Find the top rated trails in New Boston, 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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Jonathan Daniels Trail travels the length of Ashuelot River Park through Keene. Along the stone-dust trail, you can enjoy the park’s beautiful natural backdrop and flower garden. The trail was named...
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...
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 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...
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 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...
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...
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...
Alewife Linear Park is a beautiful paved trail stretching 2 miles east from the Alewife T-station in Cambridge to Cedar Street in Somerville. The park came about after the Massachusetts Bay...
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...
The Assabet River Rail-Trail provides a forested escape from the surrounding urban bustle. Traveling 5.6 miles (with plans to expand it) the trail connects the towns of Hudson and Marlborough and...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
The Toonerville Rail-Trail (a.k.a. Springfield Greenway) spans 3 meticulously maintained miles from the downtown business district of Springfield southeast to the western bank of the Connecticut River...
At the southern end of the trail a large parking lot at Dole Junction is maintained by the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails. This parking lot also serves as the southern terminus of the Ashuelot Rail...
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The Cheshire Rail Trail stretches for nearly 33 miles between Route 12 near Bookseller Road and the New Hampshire–Massachusetts state line at Route 12. In Keene, the trail includes a beautiful stone...
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 Bedford Narrow-Gauge Rail-Trail shares its trailhead at Depot Park in Bedford with the Minuteman Bikeway and Reformatory Branch Trail. Serving mainly as a commuter route, this trail extends just...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
Jonathan Daniels Trail travels the length of Ashuelot River Park through Keene. Along the stone-dust trail, you can enjoy the park’s beautiful natural backdrop and flower garden. The trail was named...
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...
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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...
Appel Way Trail offers a paved route of about a mile through woodlands on the north end of Keene. Most notably, it offers a connection between Wheelock Park on the trail's west end and Ashuelot River...
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 Boxford Rail Trail is a short, rustic pathway open on a former rail corridor in rural Essex County. Now home to overhead electric wires owned by National Grid, the trail is open via a license...
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 Cochituate Rail Trail (CRT) is a developing, multi-use trail that will run from the Village of Saxonville in Framingham to Natick Center, a distance of 4 miles. Currently, its northernmost mile in...
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 Keene Industrial Trail links the county's Cheshire Rail-Trail in the city of Keene. The paved path is a 1-mile segment through downtown Keene, which passes among some of the city's old mill...
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 scenic Monadnock Branch Rail-Trail travels for just over 7 miles from Webster Street in Jaffrey near the ball field to the New Hampshire–Massachusetts border. From Jaffrey to Rindge the trail is...
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...
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...
Jonathan Daniels Trail travels the length of Ashuelot River Park through Keene. Along the stone-dust trail, you can enjoy the park’s beautiful natural backdrop and flower garden. The trail was named...
Barker Road Trail begins on the town line between North Andover and Boxford in northern Massachusetts, not far from the New Hampshire border. From there, the pathway continues through dense woodlands...
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...
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 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 scenic Valley Trail currently runs nearly a mile through West Dover in southern Vermont on the outskirts of the Green Mountain National Forest. Plans call for continuing the trail further north to...
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...
At the southern end of the trail a large parking lot at Dole Junction is maintained by the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails. This parking lot also serves as the southern terminus of the Ashuelot Rail...
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...
You won't get lonely on the Minuteman Bikeway. The nearly 10-mile rail-trail through suburban Boston is one of New England's most popular trails. Warm summer weekends in particular bring folks of all...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
The Toonerville Rail-Trail (a.k.a. Springfield Greenway) spans 3 meticulously maintained miles from the downtown business district of Springfield southeast to the western bank of the Connecticut River...
A 104-mile rail line was shattered by hurricane in 1938. Today, the corridor is being developed as the Mass Central Rail Trail to be enjoyed by bicyclists, walkers, joggers, and cross-country skiers....
The North Central Pathway will one day stretch 16 miles between the cities of Winchendon and Gardner in northern Massachusetts, primarily along a former railroad right-of-way. Three open sections...
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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...
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...
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.
Hi folks,
I read the reviews and went anyway. Started at the Hinsdale end on Northfield Road and went 10 miles. The trail starts on a private driveway directly across from the gas station. I truly enjoyed my ride. Yes it does have mixed surface conditions; abandoned buildings from some industrial past; and the horse-impacted stretch. But is also boasts spectacular river views, covered bridge worth seeing, and a nice trail bridge to ride over. Best of all, the reviews seem to have kept it quiet and underused.
The worst of it is at about mile 8 where the trail first crosses Old Westport Road and Old Spofford Road. There, the horses have torn up the trail and you go between jarring bumps and deeply worked lose sandy soil that will grab your wheel and bring you to an involuntary stop. These conditions last 1.5 miles or there abouts. I won't ride that stretch again; but such is life with multiuse trails.
After mile 10, I exited the trail on the second crossing of Old Westport Road and used the road to bypass the bike unfriendly portion for my return leg. The road is a pleasant spin through farm country.
Overall I found the trail low gradient, shaded, and with easy road crossings. It's not the place to set the land speed record on your road bike and I would not bring young children. But it is certainly teenager compatible and heck, I had 2 hours to kill near Brattleboro and this was just the ticket.
Started this trail in Peterborough. There is a parking lot north of town center on town road where we started. It is a very nice trail and would be very scenic in fall. We went way beyond the recycle center where you come to a street and look for the trail , it actually continues across the street which is part of someone's (mail box ) and driveway . That section goes by a couple of farms , cows and farm land then not far beyond that it gets to a point where it becomes a more narrow path maybe more for mountain bike as opposed to hybrid bikes. Up until that point it's a very nice ride , no hills and nothing difficult. Estimate 6-7 miles one way. Only our 3rd time biking so should be easy for most people, we are in our early 60's.
Ashuelot river trail north of West St Keene is short but scenic, today we did 15 miles round trip on southern part of Ashuelot river trail south of Keene. The trail is really nice for about 4-5 miles after that you follow the power lines and not the river and the going is not as smooth but OK with hybrid bike. We went as far as Swanzey Lake Rd which you can see from a brown house who's back yard is the trail and that is about 7.5 miles one way and it is mostly flat .
parked at the opecheee inn and rode about 3 miles to Leslie Roberts Drive
and back.
trail is paved, mostly flat, sidewalk sections well marked.
Just did this on 7/30/17. The trail is flat but lots of loose golfball & tennisball sized rocks to keep you alert. There's also a fair amount of of loose surface due to gravel and too much ATV use. If you want peace & quiet this is the trail for you. Beautiful swamp areas & a small cemetery a few yards off the trail. Lots of very old headstones certainly makes for an interesting resting spot. It's intersected by several dirt roads so be careful when crossing. Bring plenty of water on hotter days, you'll need it!
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.
There are road crossings, especially on the Hudson side of the trail, but they are very manageable. The path description doesn't do this path justice. It's a nice ride with frequent benches to take a break. There are hills especially going from Hudson to Marlboro. Enjoy!
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.
This is a beautiful trail, or should I say trails. The problem is the three sections are not only unconnected, but hard to move between on a bicycle. We did the two northernmost sections separately, moving by car between the sections. At the end of the second section, in Gardner, we came up against highway speed traffic along Route 140. It looked like the trail continued across the highway, but we weren't willing to try and cross it to find out.
Also, the maps on the signboards are old and out-of-date. And they don't show where you are on the trail, so are pretty much useless.
Based on the problems, I won't return to this trail until/unless they finish connecting the trails!
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.
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