Find the top rated trails in Eliot, 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.
Nearly 6 miles of the Northern Strand Community Trail, which follows the former Boston and Maine Railroad, are open to the public. Although this includes two disjointed trail segments, once Revere...
_134940_sc.jpg)
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...
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 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...
The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail follows the route of the former Framingham and Lowell Railroad. It begins at the Lowell/Chelmsford city line, about 30 miles northwest of Boston, near Cross Point, a major...
Independence Greenway offers 8 miles of trail in three disconnected segments through western Peabody. The rail-trail follows the abandoned Salem and Lowell Railroad and offers nice views. It passes by...
The Peanut Trial is a distinct trail in the town of Newton that spans one-mile. This rail-trail runs on the same corridor as the Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. However, due to a controversial lawsuit by...
The health and fortunes of Lowell have been intimately tied to the Concord River for hundreds of years. This tributary of the more famous Merrimack River continues to be at the heart of the local...
When complete, the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor will run for more than 5 miles on a former Boston and Maine Railroad corridor from connections with the Windham Rail Trail (north) and Methuen Rail Trail...
_0_sc.jpg)
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 Londonderry Rail Trail will one day stretch 6 miles across Londonderry from Derry to Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city, along the former Manchester and Lawrence Railroad. As of December...
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...
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 scenic Riverton Rail Trail—also known as “Sandy Road” by residents of Portland’s Riverton neighborhood—follows the former corridor of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban Railroad, which stopped...
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...
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:...
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...
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...
A lovely, albeit short, rail-trail in northeastern Massachusetts, the 1.3-mile Amesbury Riverwalk (a.k.a. Powwow Riverwalk) is the first completed section of the Coastal Trails Network, linking the...
The Nashua River Rail Trail is a beautiful and peaceful rural trail extending through the Massachusetts communities of Ayer, Groton, Pepperell and Dunstable. The trail continues into New Hampshire...
The scenic Riverton Rail Trail—also known as “Sandy Road” by residents of Portland’s Riverton neighborhood—follows the former corridor of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban Railroad, which stopped...
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 Bruce Freeman Rail Trail follows the route of the former Framingham and Lowell Railroad. It begins at the Lowell/Chelmsford city line, about 30 miles northwest of Boston, near Cross Point, a major...
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 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....
Lowell's Canal System Trails are part of Lowell National Historical Park in Lowell, Massachusetts. The park preserves some of America's industrial past: its 19th-century textile mills formed the first...
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...
Nearly 6 miles of the Northern Strand Community Trail, which follows the former Boston and Maine Railroad, are open to the public. Although this includes two disjointed trail segments, once Revere...
The Haggetts Rail Trail is a short, but sweet unpaved trail located on the periphery of Haggetts Pond, the local reservoir for the nearby town of Andover. Built on part of the former line of the...
The Peanut Trial is a distinct trail in the town of Newton that spans one-mile. This rail-trail runs on the same corridor as the Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. However, due to a controversial lawsuit by...
At 58 miles, the Northern Rail Trail spans Grafton and Merrimack counties and is the longest rail-trail in New Hampshire. Along with grass, the surface is dirt, crushed gravel, and cinders in Grafton...
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...
_137741_sc.jpg)
Although only a grassy, hard-packed dirt pathway, the route along the Salem-Beverly Canal (also known as the Grand Wenham Canal), is scenic and peaceful. The old canal, built in 1917, lies between two...
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 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...
Danvers Rail Trail follows the historic Newburyport Railroad that used to carry goods and passengers between Danvers and Boston in the late 1800s. The abandoned corridor extends just over 5 miles from...
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...
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...
Dover Community Trail, which will one day stretch 8 miles along the former Newington Branch Railway, is currently half-way complete. It begins at Fisher Street and heads north, connecting residents...
Independence Greenway offers 8 miles of trail in three disconnected segments through western Peabody. The rail-trail follows the abandoned Salem and Lowell Railroad and offers nice views. It passes by...
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 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 scenic Riverton Rail Trail—also known as “Sandy Road” by residents of Portland’s Riverton neighborhood—follows the former corridor of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban Railroad, which stopped...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
The trail begins in the small town of Boxford, about 25 miles north of Boston. For just shy of 5 miles, the hard-packed gravel and stone dust pathway follows an abandoned rail bed through Topsfield,...
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 health and fortunes of Lowell have been intimately tied to the Concord River for hundreds of years. This tributary of the more famous Merrimack River continues to be at the heart of the local...
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...
Dover Community Trail, which will one day stretch 8 miles along the former Newington Branch Railway, is currently half-way complete. It begins at Fisher Street and heads north, connecting residents...
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 Londonderry Rail Trail will one day stretch 6 miles across Londonderry from Derry to Manchester, New Hampshire's largest city, along the former Manchester and Lawrence Railroad. As of December...
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....
_136211_sc.jpg)
New Hampshire's largest city, Manchester, boasts relatively quick access to one of the state's longest rail-trails: the 26.5-mile Rockingham Recreational Trail (a.k.a. Portsmouth Branch). The rustic...
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...
The Bruce Freeman Rail Trail follows the route of the former Framingham and Lowell Railroad. It begins at the Lowell/Chelmsford city line, about 30 miles northwest of Boston, near Cross Point, a major...
Yes, some sand in places, but otherwise, this is a beautiful trail, well maintained, with safe road crossings and an overall very good dirt/cinder surface. The trail appears to end at the School Bus Depot, but if you continue down the road, it reconnects through the woods for a short distance before taking you out onto Main St of Goffstown. Beware, the Chipmunks are fearless!
Decided to start biking last year. Did potions of Brice Freeman twice. Loved the ride. Made it to the end of Phase One this year. Love Heart Pond. Well maintained. More of an incline heading in, which is nice when you are tired and riding "down hill" on your way out. Can not wait for the next phase to be done!!!!!
Did this trail last year, was the first multi day ride I had done, doing a there and back again ride over the weekend. The ride was done late in the summer which was a poor choice as it was very hot and sunny. Some sections of this trail have no tree cover and you can be riding in the blazing sun for miles.
There are no water pumps to replenish your water supply during this ride, but you are close enough to towns and shops though good portions of this trail if you need to stop.
The trail was in good shape with some sections having been repaved (gravel). There are some interesting stops along the way where you can learn a about the history of the area and how the trail was used. Mile markers are few and far between so you may loose track of how far you have gone.
This trail was good, but would recommend doing it when the weather is cooler. Also there are planned trail expansions which will increase the total length of this trail towards Boston.
Parked in the middle at Bartlett St (there is space for 3-4 cars) and just walked the eastern 1/3 of the trail. Nice and shady. Crushed stone path. Very tall trees. It felt very majestic walking amongst them. Very peaceful and quiet.
I parked at the Trail Access at the ball field in Boscawen. This parking lot and access were well marked when coming in from the south. This access isn't mentioned in the description on Traillink. I took a 10 mile ride north to Franklin and return on June 1 2017.
This section of the trail was crushed stone that looked like it had graded and compacted earlier in the spring. Despite a week of rain, this was well drained and ranged from dry to damp. The trail was partially shaded with occasional glimpses of the Merrimack River below me to the east. I was pretty much alone in the woods and found it very quiet, peaceful, scenic and an easy first ride of the season. The trail was pretty empty on a weekday. I passed about a 1/2 dozen people.
Other reviews mention places to stop and get food but I didn't look for them. I did stop at the Franklin Historical society to read and take a picture of the plaque by the side of the trail and of the building complex by the Webster/Tay House (Daniel Webster's NH farm).
I would give this 4 1/2 stars if I could. I reserve 5 stars for well paved trails.
Great trail for a stroll. Paved and well kept. Woodland and salt marsh scenery. Lots of birds including Marsh hawks. Well marked along the way. Shady and sunny parts. Easy parking off Rte 1 in Salisbury.
Not a good trail for biking. Was like biking through a sand dune. Looks pretty decent for anything else though.
Phase 2 extends the trail from downtown Laconia to Belmont's Winni Scenic Trail. Passes by Pitmans Freight Room, Bartlett Beach before heading into forest behind the Belknap Mall. Now 4 1/2 miles to enjoy. Trail is in great shape. Check out wayfarer coffee shop or burrito me in downtown Laconia.
Good trail but lists of off road vehicles, not the best choice for riders
went last week for a bike ride. didnt seem to busy, parking was easy to find. has a good amount of trails to pick from so u can loop yourself different ways, and they aren't too difficult. just enough space to kill park of your day outside:) lots of great views by the water. good for walking jogging or biking.
This trail has fallen on hard times, the surface has plenty of sink holes and mounds. Especially an abundance of root ridges. About 2 miles from the north end the trail has so many root ridges that if you ride at speed they will rip the handle bars out of your hands. there are several places where the roots will give you a pinch flat and bend your rim.
Rail trails are made sub standard to roads, the reason given... rail trails dont see the heavy traffic a road does. Ive seen ambulances, fire truck, police cruisers and construction equipment on rail trails.
With a sub standard base roots can wreak havoc on trails.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
_0_st.jpg)
_134940_st.jpg)
_0_st.jpg)
_136211_st.jpg)
_137741_st.jpg)
