Find the top rated trails in New Ipswich, 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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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 Bay Colony Rail Trail will one day span 7 miles connecting the Boston suburbs of Newton, Needham, Dover, and Medfield along tracks once used by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority. In May...
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...
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Stretching east from Northampton, the 10-mile Norwottuck Branch of the Mass Central Rail Trail connects the towns of Northampton, Hadley, and Amherst. Part of the Connecticut River Greenway State...
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...
Nestled in Boston’s Charles River Reservation, the Dr. Paul Dudley White Bike Path offers a pleasant walk or ride along both sides of the river from the city’s Museum of Science to Watertown. To reach...
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Southwest Corridor Park is a 4.7-mile linear park through the Boston neighborhoods of South End, Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. A recreation and commuter route popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists,...
The Upper Falls Greenway is a short rail-trail that cuts through the charming village of Newton Upper Falls in Newton, Massachusetts. The trail occupies the same former rail corridor as the developing...
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 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...
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 Upper Charles Trail will one day span more than 20 miles, connecting the communities of Milford, Ashland, Hopkinton, Sherborn and Holliston along a former CSX rail bed. The trail is being...
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...
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...
Canalside Trail begins at McClelland Farm Road and heads north on the former NYNH&H Railroad, crossing the Connecticut River near its confluence with Deerfield River. Approximately a half mile north...
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 Center Trail runs for less than a mile from Hopkinton's downtown to its high school and middle school, providing a safe route to school for thousands of students. The wooded trail, which once...
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...
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 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...
Boston's Rose Kennedy Greenway may not be very long, but it's jam-packed with attractions. Along the paved pathway, you can access five parks, be wowed by public art, stop to smell the flowers in...
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...
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...
Stretching east from Northampton, the 10-mile Norwottuck Branch of the Mass Central Rail Trail connects the towns of Northampton, Hadley, and Amherst. Part of the Connecticut River Greenway State...
The Bridge of Flowers is a 400-foot-long former trolley line bridge that has been converted into a garden pathway. Open from April 1 to October 31, the bridge spans the Deerfield River between...
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...
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 Upper Falls Greenway is a short rail-trail that cuts through the charming village of Newton Upper Falls in Newton, Massachusetts. The trail occupies the same former rail corridor as the developing...
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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...
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...
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 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...
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...
Nestled in the woodlands on the northern end of Merrimac in the far northeastern corner of Massachusetts, lies the beautiful Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. The town, once known as West Amesbury, had a...
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 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...
The North Bank Bridge, which opened in 2012, provides a safe and convenient pedestrian and bicycle connection between Cambridge's North Point Park and Paul Revere Park in Charlestown. Spanning 690...
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 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...
Nestled in Boston’s Charles River Reservation, the Dr. Paul Dudley White Bike Path offers a pleasant walk or ride along both sides of the river from the city’s Museum of Science to Watertown. To reach...
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 Mason Railroad Trail runs for nearly 7 miles from near the New Hampshire–Massachusetts border (nr. Townsend, MA) to Greenville, NH. The trail follows a heavily wooded corridor through Russell...
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...
The Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park recalls the role of canals in transporting raw materials and manufactured goods between emerging industrial centers. Walk along restored sections of...
Southwest Corridor Park is a 4.7-mile linear park through the Boston neighborhoods of South End, Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. A recreation and commuter route popular with walkers, runners, and cyclists,...
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...
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....
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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...
Canalside Trail begins at McClelland Farm Road and heads north on the former NYNH&H Railroad, crossing the Connecticut River near its confluence with Deerfield River. Approximately a half mile north...
The Center Trail runs for less than a mile from Hopkinton's downtown to its high school and middle school, providing a safe route to school for thousands of students. The wooded trail, which once...
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...
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 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 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....
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...
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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...
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...
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...
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...
The Bridge of Flowers is a 400-foot-long former trolley line bridge that has been converted into a garden pathway. Open from April 1 to October 31, the bridge spans the Deerfield River between...
The break after Route 122 in Blackstone now picks up at the parking lot off of Canal Street, near the corner of St. Paul Street. Going west from this point is about 3 miles of wide graded asphalt trail. The old Triad Bridge has been redone and is a safe beautiful crossing. I saw a lot of people--walking, riding bikes, pushing strollers, even skateboarding--when I rode this section a few Sundays ago.
But at the end of this section is Route 146 (a limited access divided highway) and there are no signs telling you how to cross it or to get back on the trail on the other side.
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.
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 .
Several have commented on the section of trail between Lake St., Bellingham and Prospect St., Franklin that was upgraded in June, 2017. Great!
You might like to know that west of this section and the improved trail to Center St, the one mile of rough trail between Fox Run Road and the new Route 126 tunnel is now under design. This includes a new parking area just east of Route 126.
It is state policy to add improved sections to existing improved sections.
Also, a DCR manager was quoted in the Boston Globe recently as saying that design work on the trail over the Blackstone Viaduct to the RI border would begin this fall.
It is important to realize that DCR has to jump through many hoops before construction can begin. But, keep pushing for results!
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!
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