Explore the best rated trails in North Conway, NH, whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Cross Vermont Trail and Northern Rail Trail . With more than 40 trails covering 400 miles you're bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The paved bike path is 8.7 miles starting from the Flume Gorge visitor center in Lincoln and ending at the Skookumchuck trailhead on US 3/Daniel Webster Hwy. This is an excellent trail, with quite a few steep inclines as you’re going through Franconia notch. The trail has many views of the mountains, including the cliffs that the Old Man of the Mountain used to reside on. The trail goes right beside The Basin, as well as along the edge of Echo Lake. You can begin on either end, but there is more parking at the Flume Visitor Center. The trail has many ups and downs, but it mostly ascends for about 4 miles from the Flume, then mostly descends the rest of the way as you go over Franconia Notch. There are a few steep sections along the way and a few past Cannon Mountain towards the last section of the trail. It is an excellent trail for biking, or just walking. There are quite a few locations with picnic tables if you want to bring a lunch and have a great little picnic spot. Overall it’s an excellent path, and was especially great using electric bikes.
Back Cove Trail is short, but sweet. The hard packed dirt is perfect for a jog, walk, or quick bike ride.
I started at 8:00 on an exceptionally still, brisk, mid October Sunday morning. The water was like glass and provided a perfect reflection of the downtown Portland skyline.
Other photo ops of the cove, wildlife, and beautiful classic homes were revealed to me as I made my way around the loop.
At only 3.6 miles, be sure to combine this with the also interesting Eastern Promenade Bike Trail for a total of nearly 8 miles between the two.
(Don't bother including the Bayside Trail which also connects to Back Cove and Promenade. It doesn't go by a bay and is about as appealing as riding down an alley)
One of the most beautiful rail trails in NH. In the fall it is breathtaking. It is quite narrow though, so passing requires one to step off the trail. The trail crosses over the tracks every mile or two and there's been mats or planks placed there to make crossing easier with bike tires. However for the most part the mats have been worn down so much they're mostly useless. There are also many spots where the chip and sand have eroded away so dismounting is necessary.
Wonderful bike trail. Narrow in places so need to watch for walkers and other bikers.
My brother and I are experienced cyclists who rode this trail on our e-bikes twice this summer, with different experiences. Our first ride in June was a warm day after a warm night, and we had no problem riding across rails (on rubber mats) to ride from one side of the rails to the other side, or between the rails, as the metal rails were dry. Our second ride in October was on a warm day after a cold night where the temperature dropped below the dew point and water condensed on the rails. Though the air temperature warmed up, the rails (in the shady woods) remained cold and so continued to be wet and slippery. My tire slipped and I went down once before I realized that water was not evaporating off the rails except where rails were in direct sunlight. Fortunately I only suffered a skinned knee. After that I made all transitions with one foot off the pedal. My 1 5/8 inch tires were OK for the ride, but I would never ride my skinny-tire road bike here. I will return because this is a unique trail in beautiful surroundings, and the 25 mile round trip from Wakefield (with lunch on Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro) is a beautiful day trip from Southern Maine.
This trail is not suitable for biking at all. There are very large rocks and in places they dumped sand on the trail. Only rode from Littleton to Lisbon because the riding was so rough. We have hybrid bikes with suspension but we felt like it was way too rough! Never again! Get rid of the ATVs that tear up the trail or market this only to them! ¿
This is a pretty and easy trail, but it is in real need of mainternance. The trail is in good shape from the South Windham start through the Gambo Road playing fields/parking. Once you cross over the river, the trail gets progressively worse. The biggest downfall is the amount of potholes' but there are also quite a few areas that are collapsing/leaning.
I am handicapped and ride a recumbent trike, so my perspective is a bit different than that of a mountain biker; but it would be nice if the DOT, or Gorham & Windham, put some money into maintaining the trail.
Parked across from the Danbury County Store. Headed west towards Grafton. Only saw a coupe peopling using the trail this late Friday afternoon. Trail was smooth and dry even with rain the prior day.
Just completed this trail and had a great tome. We have mtn bikes and had zero issues (not really for road bikes). There were some ATV and dirt bike riders on the lower part of the trail, but all were respectful and slowed down around us and for a Saturday it really wasn’t busy and we had the trail to ourselves most of the time. I would definitely recommend and do again.
The north trailhead has a good parking area, and the trail is an upsloping gravel surface. By contrast the south entrance has minimal parking, and the trail is very overgrown, with waist high vegetation on a wet and boggy grass surface.
Went from the Flume parking area to Skookumchuck and back , this way you get most of the elevation gain done the first half of the ride and get some great downhills to finish up. Spectacular morning ride …
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