Find the top rated trails in Laconia, 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.
In Woodsville the trail starts across from the Subway Restaurant across from the the Oceans Job Lot Store and next to the Woodsville Machine Shop and YES Yankee Electrical Supply up and down a short gravel ...
Common Pathway runs for nearly 7 miles from the south end of Peterborough north to Hancock. The trail is a combination of asphalt and gravel and follows an old railroad right-of-way along the Contoocook ...
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 service ...
Stretching 3 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 section of trail, ...
Stretching 3 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 section of trail, ...
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 ...
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 currently ...
The Franconia Notch Recreation Path travels 8-miles south to north from the Franconia Notch State Park to Skookumchuck & Rt. US 3. The trail is located within the White Mountain National Forest and travelers ...
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 concrete ...
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 Center ...
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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 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 Roberts ...
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 2015, ...
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 Standish ...
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 land ...
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 stadium ...
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 ...
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 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 Windham ...
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 bridge—believed to be the ...
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 ...
In Woodsville the trail starts across from the Subway Restaurant across from the the Oceans Job Lot Store and next to the Woodsville Machine Shop and YES Yankee Electrical Supply up and down a short gravel ...
The Bobby Woodman Rail Trail, a hard-packed dirt and gravel pathway, begins off a quiet street at the southern end of Claremont and quickly dives under pleasant tree cover. After about a half mile, the ...
Common Pathway runs for nearly 7 miles from the south end of Peterborough north to Hancock. The trail is a combination of asphalt and gravel and follows an old railroad right-of-way along the Contoocook ...
Common Pathway runs for nearly 7 miles from the south end of Peterborough north to Hancock. The trail is a combination of asphalt and gravel and follows an old railroad right-of-way along the Contoocook ...
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 tracks ...
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 service ...
The Cross Vermont Trail (CVT) is a statewide route that links a number of Vermont trails and includes on-road sections. As of January 2016, 87 miles of trail are built and scattered across the state. Each ...
Stretching 3 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 section of trail, ...
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 ...
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 currently ...
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 popular ...
The Franconia Brook Trail runs from just north of the confluence of the east branch of the Pemigewasset River and Franconia Branch. Note that bicycling is not permitted along the route. You can combine ...
The Franconia Notch Recreation Path travels 8-miles south to north from the Franconia Notch State Park to Skookumchuck & Rt. US 3. The trail is located within the White Mountain National Forest and travelers ...
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 connects ...
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 concrete ...
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 bikers; ...
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 Center ...
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 ...
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 and ...
Hooksett Rail-Trail follows a portion of a right-of-way of the Portsmouth & Concord Railroad. This section of the railroad was abandoned in 1862, leaving behind an attractive corridor for the trail. The ...
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 Roberts ...
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 Hampshire, ...
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 2015, ...
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 Standish ...
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 skiing ...
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 ...
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 and crush ...
The Oliverian Brook Trail follows the course of Oliverian Brook through the dense forest of White Mountain National Forest. The trail, open to cross-country skiing in winter, heads toward Passaconaway ...
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 land ...
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 stadium ...
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 skiing ...
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The Fremont Branch of the Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail follows a diagonal, 16.5-mile path from Windham to Epping in the southeastern corner of New Hampshire. As the trail is unpaved (dirt with areas ...
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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 trail ...
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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 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 Maine ...
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 hikers ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 proper, ...
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 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 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 Windham ...
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 bridge—believed to be the ...
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 ...
In Woodsville the trail starts across from the Subway Restaurant across from the the Oceans Job Lot Store and next to the Woodsville Machine Shop and YES Yankee Electrical Supply up and down a short gravel ...
The Bobby Woodman Rail Trail, a hard-packed dirt and gravel pathway, begins off a quiet street at the southern end of Claremont and quickly dives under pleasant tree cover. After about a half mile, the ...
Common Pathway runs for nearly 7 miles from the south end of Peterborough north to Hancock. The trail is a combination of asphalt and gravel and follows an old railroad right-of-way along the Contoocook ...
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 tracks ...
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 service ...
The Cross Vermont Trail (CVT) is a statewide route that links a number of Vermont trails and includes on-road sections. As of January 2016, 87 miles of trail are built and scattered across the state. Each ...
Stretching 3 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 section of trail, ...
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 ...
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 currently ...
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 popular ...
The Franconia Brook Trail runs from just north of the confluence of the east branch of the Pemigewasset River and Franconia Branch. Note that bicycling is not permitted along the route. You can combine ...
The Franconia Notch Recreation Path travels 8-miles south to north from the Franconia Notch State Park to Skookumchuck & Rt. US 3. The trail is located within the White Mountain National Forest and travelers ...
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 connects ...
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 concrete ...
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 bikers; ...
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 Center ...
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 ...
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 and ...
Hooksett Rail-Trail follows a portion of a right-of-way of the Portsmouth & Concord Railroad. This section of the railroad was abandoned in 1862, leaving behind an attractive corridor for the trail. The ...
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 Roberts ...
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 Hampshire, ...
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 2015, ...
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 Standish ...
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 skiing ...
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 ...
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 and crush ...
The Oliverian Brook Trail follows the course of Oliverian Brook through the dense forest of White Mountain National Forest. The trail, open to cross-country skiing in winter, heads toward Passaconaway ...
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 land ...
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 stadium ...
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 skiing ...
The Fremont Branch of the Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail follows a diagonal, 16.5-mile path from Windham to Epping in the southeastern corner of New Hampshire. As the trail is unpaved (dirt with areas ...
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 trail ...
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 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 Maine ...
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 hikers ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 proper, ...
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 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 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 Windham ...
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 bridge—believed to be the ...
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.
Very nice wide trail that is easy to walk with Beautiful views
So 15 degree weather does not stop us!
Started at otter pond and skied to Gambo Field.
Beautiful blue sky and crisp air. Maine the way it should be. Met a few snowmobiles and only a few other brave walkers. I love this trail and feel so blessed to be able to walk out the door and have this great place to play.
Earlier today I was at the Cotton Valley end of the trail and found that a new, 2 mile, section of the trail had been completed. The new section runs towards Wakefield, NH and ends shortly after the S4 mile marker stone.
It's pretty nice. Most of this section is between the rails.
Although a bit longer than expected at 27 miles from Massabesic Lake to Newfields, I didn't mind as most of this trail was secluded, scenic, sparsely populated and draped with fall color this past Monday. I'd suggest a mountain bike as I had, finishing up in three hours, but definitely worth contending with a less rugged bike just to be out there.
Today (Sunday) my companion and I parked at the Watson Rd. end and walked to just past Whittier St. For most of the stretch we felt as though we were walking in the woods. Last night ended three days of rain that totaled three inches. Nevertheless, the trail was entirely passable. Occasionally we had to walk around a small puddle, but, overall, mud was not a problem. The trail was hardback with some gravel sections. The amazingly few people we met were walking or on bicycles. Even parents with a toddler and dog were all walking just fine. No tree roots or rocks. Bicycles would need to have wider than road bike tires with good treads. I wouldn't recommend this part of the trail for wheelchairs. All in all a most enjoyable afternoon.
I Camped at beautiful Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham and drove 4 miles to the old train station in Raymond on 2 days to go out and back east to Newfields and west to Masabesic Lake. On the 3rd day I drove to Masabesic Lake, also beautiful, and completed the 53 "round trip" miles by going from the lake to Tarrytown Road in Manchester and back to the lake.
The trail from Masabesic Lake east to the Newfields railroad depot was in bright autumn leaf colors made even more scenic by the many wetlands on each side of the trail. At times the trail is like a "tunnel of trees". There are several dark culverts under roadways with low clearance. I'd advise to walk your bike and wear a headlamp.
The last 2 of about 4 miles going west from Masabesic Lake into Tarrytown Road in Manchester are in very poor condition and I think it's best to avoid. Just do the trail east from Masabesic to Newfields. Stop at the Historic Train Station in Raymond and have lunch at the Pizza place across from the station.
I did see people riding road bikes and hybrids, but because of the varied surface from a few areas of soft sand, small to medium pebbles, and occasional larger fixed stones protruding 2-3", I liked riding my mountain bike.
This trail is easily ridable from end to end in a day: the surface is quite good esp compared to other rail trails in the state and there are plenty of services along the way not far off the trail. Its also interesting in that there are many bridges, scenic views, points of interest (like Potter Place) and its mostly rural. Try it, I think youll not be disappointed!
I've done parts of this trail over the years but did the whole thing, out and back, 54 miles at the end of September 2016. In Raymond you can go off-trail and get some food and water.
Since this is NH, expect a few rocks and roots in the trail, but mostly it is hard-packed dirt and mostly flat. Particularly at the western end these obstacles are spray-painted bright orange to get your attention (less so at the eastern end). Thank NH snowmobile clubs for trail maintenance. I did hear a dirt bike on the trail that should not be there.
Along the way you pass through three very short tunnels under roads unless you detour around them. They are about 5-foot high culvert pipes with wooden boards and dirt making up the floors. They are dark inside so go slow or walk your bike. I rode slowly through each one without problem, just hunched over a bit.
There are some beautiful wetlands and forest views, particularly during foliage season. Also good for bird-watching; I saw a couple herons and ducks.
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