Find the top rated walking trails in Swanzey, 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 Windham Rail Trail passes through the woodsy periphery of Windham in southern New Hampshire, but it sits in the heart of the future cross-state Granite State Rail Trail. Its connections to the...
The Piscataquog Trail, though only about 2 miles long, provides a vital off-road link between the communities on the western side of the Merrimack River (the West Side of Manchester) to several parks...
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 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 provides a forested escape from the surrounding urban bustle. Traveling 8.6 miles (with plans to expand it) the trail connects the towns of Hudson and Marlborough and...
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...
About a dozen miles west of Concord, the Stevens Rail Trail offers a quiet, wooded route along the former Concord-Claremont rail line in Contoocook Village. It starts off Krzyzaniak Road and continues...
The Nashua River Rail Trail is a beautiful and peaceful rural trail extending through the Massachusetts communities of Ayer, Groton, Pepperell and Dunstable. The trail continues into New Hampshire...
Canalside Rail Trail begins at McClelland Farm Road in Deerfield and heads north on the former NYNH&H Railroad, crossing the Connecticut River near its confluence with Deerfield River. Approximately a...
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 Manhan Rail Trail wends its way between Easthampton and Northampton, with a spur trail leading out The Oxbow near Mt. Tom. Easthampton is a typical New England factory town brimming with commerce...
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...
The North Central Pathway will one day stretch 16 miles between the cities of Winchendon and Gardner in northern Massachusetts, primarily along a former railroad right-of-way. Three open sections...
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...
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Stretching east from Northampton, the 10-mile Norwottuck Branch of the Mass Central Rail Trail connects the towns of Northampton, Hadley, and Amherst. Part of the Connecticut River Greenway State...
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 Harrisville Rail Trail runs for just under two miles between the outskirts of Harrisville and Hancock in rural New Hampshire. The former railroad bed is located on lands conserved by the Harris...
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The Heritage Trail is managed by the state of New Hampshire to provide access to recreational and historical attractions across the state. Eventually, the north-south route along the former Boston and...
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In central Massachusetts, the Norwottuck Rail-Trail (formerly the Northampton Bikeway) runs between New South Street in Northampton and the neighborhood north of Look Memorial Park in Florence....
Appel Way Trail offers a paved route of about a mile through woodlands on the north end of Keene. Most notably, it offers a connection between Wheelock Park on the trail's west end and Ashuelot River...
The Nashua River Rail Trail is a beautiful and peaceful rural trail extending through the Massachusetts communities of Ayer, Groton, Pepperell and Dunstable. The trail continues into New Hampshire...
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...
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...
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 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...
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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...
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Formerly comprising two separate segments—one running northward from Keene to Walpole, and the other running southward from Keene to Fitzwilliam—the Cheshire Rail Trail now runs a continuous 32.9...
The scenic Valley Trail spans 9 miles connecting Dover and Wilmington in southern Vermont along the Green Mountain National Forest. It provides a critical off-road pathway for bypassing Route 100....
The Piscataquog Trail, though only about 2 miles long, provides a vital off-road link between the communities on the western side of the Merrimack River (the West Side of Manchester) to several parks...
The Head’s Pond Trail (formerly known as Hooksett Rail Trail) is a 1.9-mile rail-trail that visits two scenic ponds, including the eponymous Head’s Pond, in a woodsy area of Hooksett. The trail’s...
In central Massachusetts, the Norwottuck Rail-Trail (formerly the Northampton Bikeway) runs between New South Street in Northampton and the neighborhood north of Look Memorial Park in Florence....
Canalside Rail Trail begins at McClelland Farm Road in Deerfield and heads north on the former NYNH&H Railroad, crossing the Connecticut River near its confluence with Deerfield River. Approximately a...
About a dozen miles west of Concord, the Stevens Rail Trail offers a quiet, wooded route along the former Concord-Claremont rail line in Contoocook Village. It starts off Krzyzaniak Road and continues...
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 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...
The Bridge of Flowers is a 400-foot-long former trolley line bridge that has been converted into a garden pathway. Open from April 1 to October 31, the bridge spans the Deerfield River between...
The Bobby Woodman Rail Trail, a hard-packed dirt and gravel pathway, begins off a quiet street at the southern end of Claremont and quickly dives under pleasant tree cover. After about a half mile,...
The Assabet River Rail Trail provides a forested escape from the surrounding urban bustle. Traveling 8.6 miles (with plans to expand it) the trail connects the towns of Hudson and Marlborough and...
The Harrisville Rail Trail runs for just under two miles between the outskirts of Harrisville and Hancock in rural New Hampshire. The former railroad bed is located on lands conserved by the Harris...
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,...
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...
Although short, the Hoot, Toot and Whistle Trail provides an enjoyable journey through peaceful woodlands on Wilmington's west end. As you might guess, the rail-trail gets its name from the former...
The Piscataquog Trail, though only about 2 miles long, provides a vital off-road link between the communities on the western side of the Merrimack River (the West Side of Manchester) to several parks...
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...
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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 begins in Manchester, the state’s...
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...
The Harrisville Rail Trail runs for just under two miles between the outskirts of Harrisville and Hancock in rural New Hampshire. The former railroad bed is located on lands conserved by the Harris...
The Manhan Rail Trail wends its way between Easthampton and Northampton, with a spur trail leading out The Oxbow near Mt. Tom. Easthampton is a typical New England factory town brimming with commerce...
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...
The North Central Pathway will one day stretch 16 miles between the cities of Winchendon and Gardner in northern Massachusetts, primarily along a former railroad right-of-way. Three open sections...
Formerly comprising two separate segments—one running northward from Keene to Walpole, and the other running southward from Keene to Fitzwilliam—the Cheshire Rail Trail now runs a continuous 32.9...
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 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,...
This unpaved state-owned trail is open for public use from Coldbrook to Baldwinville. An on-road detour is necessary through the village of Baldwinville, but the right-of-way is open for public use on...
Canalside Rail Trail begins at McClelland Farm Road in Deerfield and heads north on the former NYNH&H Railroad, crossing the Connecticut River near its confluence with Deerfield River. Approximately a...
Spanning 57.6 miles from Lebanon to Boscawen, the Northern Rail Trail is New Hampshire’s longest rail-trail conversion. Trail development began in 1996 after the state purchased the Boston and Maine...
The Windham Rail Trail passes through the woodsy periphery of Windham in southern New Hampshire, but it sits in the heart of the future cross-state Granite State Rail Trail. Its connections to the...
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...
About a dozen miles west of Concord, the Stevens Rail Trail offers a quiet, wooded route along the former Concord-Claremont rail line in Contoocook Village. It starts off Krzyzaniak Road and continues...
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...
Don't bother with the trailhead behind the restaurant in Greenville (currently the King House) marked on the map---it's a dead end about 1/4 to 1/2 mile in. Someone has piled Jersey Barriers, concrete blocks and old storm drains to block the trail behind Pilgrim Plastic. That and the numerous NO TRESPASSING signs make it pretty clear that they don't want people hiking, biking or anything else up there.
Start from Abbot Hill Road where it crosses the trail, it's a nice hike from there. There isn't a lot of parking available there, but I've never seen it too crowded. The day we went we didn't see anyone on the trail and once we got away from the road noise of Rte. 31 it was birdsong and peepers to accompany our hike.
One other thing---bring bug spray! We were swarmed by mosquito's and blackflies for most of the hike. I was glad I wore a long sleeve shirt and long hiking pants, so all I had to defend was my head and neck (yes, I forgot bug spray!)
Clear sunny day in May. Excellent conditions with sunshine and a gentle breeze to keep away the bugs. No ticks encountered. Walked 3.5 miles from the Blackjack Crossing trailhead.
Trail is in great shape although the first .25 mile (going north to the very end from the parking area at the end of Blackjack Crossing) is overgrown and a bit muddy. The first .25 mile stretch going south is the same, but then the surface is very good with crushed rock. There are muddy spots as you pass through the deep cut areas, but other wise, excellent. We walked but mountain bikes would fare very well. Road bikes NOT recommended.
This is a great trail to get a few miles in on a bike. The trail is flat and well maintained. There are plenty of pretty spots along the way for taking breaks.
We very much enjoyed riding the almost completed northern potion of the the ARRT. Except for a short,maybe, 400 foot section near Summer Street and Rt. 27, the whole length is usable when construction is not occurring.
You can add on an additional almost 2 miles from the southern end of this new section and ride on gravel to Sudbury Road near Honey Pot Hill Orchards.
Couple of week ago I took the Winnipesaukee River Trail from my house in Northfield to Franklin and while biking route 3 I came across the Northern Rail Trail going southbound to Concord, then biked back. It was a nice 40 mile bike ride round trip. Next year I would like to bike northbound from the Winnipesaukee River Trail to the North Rail Trail northbound to West Lebanon NH. My only concern is where to connect onto this trail so I am not back tracking too far. I have driven route 11 beside the trail to find the best access to get on after getting off the Winnipesaukee River Trail. Any suggestions or best route would be great. Love both trails and plan to bike them more next season.
10/27/2017
Easy to locate by following directions on the trail page.
Park on Rt 23, Mason Rd.- dirt lot on the left. It is a half mi to trailhead on Morse Rd. The orange barrier is about 100 yards in from the road on the left, so if the leaves have not yet fallen, it may be difficult to see, but it should be rather obvious that the trail is there. A very short section also goes further south towards Townsend.
10.4 miles to the Mason Village depot. Average grade 2.8% going northbound. Therefore, you are going up hill, but you hardly notice. The road surface of crushed gravel, as a base, is very flat. With each crossing of a motor vehicle roadway, there are barriers and signs to warn you.
The trail is in excellent shape with some water across the trail, probably collecting in depressions caused by ATVs. This occurs beyond Pratt Pond at the top of the hook, but not so difficult that one cannot get around them. It was probably more obvious due to severe rain over the past 48 hrs.
Nice vistas and scenery along the way. At approximately 4 miles from the trailhead, there is a granite quarry loop on the left. I did not take it, so can offer no report.
At the end of the trail (9 miles), you will encounter a barricade that marks the intersection with Rt. 31. You should walk down to the highway and then you can ride on Rt 31 (take a left) to reach Old Wilton Road on your right. There is a bridge to cross. It is one more mile to the old depot in the center of town. Be careful on Rt. 31. Large trucks go very fast.
This trail is historically significant in that Henry David Thoreau, on September 6, 1852, rode this line (Peterboro’ & Shirley Railroad) from Ayer (Groton Junction at the time) [after riding the Fitchburg line from Concord to Ayer]. Reaching Mason Village (Greenville), he walked to Peterborough, stayed the night and continued on to the summit of Grand Monadnock, on foot. Later in the day, he descended to Troy, NH, and returned the same day to Concord, via the Cheshire RR, and, at Fitchburg, the Fitchburg RR.
Abominable surface, where you can pass, is very narrow and obstructed. A real waste of time and a disappointment.
Terrible for bikes. Lots of dead fall, trash and railroad ties. 1/2 mile from "trailhead" there is a huge locked gate (chain link) which means you back track and ride through town to get to the other side of the river
Went from the southern end of the trail on the MA border to Troy. The trail seems to be in better shape than some of the other reviewers experienced. There are some roots, loose gravel, rocks, but nothing that any decent mountain bike can't handle. I wouldn't take a hybrid on this trail and forget about a street bike. The view of Monadnock from the Rockwood Pond was stunning and like a postcard with the changing color of the leaves. As far as finding the trail head, that one is easy. Set your GPS to McCallister Road, Fitzwilliam and you can't miss it. You can see the gate and a sign that directs you to the start of the trail. I will continue on the trail from Troy and write a second review.
As a Hudson resident this is my home course from Hudson to Marlboro and back. I extend it by riding through downtown Marlborough and picking up route 85, bike friendly width, to Southboro. They are extending the trail to Acton now, with sections paved. From Hudson trailhead, follow 62 north to Sudbury road, past Honey Pot Orchards. Cross Assabet river and gated dirt rd on left, turns to crushed stone after a mile, and paved at White pond rd crossing to Maynard. Ends on 27 towards Acton, and picks up again down 27 on your left. too many unfinished sections to get any speed going, but will be great when finished.
Very much disappointed. From Keen, I both tried for this trail and Cheshire trail, too. Compared to other trails in other states, these two rails are both so poor in views and surface conditions except first 5 miles. Only good for MTB!
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