Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Alton, whether you're looking for an easy short cross country skiing trail or a long cross country skiing trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a cross country skiing trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Great trail. Bad culverts!!!
I bike rode Rockingham Rail Trail, Portsmouth branch for the first time today 6/29/25. Headed from Manchester east out 15 miles and back. Very nice trail, good base and I enjoyed the trail very much. HOWEVER, those underpass culverts 7-8 miles east of Manchester are DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS!!!!! Very low clearance, terrible visibility, and a deteriorated and uneven riding platform all contribute to a recipe for a terrible accident and injury. I am a good rider, and I crashed today. I was barely creeping along and fortunately I was not seriously Injured. Something needs to be done to make these less dangerous. I do not know who is responsible for maintaining these underpass culverts, but please consider my concerns. I would volunteer to assist in improving these hazards. Reread the description and walking bikes in these culverts was recommended and I would agree. On site signage would be a good idea also. The trail gets 5 stars the culverts get 0 stars.
I enjoy taking a walk before or after running errands. This path has filled a need in the Mt Washington Valley! The paved surface is welcoming and checking out the turtles on the north end of the pond is fun. Enjoy!
I enjoy the trail. I've seen cows bunnies and birds.
This was my first time on this trail, and I really enjoyed it. The views were amazing but there was one big take away I have for next time. If you can, bring a bike with suspension. I had my road bike and REALLY felt the poor condition of the path. It was still very bike-able though.
Start at the Peterborough Shopping Plaza parking lot. Stop in the Information Center across the street. It's operated by very nice local volunteers. Make your way north though the center of Peterborough. The surfaces are mostly paved & packed. You don't hit dirt & gravel until the upper half of the trail. Most riders stop at the school bus parking lot on Rt.202. There's a small parking lot there. If you cross the road you can pick up the Powder Mill Pond Rail trail and follow it northeast for another mile or so until it ends at Forest Rd. The trail gets rougher the further north you go but it's VERY manageable for most riders.
I've managed to ride portions of the trail between Fremont and Derry where it's open to summer OHRV on my hybrid bike (40mm gravel tires). It's not really pleasant as the trail is very sandy in sections to the point where I have had to walk my bike through sections. This is unfortunate because it's a great connector to the RT corridor that runs between Methuen, MA and Londonderry with the Rockingham Recreational trail from Manchester to Newfields. I get that summer OHRV use south of the North Woods is a scarce resource and that bikes do have the option of riding on the pavement. Except the shoulders of the roads are awful narrow. I could go on about the short sightedness of State and Local government but...
Great trail to ride on, well maintained crushed stone path. We got on at mile 13.4 in Portsmouth and rode to mile 6.8 then turned around and headed back. A lot of tree coverage which is nice for shade but not much variation in scenery. Not sure if there is more to see further south on the trail. That being said, it’s still a great place to get outside and exercise!
Smooth cider trail all bikes, well signed, 3 road crossings well marked, full canopy not a lot to see except Hampton Airfield. Recommend stopping at Airfield after riding at restaurant and watch small planes.
Smooth level no hills, cider trail, good signage, full canopy. Recommend starting at South End near or at Hampton Airfield and at end of ride watch small planes and have lunch
I've walked and biked this trail many times. Quite scenic in spots where it follows the Winnipesauke River but less so as it passes by backyards. Its a great way to get through the Tilton-Franklin area without having to ride the commercial strip on Route 3. There are attractions at either end, food mostly including a brewery, that offer a fun reward. Can also be combined with the Norther Rail Trail with a short road ride.
I've ridden this trail many times and it never disappoints. I have ridden all of it in sections and each one has it's own charm. In the Grafton-Canaan stretch it can feel remote even though the highway is nearby. The section from Boscawen to Andover always has folks on it though I have never found it too busy to enjoy. The save can be said for Lebanon out towards Canaan. There are services available along the way though it might require some road riding to access some of them. The Friends of the Northern Rail Trail group does a great job, is responsive to user comments and is working to address issues like toilet access. That being said there are long stretches where you have to be willing to use the bushes. It's absolutely a carry-in/carry-out situation so its a good idea to be prepared.
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