Explore the best rated trails in Swanzey, NH. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Warner Rail Trail and Bagley Rail Trail and Sugar River Trail. With more than 61 trails covering 463 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.
Road the trail last week end-to-end as an out and back from the great southern trailhead parking area on Crane Avenue (bathroom). Trail is in excellent condition and a great ride.
Gorgeous trail to ride a gravel bike from Epping to Fremont (5mi). The Fremont to Derry (rt 28) section is heavily utilized by ATV's and trail bikes, resulting in about 13 miles of loose sand (some areas were about 2" deep) with small oasis's of packed dirt, it's doable - but not pleasant. The last mile from rt 28 to the Windham rail trail is lovely to ride. The Sandown train depot looks to be worth checking out (a museum, open on Saturdays), but they were closed when I went by.
As for rail trails go, this one the cream of the crop. It is very flat and paved. People with narrow tire road bikes will do just fine. I believe it is a mile or so longer then what they say it is.
An odd thing about this trail. When you pull into the parking area on the Nashua end, there is no clear signage that it is the Nashua River Trail. Heading out of the parking lot, on the trail, I noticed the back of the signs marking it as the Nashua Rail Trail . It seems the signage should be on the other side of the trail with the writing of the sign being in front of you.
The trail is very well marked with easy parking. Lucky I had my fat bike today for todays ride. Trail conditions changed from dry, wet, icy packed to snow plowing. It was fun to experience all seasons in one day with a bike to handle deep mud. It’s early spring and expected.
My first time on the trail was a great experience. The path is hard packed gravel and wide enough for various types of traffic. Foot and bike traffic. The scenery was nice, but it is early spring. I plan to return in June. The path will be very different with the tree and plants in full bloom.
The pavement is decent, but there’s no marked center line. Biggest complaint is that the trail primarily goes downhill as you go east, and primarily uphill as you go west, so you’re going to hate one direction or the other. Decent views. Poor road-to-trail transitions with broken up pavement and sand which is a nightmare for in-line skates. Much prefer the Cochituate rail trail
Love this rail trail !! Nice easy path , street crossings are easy to get thru. Great job by both cities.
Rode (7/22) from Winchendon to Baldwinville, and then (skipping the part bisected by Rt. 2) from from Rt. 101 in Templeton to Route 122 in Smithville on the Barre/Oakham line. Lots of wet and rutty sections north of Balwinville but still fun (some walking with 1.5" tires). Some sandy section in the southern piece but still fun. It's slow going of course. Didn't pass a single extra person. Good roadside fried food at Lee's in Baldwinville (it's been there for at least 70 years!)
We rode the Ashuwillticook Trail on 11/07/22 from the Pittsfield trailhead to Adams and back. The ride is excellent, with plenty of scenic highlights along the entire route, smooth paved surface and many places to stop and enjoy. The towns along the route looked inviting enough to divert us, but we had time constraints so we stayed on the route. The head winds on the way back were a challenge..
This is one of the best trails we have been on, not to be missed.
PS Recommend enjoying a long weekend and stayed at a B+B in Lenox...
Note: the restrooms along the route were all closed. I can understand given the time of year but it seemed somewhat premature given the warm weather we had been experiencing.
Nice trail, what it lacks in length it makes up for in bonuses. 1. Brick and Feather Brewery along the path with outdoor seating. 2. Discovery Center Museum near trailhead in Turner’s Falls, free, cool animal displays and lots of interesting information in this little gem.
After riding the Ashuelot Rail Trail in the summer and seeing this from the parking lot on Rt 63, I came back on an unusually warm November weekend to give it a try. I fully concur - this could be a gem of a trail if a bit more work could put in, but still a nice enough ride. I was on my hybrid, and am beginning to wish for a Fat Tire or maybe at least a shock absorbing front fork for these jouncy pot-holey trails. Pity that the trestle is falling to ruin, and in the slight rain I was caught in, I didn't chance it with slippery sneakers. Frankly, it's a tragedy waiting to happen, and with as many rotted rails as there are, I was surprised to see 3 bikers walking gingerly across. Kudos to the snowmobile clubs who watch over this trail, as you could see where chainsaw work had been done to keep it open.
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