Find the top rated bike trails in Hooksett, whether you're looking for an easy short bike trail or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a bike trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
_146077_st.jpg)
The Clipper City Rail Trail is part of the Coastal Trails Coalition, which is developing in the four towns of Amesbury, Newbury, Newburyport, and Salisbury along the Merrimack River and will...
The health and fortunes of Lowell have been intimately tied to the Concord River for hundreds of years. This tributary of the more well-known Merrimack River continues to be at the heart of the local...
The Keene Industrial Trail links the county's Cheshire Rail-Trail in the city of Keene. The paved path is a 1-mile segment through downtown Keene, which passes among some of the city's old mill...
Although less than a mile, the trail running through Salisbury Beach State Reservation offers lovely views of the beaches off the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, just a few miles south of the New...
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...
The South Manchester Rail Trail is a proposed bike/pedestrian path that would connect the downtown Millyard area of Manchester to the Town on Londonderry. The South Manchester Rail Trail will utilize...
Many commuters choose the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway for freedom from congested traffic in the northwest Boston suburbs. For others, the 10.1-mile paved trail between Cambridge and Bedford serves as a...
Lowell's Canal System Trails are part of Lowell National Historical Park in Lowell, Massachusetts. The park preserves some of America's industrial past: its 19th-century textile mills formed the first...
The 5.3-mile Independence Greenway makes for a pleasant ride, providing access to lakes, parks, and nature preserves. The paved pathway is located in the town of Peabody (pronounced by locals as...
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...
Currently 1.8 miles, the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail provides a peaceful walk or bike ride through the woods on a well-maintained stone-dust trail. The route is one part of the larger Coastal Trails...
Bruce N. Freeman was a Massachusetts state representative from 1969 to 1986. Beginning in 1985, he championed the creation of a bike path that would run along the former Penn Central railroad line...
The Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail passes such scenic and historical landmarks as covered bridges, abandoned mills, and postcard-perfect towns. Starting on asphalt in Keene, the rail-trail can be...
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 8.6-mile paved trail, though long-range plans...
The Old Eastern Marsh Trail (a.k.a the Salisbury Rail Trail) runs for 1.4 miles between the north bank of the Merrimack River and Mudnock Road in Salisbury. The beautifully landscaped trail was built...
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. Currently, nearly 40 miles from Boston to Northampton...
The smooth paved surface of the Londonderry Rail Trail offers a pleasant, tranquil 3.3-mile adventure for trail users in south-central New Hampshire. Its route follows a corridor once used by the...
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...
The Bradford Rail Trail occupies a former Pan Am rail corridor, beautifying an area that once lay strewn with garbage and weeds. The city and numerous dedicated volunteers created the mile-long path...
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...
The South Manchester Rail Trail is a proposed bike/pedestrian path that would connect the downtown Millyard area of Manchester to the Town on Londonderry. The South Manchester Rail Trail will utilize...
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 Tri-Community Greenway follows the route of the Boston and Lowell Railroad and its Stoneham Branch, originally built to serve Stoneham’s shoe factories and provide passenger service. The trail...
Methuen Rail Trail connects three communities in northeastern Massachusetts as it follows the route of the former Manchester and Lawrence Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad. The rail-trail's...
The Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail passes such scenic and historical landmarks as covered bridges, abandoned mills, and postcard-perfect towns. Starting on asphalt in Keene, the rail-trail can be...
The Bradford Rail Trail occupies a former Pan Am rail corridor, beautifying an area that once lay strewn with garbage and weeds. The city and numerous dedicated volunteers created the mile-long path...
The smooth paved surface of the Londonderry Rail Trail offers a pleasant, tranquil 3.3-mile adventure for trail users in south-central New Hampshire. Its route follows a corridor once used by the...
The Peanut Trial is a distinct trail in the town of Newton that spans one-mile. This rail-trail was meant to connect to the Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. However, due to a controversial lawsuit by land...
This exquisitely maintained trail slices through forested areas and wetlands for a wonderful experience in southern New Hampshire. The trail will eventually be part of the Granite State Rail Trail,...
Mile 0.0 - DPW Garage Cross the bridge in the parking area, the trail starts behind the fence, crossing over Great Brook on a old dam. Mile 0.53 - After crossing Union St. you will come to a...
The Roland Bergeron Bike Path runs about 6 miles alongside nearly the entirety of Albuquerque Avenue in Litchfield, NH. Completed in 2010, the 8-ft wide asphalt path averages about 5 yards in from...
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 8.6-mile paved trail, though long-range plans...
The Salisbury Rail Trail Connector, also known as the Gillis Rail Trail Connector, is a 0.3-mile link between two rail-trails: Salisbury's Old Eastern Marsh Trail and Newburyport's Clipper City Rail...
The Old Eastern Marsh Trail (a.k.a the Salisbury Rail Trail) runs for 1.4 miles between the north bank of the Merrimack River and Mudnock Road in Salisbury. The beautifully landscaped trail was built...
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...
Jonathan Daniels Trail travels the length of Ashuelot River Park through Keene. Along the stone-dust trail, you can enjoy the park’s beautiful natural backdrop and flower garden. The trail was named...
Although short, the scenic Gloria Braunhardt Bike Path travels through forests and pastures full of birds and wildlife. The asphalt pathway parallels the eastern side of the present-day Interstate 95...
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. Currently, nearly 40 miles from Boston to Northampton...
_159501_sc.jpg)
Although only a grassy, hard-packed dirt pathway, the route along the Salem-Beverly Canal (also known as the Grand Wenham Canal), is scenic and peaceful. The old canal, built in 1917, lies between two...
The Keene Industrial Trail links the county's Cheshire Rail-Trail in the city of Keene. The paved path is a 1-mile segment through downtown Keene, which passes among some of the city's old mill...
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...
Bruce N. Freeman was a Massachusetts state representative from 1969 to 1986. Beginning in 1985, he championed the creation of a bike path that would run along the former Penn Central railroad line...
The Keene Industrial Trail links the county's Cheshire Rail-Trail in the city of Keene. The paved path is a 1-mile segment through downtown Keene, which passes among some of the city's old mill...
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. Currently, nearly 40 miles from Boston to Northampton...
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 Mystic River Greenway is part of the Mystic Greenways trail system, which also includes the Wellington Greenway and the Malden River Greenway. When completed, the trail will connect the...
The Haggetts Rail Trail is a short, but sweet unpaved trail located on the periphery of Haggetts Pond, the local reservoir for the nearby town of Andover. Built on part of the former line of the...
The Roland Bergeron Bike Path runs about 6 miles alongside nearly the entirety of Albuquerque Avenue in Litchfield, NH. Completed in 2010, the 8-ft wide asphalt path averages about 5 yards in from...
Currently 1.8 miles, the Salisbury Point Ghost Trail provides a peaceful walk or bike ride through the woods on a well-maintained stone-dust trail. The route is one part of the larger Coastal Trails...
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 8.6-mile paved trail, though long-range plans...
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...
Although only a grassy, hard-packed dirt pathway, the route along the Salem-Beverly Canal (also known as the Grand Wenham Canal), is scenic and peaceful. The old canal, built in 1917, lies between two...
The Peanut Trial is a distinct trail in the town of Newton that spans one-mile. This rail-trail was meant to connect to the Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. However, due to a controversial lawsuit by land...
The health and fortunes of Lowell have been intimately tied to the Concord River for hundreds of years. This tributary of the more well-known Merrimack River continues to be at the heart of the local...
The Clipper City Rail Trail is part of the Coastal Trails Coalition, which is developing in the four towns of Amesbury, Newbury, Newburyport, and Salisbury along the Merrimack River and will...
Although less than a mile, the trail running through Salisbury Beach State Reservation offers lovely views of the beaches off the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, just a few miles south of the New...
The Nashua Heritage Rail Trail begins adjacent to City Hall on Main Street in downtown Nashua. It is a short trail that takes you through one of the first neighborhoods that was planned and built in...
This exquisitely maintained trail slices through forested areas and wetlands for a wonderful experience in southern New Hampshire. The trail will eventually be part of the Granite State Rail Trail,...
The Bradford Rail Trail occupies a former Pan Am rail corridor, beautifying an area that once lay strewn with garbage and weeds. The city and numerous dedicated volunteers created the mile-long path...
The Spicket River begins in Derry, New Hampshire, through Methuen and Lawrence, Massachusetts, before draining into the Merrimack River. Like many mill towns of the late 19th and 20th centuries, the...
Too many street crossings and too many hills. The ride back was a better. Next time, we'll park at Advanced Auto Parts, 157 Washington St to avoid all the street crossings in Hudson
The only thing missing on this beautiful trail are markers. The Goffstown trail has markers starting at 0 mile on 1 side and on the other side it indicates 5.5 MI to the end, and then a marker every .5 mile EX: .5 MI, 1 MI., 1.5 MI. 2 MI. 2.5 MI. etc all the way to the end at 5.5 MI.
We have done this trail a few times as it connects nearby from the Minuteman commuter bike path. This is a great trail for a hybrid bike. You can connect from Lexington to Concord via this trail and then come back through the Minuteman Historic National Park trail. Overall, the trail is nice and goes through some ups and downs. We have done it as a family with kids and it was good. The views from the trail are also worthwhile.
loved this trail but wished there was better signage to make it easy to find it
Rode this trail heading northwest from downtown Keene.This trail is fantastic when in the center of town. As soon as you cross Hurricane rd., however, the trail surface degrades, becoming sandy and eventually very rocky around the landfill, where we turned back. I was riding a gravel bike with 38 inch tires, but it's pretty clear that this trail is mountain bike only unless you want to walk your bike through a number of very rocky sections.
I always pair this trail with the Windham Rail Trail, I typically park at Hood Park in Derry and ride through to Salem. Parking is fine in the Hood lot. I don't think there's a porta-potty but there is one at the Windham lot.
I love this ride, it's near home so it's my default when I just want a quiet place to cruise. There are a few road crossings, all of which are clearly marked.
I find that the ride from Derry to Salem is a little bit easier than in the other direction. Neither direction is particularly challenging though, suitable for all. Can be a great leisurely trip or a workout, whatever you're looking for.
Until recently there weren't a lot of places to stop once you leave Derry center (save for a gas-station off-trail near the Windham trail-head). The Grind (fine coffee) has shops in Derry and just off the trail in Windham. The trail has been extended so that it reaches the Tuscan Kitchen (TK) in Salem. In the new section you can take a bridge to Dunkin' and get a coffee (the staff shared that a bike rack is coming in the future). If you want something more filling, you can leave your bike in the rack at the TK and visit the market or have an outdoor snack. Nice if you're looking for a break in the middle of your ride.
Notables:
- Scenic and peaceful; wetlands pop up throughout the ride offering sounds and views of nature
- You can take it easy or give yourself a workout
- Easy to plan for breaks and snacks with recent extension
- Trail is in good shape, some bumps (there's signage in the bumpiest areas and many random cracks have paint highlighting them)
First-timer on this trail, solo trip, I started in Nashua and traveled the full length, I took some time to explore off-road paths as well. Parking was great, a large lot with a porta-potty.
Overall, I really enjoyed this trail. I was there in August 19', I heard all the sounds of late summer in the woods and saw growing corn, ranches, peaceful wetlands, etc.
I don't generally stop for snacks on solos, but noted that there were places at several points along the trail to do so. Including an abutter's yard where they have cold drinks in a machine for $1 and seats to rest in. Thanks to that family/person, very cool of you!
I found that heading North to South was *slightly* easier. I didn't find anything particularly challenging on the paved trail but you could opt to coast a bit more in this direction. The trail is suitable for just about anyone to bike on. You can make it leisurely or push yourself and get a solid workout.
Notables:
- Each of the road crossings are clearly marked, helpful for new riders and/or kids
- A lot of things to look at; farmland, wetland, horses, river/damn
- Well maintained at the time of my visit (didn't experience problems with tree trunks, much of my ride was sitting back on the seat, arms at my side)
Definitely going back in the fall, will be worth a visit once the colors start to change
Great trail to run, bike or walk along the mystic river
Did this trail today- Sunday. I parked behind Donelan's Market in Acton, which is a great market, and got on the trail. Even though there were lots of people walking, serious bikers, families, they were spaced out and people were really good staying on the right and respectful. When I got to a bigger intersection crossing in Chelmsford, I asked people how to get to the end. The last little leg wasn't great, but it takes you to Crosspoint that if you park at that end, it's great to get you on the trail. There is a Tavern on Square there.
There were 2 ponds along the way: Heart Pond Beach in Chelmsford where there is a guy selling sausages and hot dogs wearing a hot dog hat, and NARA pond in Acton.
I'll definitely go back out there!
After reading the reviews I decided to ride this trail as it was a beautiful Sunday afternoon in August. Perfect weather for a bike ride. I decided to bring my mountain bike and I am glad I did (I usually ride my hybrid for Rail Trails.)
I parked in Wolfeboro. Started out my ride at 1:00 PM. Tons of other riders and walkers, a few runners.. The first few miles were beautiful crossing the cog-ways but frustrating with all the other people on the trail. It is narrow and yes, when you are riding in between the rails as noted in other reviews, it can be a bit hairy when other bikers or STOLLERS are coming the other way. If the other biker didn't look very experienced or they were kids I stopped to let them pass. Had to do this several times. I was having second guesses with all the foot traffic but after a few miles it lessened a bit, just a bit, and the scenery was so peaceful. I got to Route 16, and yes the traffic was fast and heavy enough that I decided it wasn't worth it. Plus I'm out of shape and knew I had another 11 miles to go to get back!
I was wondering if I was going to encounter the same traffic going back especially the closer to Wolfeboro I got, but happily the ride back was 100% better. Maybe because is was now 2:30 ish..
There were still plenty of people on the trail but not half as many and I didn't have to stop once.
I loved this trail, but think I will come back again in the fall or during the midweek with less people.
This trail is the best maintained trail I have ever been on. Completely smooth gravel and the edges were just mowed. The hybrid bike would have been fine except the rail crossings.
The rail crossings were never a problem for me but probably because I had the mountain bike with shocks. I would be more cautious if I had the hybrid! Just go slow and be careful. Common sense..
Last thought, if I didn't live 45 minutes from Wolfeboro, this trail would be perfect for running!! Traffic or not!
We rode about 26 miles total. 13 miles there & back. Crushed stone most of the way..We parked in Lebanon parking lot,where it begins. Little grassy in sections.Gets wider in some spots & pretty narrow in some areas. We thought the first 10 miles were nice ,then it was a very narrow trail & buggy.lot of small bridges,some were in need of repair,need to pay attention.There was an area were the rail road ties were exposed about 10 miles from beginning.Just have to watch out..Rode past some lakes& huge rocks that were blasted out for trains..Was a pretty trail .. Could get muddy if rain ..
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
_159501_st.jpg)
