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Athol, MA Cross Country Skiing Trails and Maps

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Looking for the best Cross Country Skiing trails around Athol?

Find the top rated cross country skiing trails in Athol, 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.

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Length
Most Popular

Air Line State Park Trail

60.3 mi

State: CT

Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Ashuwillticook Rail Trail

13.9 mi

State: MA

Asphalt

Assabet River Rail Trail

10.4 mi

State: MA

Asphalt

Blackstone River Greenway

31.6 mi

State: MA, RI

Asphalt, Boardwalk, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

15.7 mi

State: MA

Asphalt

Columbia Greenway Rail Trail

3.1 mi

State: MA

Asphalt

Derry Rail Trail

3.6 mi

State: NH

Asphalt

Farmington Canal Heritage Trail

49.1 mi

State: CT

Asphalt

Goffstown Rail Trail

5.5 mi

State: NH

Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand

Grand Trunk Trail

6.9 mi

State: MA

Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Londonderry Rail Trail

4.6 mi

State: NH

Asphalt

Manhan Rail Trail

9.5 mi

State: MA

Asphalt

Mass Central Rail Trail

56.36 mi

State: MA

Asphalt, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Mine Falls Park Trails

9.7 mi

State: NH

Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass

Minuteman Commuter Bikeway

10.1 mi

State: MA

Asphalt

Monadnock Recreational Rail Trail

7.5 mi

State: NH

Asphalt, Gravel

Nashua River Rail Trail

12.4 mi

State: MA, NH

Asphalt

New Boston Rail Trail

3.9 mi

State: NH

Dirt

Quinebaug Valley Rail Trail

5.7 mi

State: MA

Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Grass

South Spencer Rail Trail

1.62 mi

State: MA

Crushed Stone

Accordion

Southwick Rail Trail

6.5 mi

State: MA

Asphalt

Upper Charles Trail

13.9 mi

State: MA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

West River Trail (Windham County)

16.1 mi

State: VT

Asphalt, Dirt, Gravel, Sand

Westville Lake Community Trail

0.7 mi

State: MA

Crushed Stone

Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail

21.4 mi

State: NH

Asphalt, Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt

Cheshire Rail Trail (Cheshire Branch Rail Trail)

42.4 mi

State: NH

Asphalt, Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel, Sand

Common Pathway

5.5 mi

State: NH

Asphalt, Crushed Stone

Fort Hill Recreational Rail Trail

7 mi

State: NH

Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel, Sand

Mason Railroad Trail

6.7 mi

State: NH

Ballast, Gravel, Sand

Narrow-Gauge Rail-Trail

3 mi

State: MA

Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt

North Central Pathway

11.2 mi

State: MA

Asphalt

Old Railroad Trail

2.7 mi

State: NH

Dirt

Putnam River Trail

2 mi

State: CT

Asphalt

Reformatory Branch Trail

3.9 mi

State: MA

Dirt

Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail (Portsmouth Branch)

28 mi

State: NH

Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand

Southern New England Trunkline Trail

21.8 mi

State: MA

Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone

Squannacook River Rail Trail

3.7 mi

State: MA

Crushed Stone

Toonerville Rail-Trail

3.2 mi

State: VT

Asphalt

Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail

5.4 mi

State: CT

Asphalt

Brookline Rail Trail

4.5 mi

State: NH

Crushed Stone, Gravel

Chicopee River Canal Rail Trail

0.21 mi

State: MA

Asphalt

Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail

5.65 mi

State: NH

Asphalt, Boardwalk, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel

Granite Town Rail-Trail

3 mi

State: NH

Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand

Hillsborough Recreational Rail Trail

7.8 mi

State: NH

Crushed Stone, Dirt

Catamount Trail - Sections 1 and 2

18.1 mi

State: VT

Dirt

East Branch Trail (VT)

0.5 mi

State: VT

Gravel

Trail Image	Trail Name	States	Length	Surface	Rating
	Air Line State Park Trail The Air Line State Park Trail winds 60.3 miles from the northeast corner of Connecticut, where the state borders Massachusetts, down to East Hampton in the heart of the state. The pathway is nearly...	CT	60.3 mi	Ballast, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel	152 reviews
	Ashuwillticook Rail Trail Visitors to the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail will find the full splendor of the scenic Berkshires along a 13.7-mile paved trail. The Ashuwillticook (ash-oo-will-ti-cook) follows MA 8 through the Hoosic...	MA	13.9 mi	Asphalt	110 reviews
	Assabet River Rail Trail The Assabet River Rail Trail connects five old mill towns that owe their revitalization to present-day high-tech industries. A midpoint gap splits the 10.4-mile trail. It offers a forested escape for...	MA	10.4 mi	Asphalt	49 reviews
	Blackstone River Greenway Throughout history, the Blackstone River has been an important waterway, from its use by American Indians who fished its once-abundant salmon to its role as a major artery for the transportation of...	MA, RI	31.6 mi	Asphalt, Boardwalk, Crushed Stone, Dirt	99 reviews
	Bruce Freeman Rail Trail A developing rail trail, the route winds for nearly 16 miles through Chelmsford, Westford, Carlisle, Acton, and Concord. The rail trail is paved and is typically about 10 feet wide. About the...	MA	15.7 mi	Asphalt	72 reviews
	Columbia Greenway Rail Trail The Columbia Greenway Rail Trail offers just over 3 miles of paved, tree-lined pathway through Westfield in southwestern Massachusetts. About the Route The rail-trail runs between the Westfield...	MA	3.1 mi	Asphalt	14 reviews
	Derry Rail Trail This exquisitely maintained 3.6-mile paved rail-trail slices through forested areas and wetlands for a wonderful experience in southern New Hampshire. About the Route Starting at the southern...	NH	3.6 mi	Asphalt	27 reviews
	Farmington Canal Heritage Trail First a canal, then a railroad, and now a trail define the history of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail. Completed segments span Connecticut south to north, from New Haven to the Massachusetts...	CT	49.1 mi	Asphalt	161 reviews
	Goffstown Rail Trail The year 2017 marks 20 years since a rails-to-trails project was first mentioned in the Goffstown Master Plan, and thanks to work by the Friends of the Goffstown Rail Trail and support throughout the...	NH	5.5 mi	Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand	16 reviews
	Grand Trunk Trail The overall goal of the Grand Trunk Trail in south-central Massachusetts is to connect the communities of Brimfield, Sturbridge, and Southbridge by trail. Currently, two sections of the trail are...	MA	6.9 mi	Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel	10 reviews
	Londonderry Rail Trail The Londonderry Rail Trail runs for 4.6 miles between Harvey and Rockingham Road. The smooth paved trail offers a pleasant and tranquil adventure for trail users along an old Manchester and Lawrence...	NH	4.6 mi	Asphalt	17 reviews
	Manhan Rail Trail The Manhan Rail Trail, well integrated into the local communities it serves, offers a pleasant ride or stroll. It conveniently weaves together parks, community points of interest, neighborhoods, and...	MA	9.5 mi	Asphalt	24 reviews
	Mass Central Rail Trail The Massachusetts Central Railroad was destroyed by a hurricane in 1938, but the 104-mile corridor is being reborn as a cross-state rail trail. The Mass Central Rail Trail runs for 36.36 miles from...	MA	56.36 mi	Asphalt, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel	94 reviews
	Mine Falls Park Trails Mine Falls Park in Nashua is a 300-acre-plus urban park with a network of approximately 9.7 miles of a variety of trail types. This forested park offers an extraordinary nature experience in the heart...	NH	9.7 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass	12 reviews
	Minuteman Commuter Bikeway For many commuters, the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway provides freedom from congested traffic in the northwest Boston suburbs. For others, the 10.1-mile paved trail between Cambridge and Bedford serves...	MA	10.1 mi	Asphalt	49 reviews
	Monadnock Recreational Rail Trail The Monadnock Recreational Rail Trail is a great example of a repurposed rail route that provides safe commuting opportunities while also allowing trail users to escape into forest environments for...	NH	7.5 mi	Asphalt, Gravel	21 reviews
	Nashua River Rail Trail The Nashua River Rail Trail stretches from southern Nashua, New Hampshire, to downtown Ayer, Massachusetts, connecting to the towns of Pepperell and Groton. The trail is built on the former rail...	MA, NH	12.4 mi	Asphalt	161 reviews
	New Boston Rail Trail The New Boston Rail Trail follows the former railroad corridor of the same name for 3.9 miles through densely wooded areas in the town of New Boston. The railroad was in operation from 1893 to 1931,...	NH	3.9 mi	Dirt	9 reviews
	Quinebaug Valley Rail Trail The Quinebaug Valley Rail Trail runs on the corridor once occupied by the Southbridge & Blackstone line of the Providence & Worcester Railroad, transforming a corridor once designed to link rural...	MA	5.7 mi	Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Grass	6 reviews
	South Spencer Rail Trail The South Spencer Rail Trail runs for less than 2 miles from downtown Spencer to an area south of town near Spencer State Forest. The path, which is also known as the Depot Trail, occupies a former...	MA	1.62 mi	Crushed Stone	3 reviews

Accordion

Southwick Rail Trail The Southwick Rail Trail extends for 6.5 miles between the Westfield town line south and the Massachusetts–Connecticut state line. About the Route Along the way, the Southwick Rail Trail travels...	MA	6.5 mi	Asphalt	44 reviews
Upper Charles Trail Shaped like a checkmark, the Upper Charles Trail links Milford, Holliston and Sherborn—towns in Massachusetts’s bucolic MetroWest suburbs. Ornamented by an eight-arch stone bridge and a historic...	MA	13.9 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	39 reviews
West River Trail (Windham County) The West River Railroad, which once followed its namesake river for 36 miles, began passenger service in the late 1800s as a way to trim the two-day voyage between Brattleboro and South Londonderry to...	VT	16.1 mi	Asphalt, Dirt, Gravel, Sand	13 reviews
Westville Lake Community Trail The Westville Lake Community Trail offers a short, scenic excursion along the east bank of Westville Lake in Southbridge. Much of the crushed-stone pathway is under a lush tree canopy. Along the way,...	MA	0.7 mi	Crushed Stone	1 reviews
Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail Closure Notice: Due to flooding, the Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail is closed from Pine Street to Sawyer's Crossing Road in Swanzey. Please see NH State Parks for more up-to-date information. The...	NH	21.4 mi	Asphalt, Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt	43 reviews
Cheshire Rail Trail (Cheshire Branch Rail Trail) The Cheshire Rail Trail connects Fitzwilliam, Troy, Keene, Westmoreland and Walpole. The 42.4-mile trail has a mostly gravel and dirt surface. The rail-trail plays host to a variety of uses,...	NH	42.4 mi	Asphalt, Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel, Sand	46 reviews
Common Pathway The Common Pathway travels 5.5 miles from the outskirts of Peterborough south to downtown’s Noone Falls area, paralleling US 202 and the Contoocook River for most of its journey. The small town of...	NH	5.5 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone	9 reviews
Fort Hill Recreational Rail Trail Built in the 1910s by the Boston and Maine Railroad (B&M) as part of the Connecticut River Division Main Line, the route introduced daily service to the B&M Fort Hill Branch in the early 1920s to meet...	NH	7 mi	Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel, Sand	13 reviews
Mason Railroad Trail The Mason Railroad Trail runs for nearly 7 miles from near the New HampshireMassachusetts border (nr. Townsend, MA) to Greenville, NH. The trail follows a heavily wooded corridor through Russell...	NH	6.7 mi	Ballast, Gravel, Sand	19 reviews
Narrow-Gauge Rail-Trail Even though the Narrow-Gauge Rail Trail traces the nation’s first narrow-gauge railroad for 3 miles from Bedford toward Billerica, the mostly crushed-stone path is plenty wide enough now to...	MA	3 mi	Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt	22 reviews
North Central Pathway The North Central Pathway is envisioned as a trail network connecting points of interest through and between Winchendon and Gardner. Several completed sections of trail make for a lovely ride or walk...	MA	11.2 mi	Asphalt	27 reviews
Old Railroad Trail The Old Railroad, as its name suggests, is a multi-use trail that occupies a former Boston & Maine Railroad corridor. The trail picks up at the northern trailhead of the Common Pathway, a paved...	NH	2.7 mi	Dirt	3 reviews
Putnam River Trail The Putnam River Trail extends between Arch Street in the Putnam District and Providence Street to the south. The trail follows the east bank of the Quinebaug River between the river and Kennedy...	CT	2 mi	Asphalt	8 reviews
Reformatory Branch Trail The Reformatory Branch Trail connects the historical towns of Bedford and Concord along a nearly 4-mile dirt path through wildlife refuges that ends a short distance from the North Bridge, the...	MA	3.9 mi	Dirt	18 reviews
Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail (Portsmouth Branch) The Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail brings at least two superlatives to mind: it’s one of New Hampshire’s longest rail trails at just more than 28 miles, and it runs from Manchester, the state’s...	NH	28 mi	Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand	63 reviews
Southern New England Trunkline Trail The Southern New England Trunk Line Trail (aka the "SNETT") was designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1994. It is built upon a segment of the former right-of-way of the New Haven Railroad's...	MA	21.8 mi	Asphalt, Ballast, Crushed Stone	67 reviews
Squannacook River Rail Trail The Squannacook River Rail Trail is 3.7 miles long, from Depot St in the center of Townsend, MA, to the Bertozzi Wildlife Management Area in Groton, MA. The trail occupies the Greenville Branch of the...	MA	3.7 mi	Crushed Stone	2 reviews
Toonerville Rail-Trail The Toonerville Rail-Trail shadows the Black River for most of its 3.2-mile length in eastern Springfield to the border with New Hampshire across the Connecticut River. The route originally carried an...	VT	3.2 mi	Asphalt	8 reviews
Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail Note: Per the State of Connecticut's website, the trail is open from dawn to dusk April 1–November 14. Eagle nesting activities can delay the opening of the southern trail head in Windsor...	CT	5.4 mi	Asphalt	44 reviews
Brookline Rail Trail The Brookline Rail Trail winds through the New Hampshire woods and passes by several small bodies of water, including the Potanipo Pond. The rail-trail has two segments, known as the Brookline Rail...	NH	4.5 mi	Crushed Stone, Gravel	1 reviews
Chicopee River Canal Rail Trail The Chicopee Center Canal Walk offers a short pleasant route in Chicopee, a small city on the outskirts of Springfield in southern Massachusetts. The pathway closely follows the slow-moving canal and...	MA	0.21 mi	Asphalt	2 reviews
Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail Following the historic Concord-Claremont Railroad corridor, the Concord–Lake Sunapee Rail Trail will eventually connect communities from Concord to the southern point of Lake Sunapee via a multiuse...	NH	5.65 mi	Asphalt, Boardwalk, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel	2 reviews
Granite Town Rail-Trail The Granite Town Rail-Trail runs for 3 miles in Milford, New Hampshire. Portions of the route are unpaved and surfaced with sand, gravel, and/or dirt, while short concrete sections can be found along...	NH	3 mi	Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand	4 reviews
Hillsborough Recreational Rail Trail 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...	NH	7.8 mi	Crushed Stone, Dirt	11 reviews
Catamount Trail - Sections 1 and 2 The Catamount Trail offers 300 miles of backcountry skiing stretching across Vermont, from the Readsboro on the Massachusetts border, to North Troy near Canada. The trails are popular for winter...	VT	18.1 mi	Dirt	0 reviews
East Branch Trail (VT) The East Branch Trail is a 0.5-mile ungroomed, backcountry pathway built on a former logging railroad bed in southern Vermont's Windham County. The remote, heavily wooded trail lies just north of the...	VT	0.5 mi	Gravel	1 reviews

Recent Trail Reviews

New Boston Rail Trail

wonderful ride

August, 2025 by trainman1957

We went there today! What a super fast fun trail! Lots to see and do ! Bring a picnic lunch and spend the day!!!

Derry Rail Trail

Great trail!

August, 2025 by johnbuckley62

Started at Salem Depot and went north to Derry…awesome ride Entire path is pavement

Mass Central Rail Trail

A Delightful Ride on The Norwottuck Section

August, 2025 by gettinlate

June 6th 2025
The Mrs and I rode this beautiful trail from North Hampton to just short of Belchertown, and back.
The weather was great and the trail is mostly shaded, so the ride was superb.
I'd have no objection to doing it again.

Accordion

Ashuwillticook Rail Trail

Settle grade difference between start to finish. All paved smooth.No bugs.Crowded with walkers, skaters, and bikers.Windy in the afternoon.

August, 2025 by joy.olson15

Settle grade difference between start to finish. All paved smooth.No bugs.Crowded with walkers, skaters, and bikers.Windy in the afternoon.

Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail

Nice ride.

August, 2025 by cgtaylor328

We started at the south end and rode ten miles before turning around. We would have gone further except it was getting late. The trail over all is in good condition. There hasn’t been a lot of rainfall recently so the trail was dry. We ride ebikes with four inch off road tires. On the day we rode the condition of the trail was good enough for most riders but we don’t recommend road bikes.

Air Line State Park Trail

Willimantic to East Hampton - Just AWFUL!

August, 2025 by geminird

The claim of this being a 61 mile trail is very deceptive. Almost 40 miles of this trail is nearly unrideable except for mountain bikes (and even that would be unpleasant). We are experience riders and were on hybrid bikes with wide tires and front suspension. And while our plan was to cycle 40 miles from Willimantic to E. Hampton, we only did the first 10 mile section from Willimantic to James L. Goodwin State Forest.

The trail started out as just OK, but deteriorated in less than 2 miles. After crossing S. Brook Rd, the trail the trail was extremely gnarly and super overgrown. When we reached Goodwin State Forest, we were so happy to bail out and call it quits! Luckily, we had a SAG vehicle with us so we weren't forced to cycle back over the same awful trail.

Be warned, the entire trail we rode from Willimantic to Goodwin Forest was large, loose gravel, and the scenery is incredibly boring. There are places where the trail is extremely rough. At S. Brook Rd. the trail becomes unrideable, expect by maybe some die-hard mountain bikers. We used our SAG van to pop into other points along the trail from Goodwin to E. Hampton the trail only seemed to get even worse.

Honestly, just a really unpleasant ride.

Air Line State Park Trail

A Fabulous, Friendly, and Easy Trail !!!

August, 2025 by pedego2015

We (5) Friends Have Biked This Trail in It’s Sections from E. Hampton to Willimantic for Many Years. We Have Always Considered it to be 4-5 Star Rated, (For a Gravel Trail). Since 2015, We Have Switched to E-Bikes which makes the Trail 3x more FUN !! Having the Best of Both Sun & Shady Sections, It Has Only One small Section of about 300’ Near the Start leaving E.Hampton Where it’s sandy & .Loose

Londonderry Rail Trail

nice ride.

August, 2025 by dmzast

rode 7-30-25 parked at Symmes Dr in bus depot lot - no directions for where to park. Mile markers are facing the trail, instead of perpendicular , so they can't be easily read while riding - missed a few along the way. Also signage at entrance areas should include direction and milage to either end. Thought we could hook up to the Derry trail, but that didn't happen - couldn't find it - again, signs would help !

North Central Pathway

nice ride

August, 2025 by dmzast

rode trail july 28, 25 from Winchendon - slight uphill, going south to Gardner. Adding mile markers would be nice ! and directions at N.Ashburnham Rd to Old Gardner Rd. Newly paved from entrance off
Old Gardner Rd to Gardner town line. Path to avoid watery underpass was paved on one side of street.

Nashua River Rail Trail

Great trail, good for all seasons.

August, 2025 by jhoff1

It is a great trail for all seasons. Parking available in Ayer, Groton, Pepperell and Nashua

Bruce Freeman Rail Trail

great trail, best between heart pond and NARA park

August, 2025 by jhoff1

It is a very well maintained trail. My favorite part is between the heart pond and the NARA park. More road crossing beyond that region in both directions

Ashuwillticook Rail Trail

Update to my 2024 review

August, 2025 by andrix

Update to my 8/2024 review: Remains a TOP trail; At northern end easy parking at the Adams Visitor Center; Saw many signs of beaver activity - dams and huts - but no beavers. The Appalachian Trail crosses at Church Road in Cheshire; At southern end I turn back at the Crane Ave. parking area as, in my opinion, there's not much of interest in the remaining mile or so.

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