7 Top Winter Trails in the Northeast

Winter transforms these northeast trails into breathtaking snow-covered wonderlands perfect for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, horseback riding and more.


1

Karl Boyes Multi-Purpose National Recreation Trail

Photo by: vicki1960

The 13.4-mile Karl Boyes Multi-Purpose National Recreation Trail loops around the picturesque Presque Isle State Park, a peninsula in Lake Erie. The Pennsylvania park is open year-round, sunrise–sunset, and offers a variety of winter recreational opportunities including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice-skating and ice fishing.


2

Upper Charles Trail

Photo by: tommyzazulak

Shaped like a checkmark, the Upper Charles Trail links Milford, Holliston and Sherborn—towns in Massachusetts’s bucolic MetroWest suburbs. After a snowfall, the almost 14-mile rail-trail becomes a wintery wonderland great for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.


3

Presidential Rail Trail

Photo by: dcsunrise

Skirting the northern edge of the White Mountains’ Presidential Range in New Hampshire, the Presidential Rail Trail offers over 19 miles of stunning views of mountain peaks and their surrounding nature. Winter activities on the trail include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and horseback riding.


4

William C. O'Neill Bike Path

Photo by: john.roy.129

Just over 7 miles, the William C. O’Neill Bike Path runs between Amtrak’s West Kingston Station and the John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge in the town of Narragansett Pier. Connecting several parks and wildlife areas, this Rhode Island rail-trail passes through a wooded corridor for a majority of the route and offers cross-country skiing in the winter.


5

Keuka Outlet Trail

The Keuka Outlet Trail offers a winding route of 6.7 miles between Penn Yan and Dresden in New York’s Finger Lakes region. Following the Keuka Lake Outlet, the route includes views of cascading waterfalls and rocky ravines. Winter activities on the rail-trail include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and horseback riding.


6

Northern Rail Trail

Photo by: lindy8; photo by Peter Southworth

Spanning nearly 58 miles from Lebanon to Boscawen, the Northern Rail Trail is New Hampshire’s longest rail-trail conversion. Restored railroad depots and other elements from the trail’s rail history dot the route, which meanders through lakeside communities and along the Merrimack River. In addition to walking and biking, permitted uses include horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and dogsledding.


7

John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail

Photo by: vicki1960

The 11.7-mile John C. Oliver Multi-Purpose Loop Trail is a centerpiece of Maurice K. Goddard State Park, which spans 2,856 acres in northwestern Pennsylvania. The paved, off-road trail traces the northern and southern shores of Lake Wilhelm. Trail users can engage in a variety of activities during the winter, including snowmobiling along the north shore and cross-country skiing along the south shore

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