Find the top rated walking trails in Conway, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The Beth Condon Memorial Pathway is located in the heart of Yarmouth, Maine. The path is named in honor of a high school student who was struck by a drunk driver while walking along US-1. The paved...
The Franconia Notch Recreation Path runs the length of the Franconia Notch State Park in the White Mountain National Forest. Commonly called the Recreation Path, the 8.7-mile trail visits most of the...
The Winnipesaukee River Trail runs along a rail line that previously connected the paper industry between Franklin and Tilton. Nicknamed the Paper City, Franklin saw the industry boom from the 1900s...
The 28.9-mile Eastern Trail connects the historic towns along Maine’s southern coast from the woods near Kennebunk to South Portland’s harbor lighthouse. Nearly 22 miles of the route follows off-road...
The scenic Riverton Rail Trail—also known as “Sandy Road” by residents of Portland’s Riverton neighborhood—follows the former corridor of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban Railroad, which stopped...
The Cotton Valley Rail Trail connects the small town of Wakefield, near the Maine border, and the quintessentially quaint New England vacation town of Wolfeboro. In 2017 the towns held a...
The trail sits on the northwestern shore of Lake Auburn. A former roadway, the wide gravel path can accommodate various kinds of uses including, running, biking, walking dogs. And in the winter, the...
Portland’s Bayside Trail packs a lot into its 1-mile length. The paved pathway provides a pleasant route between commercial and residential areas in the Bayside and East Bayside neighborhoods. Once an...
The Auburn Riverwalk passes through the heart of the old mill district of the Twin Cities of Auburn and Lewiston. The 1.6-mile paved and gravel path offers many scenic views of the Androscoggin River,...
The paved Back Cove Trail rings its namesake tidal basin and offers lovely views of the Portland skyline. You also might spot great blue herons or other birds along the tree-lined waterfront. A...
The WOW Trail is named after the three bodies of water that can be seen from this rail-trail: Lake Winnipesaukee, Opechee Bay, and Lake Winnisquam. This picturesque 2.7-mile trail shares a corridor...
In Woodsville the trail starts across from the Subway Restaurant across from the the Oceans Job Lot Store and next to the Woodsville Machine Shop and YES Yankee Electrical Supply up and down a short...
Portland’s Fore River Parkway Trail provides an important transportation link in the community while at the same time offering sweeping views of the Fore River. At the north end of the trail, you’ll...
Spanning 57.6 miles from Lebanon to Boscawen, the Northern Rail Trail is New Hampshire’s longest rail-trail conversion. It weaves through Grafton and Merrimack counties and is less than a 2-hour drive...
Lake Winnisquam is New Hampshire’s fourth largest lake, and taking the Lake Winnisquam Scenic Trail is one of the best ways to experience it. Meaning “pleasant waters,” Lake Winnisquam provides...
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If you find yourself exploring the town of Littleton, New Hampshire, do yourself a favor and hit the riverwalk. Though only half a mile long, the riverside walkway is beloved by tourists coming to see...
Old salts should love the Eastern Promenade Trail, as it skirts the shoreline of Portland’s Casco Bay and Portland Harbor. The 2.1-mile paved trail is always within sight of the water and is one of...
The Mountain Division Trail exists as two separate segments of what will eventually be a more than 50-mile-long trail from Fryeburg to Portland. The southern section rolls for about 6 miles between...
The Norway Branch Rail Trail sits on the former railbed of the Norway Branch Railroad which once connected the communities of Norway and South Paris. The trail runs from Beal Street in the west to...
The West Milan Trail follows a portion of the Upper Ammonoosuc River along State Route 110 northwest of Berlin. The mult-use trail is relatively flat and follows a scenic mountain valley...
The scenic Riverton Rail Trail—also known as “Sandy Road” by residents of Portland’s Riverton neighborhood—follows the former corridor of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban Railroad, which stopped...
Most of the Wild River Trail falls within the Wild River Wilderness and is off-limits to bikes. At it's southern end, the trail meets the Wildcat River Trail, near Bog Brook. From here, you can bike...
The Auburn Riverwalk passes through the heart of the old mill district of the Twin Cities of Auburn and Lewiston. The 1.6-mile paved and gravel path offers many scenic views of the Androscoggin River,...
Spanning 57.6 miles from Lebanon to Boscawen, the Northern Rail Trail is New Hampshire’s longest rail-trail conversion. It weaves through Grafton and Merrimack counties and is less than a 2-hour drive...
The Lincoln Woods Trail runs for 2.6 miles along the east branch of the Pemigewasset River. You can combine the trail with other trails that run through the forest in the White Mountains of New...
If you find yourself exploring the town of Littleton, New Hampshire, do yourself a favor and hit the riverwalk. Though only half a mile long, the riverside walkway is beloved by tourists coming to see...
The Bethel Pathway is a bucolic pathway open for walking, mountain biking, walking dogs and in the winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The trail begins on Sunset Road as a crushed stone...
The paved Back Cove Trail rings its namesake tidal basin and offers lovely views of the Portland skyline. You also might spot great blue herons or other birds along the tree-lined waterfront. A...
The Farmington Recreational Rail-Trail runs for 6 miles between the towns of Rochester and Farmington. The trail parallels the Cocheco River and State Route 11 through a wooded corridor. The trail is...
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Bicycles are permitted only on the first 2.3 miles of the trail, up to the wilderness boundary (marked with signs). Hiking and cross-country skiing only are allowed past this point.
Lake Winnisquam is New Hampshire’s fourth largest lake, and taking the Lake Winnisquam Scenic Trail is one of the best ways to experience it. Meaning “pleasant waters,” Lake Winnisquam provides...
The Cotton Valley Rail Trail connects the small town of Wakefield, near the Maine border, and the quintessentially quaint New England vacation town of Wolfeboro. In 2017 the towns held a...
The 28.9-mile Eastern Trail connects the historic towns along Maine’s southern coast from the woods near Kennebunk to South Portland’s harbor lighthouse. Nearly 22 miles of the route follows off-road...
The Sanford-Springvale Rail Trail (also known as Railroad Trail) traverses the woods on either side of Sanford’s scenic Springvale community in southern Maine. Founded by a mill owner in the 17th...
The Norway Branch Rail Trail sits on the former railbed of the Norway Branch Railroad which once connected the communities of Norway and South Paris. The trail runs from Beal Street in the west to...
The Sawyer River Trail/Sawyer River Road lies deep in the forested heart of the 1,200-square-mile White Mountain National Forest. The 7.5-mile route traces an old logging railroad that’s now part...
The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail carries its users for 19.2 miles along the scenic river that shares its name and is itself a destination for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. The trail passes through a...
The Oliverian Brook Trail follows the course of Oliverian Brook through the dense forest of White Mountain National Forest. The trail, open to cross-country skiing in winter, heads toward Passaconaway...
These connecting trails follow the bed of the old Beebe River Railroad up to Flat Mountain Pond, a large, remote pool high in the Sandwich Range Wilderness. This is a great trip for advanced mountain...
The Bethel Pathway is a bucolic pathway open for walking, mountain biking, walking dogs and in the winter, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The trail begins on Sunset Road as a crushed stone...
Bicycles are permitted only on the first 2.3 miles of the trail, up to the wilderness boundary (marked with signs). Hiking and cross-country skiing only are allowed past this point.
The Sawyer River Trail/Sawyer River Road lies deep in the forested heart of the 1,200-square-mile White Mountain National Forest. The 7.5-mile route traces an old logging railroad that’s now part...
The Lincoln Woods Trail runs for 2.6 miles along the east branch of the Pemigewasset River. You can combine the trail with other trails that run through the forest in the White Mountains of New...
The Black Pond Trail itself is short but it can be linked with other trails that run through the forest in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, just northeast of Lincoln. Specifically, the Black Pond...
The trail sits on the northwestern shore of Lake Auburn. A former roadway, the wide gravel path can accommodate various kinds of uses including, running, biking, walking dogs. And in the winter, the...
The Mountain Division Trail exists as two separate segments of what will eventually be a more than 50-mile-long trail from Fryeburg to Portland. The southern section rolls for about 6 miles between...
These connecting trails follow the bed of the old Beebe River Railroad up to Flat Mountain Pond, a large, remote pool high in the Sandwich Range Wilderness. This is a great trip for advanced mountain...
The scenic Riverton Rail Trail—also known as “Sandy Road” by residents of Portland’s Riverton neighborhood—follows the former corridor of the Portland-Lewiston Interurban Railroad, which stopped...
The Oliverian Brook Trail follows the course of Oliverian Brook through the dense forest of White Mountain National Forest. The trail, open to cross-country skiing in winter, heads toward Passaconaway...
If you find yourself exploring the town of Littleton, New Hampshire, do yourself a favor and hit the riverwalk. Though only half a mile long, the riverside walkway is beloved by tourists coming to see...
The Franconia Brook Trail runs from just north of the confluence of the east branch of the Pemigewasset River and Franconia Branch. Note that bicycling is not permitted along the route. You can...
The WOW Trail is named after the three bodies of water that can be seen from this rail-trail: Lake Winnipesaukee, Opechee Bay, and Lake Winnisquam. This picturesque 2.7-mile trail shares a corridor...
The Beth Condon Memorial Pathway is located in the heart of Yarmouth, Maine. The path is named in honor of a high school student who was struck by a drunk driver while walking along US-1. The paved...
The Auburn Riverwalk passes through the heart of the old mill district of the Twin Cities of Auburn and Lewiston. The 1.6-mile paved and gravel path offers many scenic views of the Androscoggin River,...
The Rob Brook Trail is mostly flat, following the bottomlands of its namesake creek through the White Mountains National Forest. The trail is open to mountain biking and hiking, with cross-country...
The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail carries its users for 19.2 miles along the scenic river that shares its name and is itself a destination for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. The trail passes through a...
The West Milan Trail follows a portion of the Upper Ammonoosuc River along State Route 110 northwest of Berlin. The mult-use trail is relatively flat and follows a scenic mountain valley...
The Sanford-Springvale Rail Trail (also known as Railroad Trail) traverses the woods on either side of Sanford’s scenic Springvale community in southern Maine. Founded by a mill owner in the 17th...
The trestle trail is part of a network of rail-trails converted from and old logging railroad in the White Mountains. It is close to the Zealand Trail, the Sugarloaf Trail, and the Hale Brook...
We rode the trail during the first week of October. The colors were spectacular, especially after about mile 6 in the bog areas. There is wonderful variety along the trail as one starts out in Wolfeboro, goes on causeways through Lake Wentworth, through Wentworth State Park and then on through woods and bogs.
The trail itself requires riders to pay lots of attention to safety. Much of the trail is situated between the two metal rails of the old train track--so it is quite narrow. This is rideable, though. As others have mentioned, there are many points where you switch onto a hard packed limestone trail next to the tracks. It's turning off the rails onto the limestone trails where one must slow down and do a sharp turn. We encountered 2 people who had fallen at these turn off points and one accomplished rider in our group fell as well. It's just easy to catch your tires in the crack between the rails if you don't do almost a 90 degree turn.
All that said, it's a rustic and beautiful ride and I'd highly recommend it for hybrid or gravel bikes. And, there's amazing ice cream at the iconic Bailey's Bubble when you get back to Wolfeboro!
My wife and rode 10 miles through Biddeford to the Scarborough Marsh and back. We felt the town part was pretty well marked but you need to pay attention as you transition from sidewalks, to streets, to crosswalks, etc. Once you navigate that part of the trail it lines out straight north to the marsh. This section is a very pleasant and wide part with several road crossings. The roads aren't especially busy and gives access to businesses and a change in route if desired. Even if the town section isn't the most desirable it is nice to be able to jump on a trail right in town. Well worth the effort to ride this section of trail.
I’ve ridden Kennebunk to Biddeford a couple of times in the past week (late Sept), the trail is well maintained and marked. The few vehicle crossings have cross walks and signage for drivers. This is a beautiful trail that I would highly recommend, looking forward to riding all the way to South Portland!
Not bad. Started in Franklin. Tilton not that bad. Need to use street for a bit, stay on north side of Rt 3 in sidewalk. Ends at a McDonalds and Super 8 ( not motel 6). Good ride, too short
What a great trail! I agree with one of the other reviews. That the trail is mostly uphill if you start from the Flume; coming back the other way is exhilarating! A couple of tough uphills, but they are short. The views are amazing. One tip: you can get going very fast downhill, but the trail is a bit bumpy so watch your speed, particularly if the trail is wet.
I started at the western trailhead. The surface for the first four miles is large diameter crushed stone. The same stone used in the trailhead parking lot. It's not the kind of crushed stone you put on a multi use recreation trail. The next four miles was basically rough single track. I rode my gravel bike based on the (lackluster) description above. I jumped off at 8 miles and returned to my car on back roads. The crushed stone listed on the surface description is very misleading. This would be fine with a mountain bike. Front suspension would be best.
We parked at the Windham PO and rode along the tracks until we got to Rt-35, did a bit of exploring at the Otter Ponds, then came back. It was a sweet ride: no bugs, great Sharon weather—we were a little disappointed that we couldn’t go directly to the Lake, but I see now we could have gone left and gotten to the water…. Next time. We stopped at the Orchard Ridge Farm and had a delicious cider donut at the intersection with Sebago Lakes Rd. ~10
This trail is for mountain or hybrid bikes, definitely not road bikes.
Agree with others in that there are more pedestrians near Wolfboro but the trail gets much less traveled the farther away you go.
Also agree that the trails are narrow but this is not an issue because the visibility is so good. Most of the time, you can see people coming from other direction literally hundreds a feet ahead of time. I did get stuck behind a few slower bikers but was able to pass at one of the railroad track crossovers.
As the railroad track crossovers, you just have to slow down and ensure your front tire is crossing at a 90 degree angle. I didn’t have any issues at all but just be mindful, slow down and steer the front tire to cross over perpendicular to the rail.
So, definitely some things to consider and manage but well worth it in my opinion.
As many others have noted, this trail is not safe for bikes, especially road and hybrid models. We read the reviews warning us in advance and rode wide tire bikes. Despite rubber mats at many of the points where you transition from between the rails to beside them or vice versa, it's still possible to get a tire caught in the small gap between the mat and the rails and take a fall. Be forewarned to SLOW DOWN or walk your bike across these numerous transition points. Also, the sections of the trail that run between the rails are too narrow for a bike going one way to safely pass a walker going the other. When it's two bikes going in opposite directions, one has to come to a stop to pass safely. The sections of the trail outside the rails aren't much wider and the railroad ties extend about six inches beyond the rails, further squeezing the available space. My conclusion is that there must be hundreds of single bike, bike-bike and bike-pedestrian accidents annually.
The trail is otherwise quite nice. Its almost totally flat and there's plenty of shade.
This is a very scenic path traveling through woods most of the time, along marshes, hidden ponds and across Lake Wentworth. But this path has railroad tracks along the whole path, which makes the trail narrow in most places. BUT - be warned -
this trail will not be as enjoyable for some. Others will be fine with the challenges.
1. Learn how to travel safely across steel rails, since you will have to do this at least two dozen times, often within a tight narrow space. If you do not cross as close to 90 degrees to the rail, you risk you bike tire slipping out from under you. How do you I know? There are some short videos on You Tube that address this.
2. From the Wakefield end, park at the lot near the Miss Wakefield diner, so you don't have to cross Route 16, a very busy road.
3. The closer you get to Wolfboro, there are more pedestrians, and some think their right of way is the whole path, not half. I would end the trip at route 109A where the railcar rides are located, unless you really want to go to Wolfboro.
4. I found passing others on the trail that were coming the other way could be stressful, since there is little room to move over. One or both of you will have a hard rail on one side of you and if not, then the edge of the path often dropped off.
5. At the beginning of the trail at Route 16 you do have a couple of short steep ups and downs. Otherwise the trail is fairly flat.
This trail is a footpath not suitable for even Mt bikes. The bridge was washed away 3 years ago and one must ford the Zealand River on foot.
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