Find the top rated fishing trails in Northfield, whether you're looking for an easy short fishing trail or a long fishing trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a fishing trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The surface is very variable. It ranges from packed hard cinder to rocky left from railroad days and pot holes. In some instances the ATV traffic has take its toll. If you are prepared for some rough surfaces, the route is very nice with some scenery of the river and mountains. I rode the XNHAT so the availability of services in Bath, Especially Lisbon and Littleton were appreciated. There needs to be an infusion of money to get the trail to meet the rail trail standard set by other rail trails across the country T
I was involved with the development of this trail so my review is somewhat biased. The eastern half in Merrimack County (Danbury to Boscawen) is in beautiful shape (due to federal financing) with a nice stone dust surface. The western half (Grafton to Lebanon) is much more scenic but was done mostly by volunteers with some local funding so has a highly variable surface, great in areas and poor in others.
Highlights include the trail in Lebanon as it crisscrosses the Mascoma River, in Enfield where it runs several miles alongside Lake Mascoma and downtown, and all of Merrimack County thanks to its trail surface.
I dearly wanted to give it a 5-star rating but had to admit that it was a bit of a slog going through the central (and high point) towns of Grafton and Orange. Wish the state of New Hampshire would put some resources into this trail, which would truly make it a premiere destination and top-rated trail.
I did the entire trail, excepting the on-road portion in New York. Each section (the two in Vermont and the central part in New York) was quite different from the others, so I've broken my review into 3 parts.
The northern Vermont section (Poultney to Castleton) was in good shape and appears to get a lot of use, maybe 3 to 1 walkers to bikers. The surface of quarter inch gravel was not ideal, but enough has been brushed aside over the years that the ride was smooth and comfortable. It is well-maintained, mowed with no washouts or potholes, and just the right number of historical signs. It is generally well-shaded but probably the least scenic of the three sections.
The southern Vermont section (West Pawlet to West Rupert) was much more open and scenic, especially near Rupert, but Vermont's choice of quarter inch gravel surface is still generally in place so slows down the ride. A short detour to the general store in West Rupert for ice cream was a treat, as was a trail-side stream at the southern end to cool off in. The gentle slope made the northbound ride here more enjoyable than the southbound one. The trail was as well maintained as the northern portion. Ratio probably 4 to 1 bikers over walkers/joggers but fewer of both than the northern section.
The middle section in New York (West Pawlet to Middle Granville) was completely different. Parts of the surface were cinder (perfect for riding) while other parts were completely grass covered (and mowed) and as a result felt much like riding on someone's lawn - soft and slow. The scenery was less interesting, but the section in Granville was nice, with a park and B&B right on the trail. I didn't have time to explore the town, though. Despite the sunny Sunday, I saw few others using this part of the trail.
All in all, the trail was OK and has a lot of potential. With a better stone dust surface, I would have given it a 5-star. If the 4-mile break in New York between sections were completed, this would become a destination ride. With fall colors, it would be exceptional.
Top trail for us in our travels so far. Diversity of scenery, activity, and terrain complete this adventure. We started and finished at a midway point, Leddy Park, to avoid potential congestion on the Burlington side, proved to be a good strategy. The Causeway is unique, not too often do you encounter a bike ferry. This is a destination ride to be sure.
We started from Echo Lake parking lot, first going north all the way - not that interesting, and pretty steep. Then went south all the way to the end of the trail - much more fun. On the way back you'll have a lot of climbing, but it's pretty moderate and there are plenty of nice stops along the way. For a perfect ending, finish at the lake!
A group of biking friends and I biked the length of the LVRT from Swanton to Saint Johnsbury (June 29-July 1, 2026). We had been hoping to ride the trail for the past several years but put it off due to the severe damage to it from several years of flooding rains. The LVRT experience was well worth the wait. The trail was in great shape. The scenery was spectacular and the communities along the trail seem to fully embrace the trail and the riders it attracts. There are quality lodging and eating options within a few miles of the trail. Organizations like the Lamoille Valley Bike Tours and Vermont's various governmental agencies have done themselves proud in creating, maintaining and promoting this trail. Even the black flies and mosquitos seemed to encourage riders by ignoring us.
My friends and I have ridden quite a few trails over the past 20 years in both Europe and the US and this little 100 mile gem ranks right up there with the best. Thank you to all the private and public individuals and agencies who made this trail a reality. And, a special acknowledgement of the many property abutters who may have been skeptical when this trail was just a proposal but seem to wholeheartedly seem to support the LVRT now!
My wife and I rode this trail between the Echo all the way to the ferry and back, and we would have ridden the ferry if we didn't need to get back to return our bikes to the rental shop. Clear skies, temperatures in the low 80s, and we had a great time, even forgetting that we were lacking sleep after issues with flights. We hope to try it again some day when we wont feel so rushed.
There is a new trailhead with parking for about 20 cars near the west end of the trail (Swanton end) where the trail crosses Robin Hood Dr. better option than the Park & Ride a few blocks away which has fewer parking spots and several trailers stored in the lot.
There's another couple of miles of mostly paved trail that goes beyond the parking lot in Lebanon. That's an excellent section of the trail. It took us all the way to Glen Road in West Lebanon.
Trail has enough Snow to Ski and Snowshoe. Must remove Skis and Snowshoe to go through Tunnels and Cross Roads.
This Trail has been all redone we started at Ricker pond and went to Kettle pond was so much fun the views were amazing
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