is an overgrown path between a McDonalds and Burger Kind. Not very scenic there. If you want to do this segment, use the trail head and parking lot at ~ 178 E Main St.
This trail has a massive potential – a viable trail from Manchester to Portsmouth through some interesting scenery and wildlife.
We parked at Sandown, hoping to walk a few miles one afternoon, and were bitterly disappointed. The trail consisted of a churned up, impassable surface, for either walking or biking and neglected artifacts. It was also a haven for ATVs.
The first thing we saw were a couple of ATV’s driven by kids who were out for a good time with absolutely no regard for other trail users. Apparently the ATVs are credited with keeping the trail clear in winter. One wonders for whom – certainly not for walkers or bikers. The usual trail rules seem to be completely inverted - give way to ATVs or risk being mown down.
This, unfortunately, is not the first trail in NH where we have seen this happen.
New Hampshire is unfortunately known for neglecting its rail trails. The trails there have great potential, with great scenery and abundant wildlife, but most are falling into decay.
In short, if you want a decent passable trail, go elsewhere.
Rode from Enfield to Lebanon on a weekday. Passed about ten to fifteen people, total. Enjoyed the view of the river several times. Trail was debris-free and well-maintained. It is mostly beneath tree cover. For those of you who are anxious about bathrooms, there is a rec. center right at the end of the trail in Lebanon where you can do your business. It was a relief to me when I discovered this! Nicely convenient.
Tried to bike the trail, but had to turn around. The surface is chewed up, with massive potholes and lots of hazards.
found the trail near our seasonal site at Westward Shores on Ossipee Lake. The "trail" still had railroad rails and some ties and was completely overgrown. Not for biking but maybe for x country skiing or snow snowmobiling in the winter...
We started on the Newport end at the trail crossing on Oak Street and headed west, feeling that we'd see the most starting here and figuring if we still had ambition on the return, we would do the last portion into Newport at Belknap Ave. The surface varied in hardness, but until we were returning from the Claremont end, slightly uphill most of the way back, we didn't have to walk our bikes. Neither of us are hard-core riders and my wife did the whole ride on a single speed, traditional coaster brake bike, while I've got an inexpensive "mountain" bike, but it is nothing special either. On the return trip, being somewhat tired we did walk a few stretches, but not for any appreciable distance. We saw only two ATV's, both moving at a reasonable speed and both very considerate of our presence. We also encountered several walkers, an older couple and a young family or two, but that was about it. Probably daytime on a midweek day is a good time to do this one if you want relative solitude. The covered bridges alone are worth the trip but the entire experience was enjoyable for us. There is a mix of deep woods, and field or river's edge open areas. When we got back to our starting point, it was late enough and we were tired enough not to do the last portion into Newport, but (aside from no more covered bridges) it looks like we'll come back sometime to finish that last portion. The river is beautiful, we didn't see much wildlife, but the birds provided us with much enjoyment along the way . Some ravens were harassing a hawk at one point, and that was interesting to watch and listen to. Overall, our experience was very favorable and the reviews I had read which made me apprehensive were not fulfilled in our case, although at other times of day or week, or following different weather conditions I can see where anything other reviewers said could easily have been the case. I would say it was a ride well worth the effort.
I did this over two weekends. Went from Manchester to Raymond and back the first weekend, and then did the Raymond to Newfields part the following weekend. The trail seems to have far fewer people in the Raymond to Newfields section and has a nice canopy if the sun is strong. The one thing I would caution is that the crossing at Rte. 107 (Freetown Road) right after Raymond is not great, is a busy road, and wide. It could definitely benefit by having pedestrian markings on the road and a stop light. The other street crossings are much easier. There is a light at the Epping intersection, thankfully. Maybe someone can install one at Rte 107 where the trail crosses.
My wife and I walked the trail. We found it to be scenic and safe. It is level and good for walking and biking. We found the other users to be friendly.
We will be using it along with the other trails we use in the city.
You can actually start in downtown New Boston. Ride a few hundred feet on Rt 13 to Depot Street, cross the bridge and turn right onto a dirt road that will lead to the 4H Fairgrounds. It should be noted that Google Maps does not show a completed section from the fairgrounds Gregg Mill Road, but it is in fact a nice section of the trail. After Gregg Mill Rd it becomes a walking trail. You need at least a cross bike to ride on the rest of the trail to 114. It is fun.
I rode from Andover to Enfield and was very disappointed with the condition of the trail north of Danbury. The description here in Trail Link should mention that the trail is reduced to singletrack in some locations and that maintenance is pretty much non existent in Grafton County in spite of the "friends" organization. I encountered warped deck boards sticking up on bridges, trenches dug across the trail for drainage, muddy sections with poor drainage, narrow sections with no room to pass other users, narrow sections with waist high weeds and grass. I rode with a cargo trailer assuming the trail was at the very least wide enough to accommodate it, since there was no mention otherwise. Locals I met on the trail said it's only maintained for snowmobile use. Those responsible for the Grafton section should take notice of the Merrimack section I encountered between Andover and Danbury. Wide, crushed stone, smooth surface. A true recreation trail for all ages and abilities.
I've been riding the Cotton Valley rail trail since it opened and I'm excited that the last phase of the trail is almost finished. I was told that it should be done by August. I'm gearing up for the ride from Wakefield into Wolfeboro! Thank you to all of the people who worked hard on this beautiful trail and making one of my dreams come true! Job well done!!
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