Explore the best rated trails in Wakefield, NH. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Eastern Promenade Trail and Warner Rail Trail and Bagley Rail Trail. With more than 52 trails covering 357 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.
My family goes out to Shaw park often and get right on the trail. We can’t wait for the trail to extend past our house in Steep Falls!
We rode it today 11/10/22, it was a 70 degree sunny November day. My son, who is disabled and I rode a tandem recumbent bike. We are trying to complete all the rail trails in New England. I have to say this was one of the most beautiful trails up to this point. The scenery changed all the time, from woods to marshlands to the Merrimack River. We will definitely do it again
Awesome ride on ebikes. Late I the fall season so there was no traffic on the trails. Paved and clear, easy ride. Well worth it for the views.
Flat, quiet, road crossings are few over the first 8 miles and well lit/marked. No portapotties, which is unreasonable. Lovely ride thru forest and wetlands.
The trail is great Awesome views the up hills balance out the down hills. Only issue is a lot of ignorant people that walk 4 abreast and you have to almost stop to get around them. Next trip back I think I’ll bring an air horn ¿¿
It’s fairly narrow in most spots, but very quiet, and serene.
Trail is great for anything but hybrid bikes, ie, walking, horseback riding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, sledding. It is dirt, sand, loose stones, hidden boulders, and tree roots as well as metal hazards and horse manure piles. Beautiful views, when you can take your eyes off of the path in front of you, and shaded.
Just did this trail from Wakefield to Wolfeboro (and back) on Sunday. It’s a very nice and unique rail-to-trail project. I have ridden many rail-to-trail projects over the years, and have been involved with developing and maintaining trails in the past. I have been on trails built on top of old/removed railroad right-of-ways. I have been on trails built next to old railroad right-of-ways. But… I have never been on a trail actually built on an existing railroad right-of-way. I have seen several reviews complaining about this setup, however, I don’t think people understand the significance of this from an operational and historical perspective. Yes, having the trail lay between the railroad track gauge does limit space. And, this trail does cross the tracks back and forth quite a bit, which may pose a safety risk to those that are not cautious. But, with all of that being said… having the ability to operate motorized rail equipment on this trail is exciting and it gives visitors to this trail a unique perspective on seeing how the rail line worked.
The trail itself is of sand and light crushed stone construction, and it seems to be relatively well maintained. There were a few rutty places. You will definitely need a mountain or trail bike for this trip. However, I actually ran across members of the trail club doing maintenance Spent some time talking to them, and they were very friendly and informative. There is lots to see along the route, and Wolfeboro is a neat little tourist town. I drove over from Maine to try this trail out, and it was definitely worth the trip.
It was hard to enjoy this trail because you have to worry about crossing rails which are still in place. The trail crosses them constantly and each crossing is dangerous on a bike. The guy in front of us had a nasty crash and we had a few close calls. When even the slightest bit of moisture gets the on the rails tires just slide. There was no rain on the day we rode but damp spots on the trail lead to wet rails.
The people who made the trail know all this and signs say you must dismount every time a crossing happens. But they happen so often that there would hardly be any point riding.
And in most cases because the trail is between the rails or wedged on one side or the other there really isn't room to pass for bicycles. Usually one bike or the other has to stop to allow the other to pass. It's just a terrible design for bicycles.
Plenty of parking at trailhead point off Clark St. in Saco. 8 miles one way to point where the on-rode portion begins in Scarborough. A few complex road crossings in first mile or so then only a few - and calmer - crossings remainder of ride. Scarborough Marsh area was worth the ride. Very even surface, light bike traffic and lots of shade.
So I can only speak to the first 3 miles from the trail head in Kennebunk to mile 3. I ride a tadpole trike and found the obstacles at road crossings either just wide enough with caution to fit to one 3 mile in that I could not fit my trike at all. That means no trikes or wheel chair of any type and I would be very careful if you use a kid trailer. Overall it was a bad experience that did not need to be if the trailfiljs had put any real thought into it!!!
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