Find the top rated wheelchair accessible trails in Rochester, whether you're looking for an easy short wheelchair accessible trail or a long wheelchair accessible trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a wheelchair accessible trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
This is a pretty and easy trail, but it is in real need of mainternance. The trail is in good shape from the South Windham start through the Gambo Road playing fields/parking. Once you cross over the river, the trail gets progressively worse. The biggest downfall is the amount of potholes' but there are also quite a few areas that are collapsing/leaning.
I am handicapped and ride a recumbent trike, so my perspective is a bit different than that of a mountain biker; but it would be nice if the DOT, or Gorham & Windham, put some money into maintaining the trail.
I'd thought maybe this trail wouldn't be suitable for my road bike w/ slightly wider tires, but it worked out fine. Surface was mostly hard packed dirt/gravel, at least the 9 miles I rode starting at the southern end in Newfields. There were some muddy spots and a few rocks and roots to avoid, but never had to get off the bike and walk. Ponds, swamps, brooks and lots of woods. A few easy road crossings, no road noise on this part. Well worth a ride.
Parked across from the Danbury County Store. Headed west towards Grafton. Only saw a coupe peopling using the trail this late Friday afternoon. Trail was smooth and dry even with rain the prior day.
I rode from Ayer to Nashua and back over 2 hours on Labor Day morning. It is a pleasant ride on a level grade and I was able to keep up a steady pace for the whole ride. The trail is asphalt and in sections there are uneven areas where possibly tree roots have displaced the pavement. It is a big improvement over the last time I rode in several years ago. At that time there were many small conical mounds projecting 2-4 inches above the pavement, again presumably due to tree roots. I hit one one that was in the shadows and was bounced clear off the bike. All those spots have been repaired as far as I could tell. 4 stars because of the pavement issues but a very nice and scenic ride (even accounting for the grouchy local man moving brush in a wheelbarrow along the trail who responded to my "good morning" with a "get screwed").
The trail guide book lists this as a 2-3 roughness, but I would keep it at 2. It's hard packed dirt or crushed gravel the whole length, and while I walked it due to the guide book description which said that half of it was really for walkers/hikers only, I competely disagree. If you want to ride, feel free to, as it's in great shape for all manner of bikes except a strictly road bike, as I assume road bikers want asphalt to ride on. I'll go back and do it again on my hybrid. I parked at Gregg Mills Rd, plenty of spaces, and there is parking for at least a few cars at all other intersections as well. Benches all along the way as well, so bring a picnic.
It was a wonderful first rail trail ride -all asphalt and no bumps. Plenty of places to pull over and rest and read signs along the way. We had a great time.
Went on the trail today and yes the bumps are back. Trail needs that every few years paving job. Also to address the previous issue with bathrooms. There are bathrooms at the Cumberland Farms in Pepperell center (coming from Nashua take a right onto the road that runs beside the trail, coming from Ayer take a left, Cumberlands will be on your left) which is only 2.5 miles from Nashua. Also at the Ayer end there is a Mobil station that also has bathrooms.
The parking area on Depot Road in Raymond has plenty of room, even for a ride on a beautiful sunday. I rode east on my hybrid all the way to the starting point in Newfields with very little difficulty other than it turned into my longest rail trail ride to date, resulting in very tired legs over the last 5ish miles of the return trip. Only a couple of busy road crossings, one with a crossing signal, while all the rest of the crossings were just rural roads.
I have been riding this trail for year and it has done nothing but get worse and no one seems to care. I am losing fillings going over tree roots and the like. If you do not use the port-a potty in Nashua trail head you are out of luck, there is not another on trail potty period. I live 2 miles from this trail and I actively look for others to ride.
A lovely ride, nice scenery, benches along the way for resting and well kept overall, and was my first ride on a rail trail that wasn't mostly solitary. The use of this trail is proportional to the local population. As it seemed to be more walkers on the day I rode, the number of people thinned out the further I got from an easy parking area. Rode seamlessly right through from Hood Park all the way to the Salem Ped corridor and back, a little over 16 miles total. The only complaint is the number of dog poop bags left behind, littered along the edges of the pavement.
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