Find the top rated walking trails in Wakefield, 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...
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 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 Dover Community Trail snakes its way through the heart of the Garrison City—so nicknamed for the fortified log houses, or garrisons, built by 17th-century settlers—-offering a variety of trail...
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...
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 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 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 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 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...
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 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...
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 83 acre West Foss Farm is one of the properties owned by the University of New Hampshire, Durham. The property was purchased from the Boston & Maine Railroad company, and features a 1.6 stretch of...
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...
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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...
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 Amesbury Riverwalk (also known as the Powwow Riverwalk) carries visitors between a resurgent waterfront district on the Powwow River to a modern shopping center on the outskirts of this historical...
The smooth paved surface of the Londonderry Rail Trail offers a pleasant, tranquil 4.5-mile adventure for trail users in south-central New Hampshire. Its route follows a corridor once used by the...
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 year 2017 marks 20 years since a rails-to-trails project was first mentioned in the Goffstown Master Plan, and thanks to work by the Friends of the Goffstown Rail Trail and support throughout the...
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...
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,...
Many rail-trails start at a vintage depot, an old caboose, or a rusty locomotive acquired by the local historical society. The Warren to East Haverhill Railroad Grade Trail, however, starts at the...
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...
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 Conway Branch trail runs for 21 miles along an old rail corridor between State Route 113 in Conway and Polly's Crossing in Ossipee. The trail is popular with snowmobiles and rail car clubs; the...
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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 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...
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...
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 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 Amesbury Riverwalk (also known as the Powwow Riverwalk) carries visitors between a resurgent waterfront district on the Powwow River to a modern shopping center on the outskirts of this historical...
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 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...
Nestled in the woodlands on the northern end of Merrimac in the far northeastern corner of Massachusetts, lies the beautiful Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. The town, once known as West Amesbury, had a...
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 Upper and Lower Nanamocomuck Trails in White Mountain National Forest are accessible from Kancamagus Highway (SR 112) west of Conway. The trails are open for hiking in summer and cross-country...
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 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 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 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...
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...
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...
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 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 Dover Community Trail snakes its way through the heart of the Garrison City—so nicknamed for the fortified log houses, or garrisons, built by 17th-century settlers—-offering a variety of trail...
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...
Nestled in the woodlands on the northern end of Merrimac in the far northeastern corner of Massachusetts, lies the beautiful Jay McLaren Memorial Trail. The town, once known as West Amesbury, had a...
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 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 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...
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...
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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.
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 Conway Branch trail runs for 21 miles along an old rail corridor between State Route 113 in Conway and Polly's Crossing in Ossipee. The trail is popular with snowmobiles and rail car clubs; the...
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...
The year 2017 marks 20 years since a rails-to-trails project was first mentioned in the Goffstown Master Plan, and thanks to work by the Friends of the Goffstown Rail Trail and support throughout the...
The Amesbury Riverwalk (also known as the Powwow Riverwalk) carries visitors between a resurgent waterfront district on the Powwow River to a modern shopping center on the outskirts of this historical...
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...
Walked this trail three times during a weekend in Portland. The trail was plowed and maintained well in the winter. Information stops along the way were interesting and the scenery was lovely
The is was my first event with the MeetUp organization. It was a 40 mile ride with a great group of people. I was the “geezer” and everyone was extremely friendly and helpful. And as soon as Winter is over, I want to do more of these trips.
Lots of stop signs involving crossing streets and Frost heaves on the trail. Not a terribly wide trail, expect to go over bricks and wooden Bridges also which are pretty bumpy unless you’re on a bike or something. The other nearby scenic trail is much better
Very confused at some of the reviews here. Fit mid-30s guy here, though rarely bike, completed the entire trail both ways today on a hybrid rental bike. Yes this trail is gravel and also now plenty of fallen leaves, and it’s perfectly appropriate for a bike ride as long as it’s an appropriate bike. Don’t try to take a road bike with skinny tires on this trail. Enough room along the majority of the trail for bikers to pass each other without stopping, although, yes, once or twice along the 12 mile stretch you may actually need to stop and walk your bike when passing. Such a beautiful ride.
A little more hilly than anticipated but a lot of fun.
Beautiful setting, but clearly not designed for bike riders. Much of the 12 miles of trail (Wolfeboro to Wakefield) runs between the confines of remaining railroad rails, so despite the filled-in smooth surface there is no possibility that riders approaching from opposite directions will have room to pass each other. The many walkers we encountered were all considerate to voluntarily step aside and allow us to pass, although we repeatedly needed to hold up for other riders, giving them the right-of-way. One group of riders that included young children attempting to manage the difficult passages unsupervised caused my wife to take a bad fall. We have used and enjoyed many rail trails in NH -- this one deserves to be crossed off every bicycler's list.
I started from Sawyer River Road parking lot and biked all the way to Swift River near 112 which blocks bike access. So technically you cannot finish the whole trail, even very close. Sawyer River Rd is very good to bike. But think about Sawyer River Trail again before you continue. The trail is not maintained for biking. I had to carry the bike in several locations. There is a big falling tree completely blocking the trail.
The whole trail is very very pretty in the fall. I uploaded some photos.
This isn’t really a rail trail. It is a trail that parallels a working rail. A lot of the trail goes through commercial areas, and it is likely you will see homeless people and the less desirable parts of town. More an urban passage. Given where the trail goes, the views are unremarkable.
Great trail real nice walk lots to see parking closed on the southern end
Though the trail roughly parallels a major road, you are away from it at least half the time. You need to cross it twice but they have walking signals. Every car at the other side street crossing stopped and waved you on. There are some benches, but didn't notice any picnic tables.
The mostly tree-shaded path itself is either improved or unimproved dirt, on this dry late-summer ride I'd rate the surface a B+ with mountain bikes. Roots, just a few patches of sand and a few raised sewer covers. Path to Goffstown is definitely uphill most of the way, but just enough to keep you pedaling. Going toward Manchester is a delight. Mid week there was sparse but steady traffic, probably the most parking places I've seen on a trail.
Beautiful swimming spot around mile 4.2, just off the path . Probably other places, too, as the trail parallels water much of the way. Goffstown end has shops and eateries, there is an ice cream in the middle. The southern end continues to Manchester, we started on a paved continuation trail about 1/2 mile toward Manchester (Douglas Street football field parking lot).
A very nice ride I'd highly recommend for most non-street casual bikers (or walkers/joggers). The wooded swimming spot on the lake is a real bonus.
For several years, I have taken my dogs for a walk/run on this trail. Other than being in the path of the airport, with planes flying overhead, it was a quiet and wonderful place. Wild life and beautiful flowers were very much enjoyed. The last 6 months, has made me seek other places to walk/run my dogs. There are homeless camps, trash, and graffiti everywhere. I wish this short trail were better maintained by the City
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