Find the top rated birding trails in New Hampshire, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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| Trail Image | Trail Name | States | Length | Surface | Rating |
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The Allenstown Rail Trail is an out-and-back trail that leaves from Ferry St., although trail users can continue on to the Hooksett Riverwalk Trail to reach the Hooksett Dog Park.
About the...
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NH | 0.7 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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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...
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NH | 0.8 mi | Dirt |
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This exquisitely maintained 3.6-mile paved rail-trail slices through forested areas and wetlands for a wonderful experience in southern New Hampshire.
About the Route
Starting at the southern...
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NH | 3.6 mi | Asphalt |
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Note: Fees are charged at Flume Gorge, Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, and Echo Lake Beach. Bike rentals and shuttles are available at the Tramway.
The Franconia Notch Recreation Path runs the...
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NH | 8.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NH | 5.5 mi | Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand |
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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...
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NH | 11.5 mi | Ballast, Dirt, Grass |
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Harrisville and Hancock Rail Trails run for 6 miles between the outskirts of Harrisville and Hancock in rural New Hampshire. The former railroad bed is located on lands conserved by the Harris Center...
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NH | 6.1 mi | Dirt |
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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...
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NH | 1.75 mi | Gravel |
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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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NH | 0.9 mi | Asphalt |
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Jonathan Daniels Trail travels the length of Ashuelot River Park through Keene. Along the stone-dust trail, you can enjoy the park’s beautiful natural backdrop and flower garden. The trail was named...
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NH | 0.9 mi | Crushed Stone |
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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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NH | 1 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NH | 1.58 mi | Asphalt |
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The Laverack Nature Trail at Hawkins Brook is an ADA compliant nature trail that offers views of wetlands, forests, and wildlife. Located in the Town of Meredith, this trail connects the village...
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NH | 0.6 mi | Boardwalk, Crushed Stone |
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The Lincoln Woods Trail runs for 2.6 miles along the east branch of the Pemigewasset River.
About the Route
Although short, trail users can combine the Lincoln Woods Trail with other trails that...
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NH | 2.7 mi | Ballast |
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If you find yourself exploring the town of Littleton, New Hampshire, do yourself a favor and hit the riverwalk. Though only half a mile long, the riverside walkway is beloved by tourists coming to see...
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NH | 0.5 mi | Asphalt |
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The Londonderry Rail Trail runs for 4.6 miles between Harvey and Rockingham Road. The smooth paved trail offers a pleasant and tranquil adventure for trail users along an old Manchester and Lawrence...
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NH | 4.6 mi | Asphalt |
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The Mascoma River Greenway is a planned 4-mile rail-trail through the heart of Lebanon. The paved, multiuse trail is currently 2.78 miles, offering a pleasant opportunity for both recreation and...
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NH | 2.78 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
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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...
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NH | 9.7 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass |
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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...
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NH | 7.5 mi | Asphalt, Gravel |
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The Nashua River Rail Trail stretches from southern Nashua, New Hampshire, to downtown Ayer, Massachusetts, connecting to the towns of Pepperell and Groton. The trail is built on the former rail...
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MA, NH | 12.4 mi | Asphalt |
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The New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway is an 8-mile rail-trail with a crushed-stone surface that stretches between Portsmouth and the North Hampton/Hampton border. Following a former Pan Am Railways...
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NH | 8 mi | Crushed Stone |
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The North Conway Recreation Path (aka the Mt Washington Valley Recreational Path or MWV Rec Path) opened in July 2023.
Extending 2.9 miles between Cranmore Mountain Resort and Hemlock Lane in the...
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NH | 2.9 mi | Asphalt, Boardwalk |
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Spanning 59 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...
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NH | 59 mi | Cinder, Crushed Stone |
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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...
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NH | 1.5 mi | Cinder |
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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...
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NH | 2.1 mi | Asphalt |
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Skirting the northern edge of the White Mountains’ Presidential Range, the Presidential Rail Trail offers over 19 miles of stunning views of mountain peaks and their surrounding nature. Some portions...
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NH | 19.2 mi | Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand |
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The Roland Bergeron Bike Path runs about 6 miles alongside nearly the entirety of Albuquerque Avenue in Litchfield, NH.
Completed in 2010, the 8-ft wide asphalt path averages about 5 yards in from...
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NH | 6 mi | Asphalt |
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The Salem Bike-Ped Corridor is a 4.95-mile trail in Salem. The trail is paved between its northern end at intersection of Broadway & Range Street and Main Street. South of Main Street, the trail is...
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NH | 4.95 mi | Asphalt, Dirt, Grass |
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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...
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NH | 7.5 mi | Ballast, Dirt, Grass, Sand |
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The wildly scenic Upper Coos Recreational Trail parallels the Connecticut River, which divides New Hampshire and Vermont. The rail-trail begins in Colebrook and travels north to Beecher Falls near the...
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NH | 10.5 mi | Ballast, Cinder |
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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. The trail is 4.3 miles...
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NH | 4.3 mi | Asphalt |
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Closure Notice: Due to flooding, the Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail is closed from Pine Street to Sawyer's Crossing Road in Swanzey. Please see NH State Parks for more up-to-date information.
The...
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NH | 21.4 mi | Asphalt, Ballast, Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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In Woodsville the trail starts across from the Subway Restaurant across from the the Oceans Job Lot Store and next to the Woodsville Machine Shop and YES Yankee Electrical Supply up and down a short...
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NH | 5 mi | Cinder, Gravel, Woodchips |
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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,...
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NH | 1.7 mi | Dirt, Gravel |
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The Cheshire Rail Trail connects Fitzwilliam, Troy, Keene, Westmoreland and Walpole. The 42.4-mile trail has a mostly gravel and dirt surface.
The rail-trail plays host to a variety of uses,...
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NH | 42.4 mi | Asphalt, Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel, Sand |
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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...
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NH | 5.5 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone |
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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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NH | 21 mi | Ballast, Gravel |
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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...
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NH | 12 mi | Gravel |
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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...
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NH | 4.2 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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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...
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NH | 7 mi | Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel, Sand |
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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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NH | 6.7 mi | Ballast, Gravel, Sand |
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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,...
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NH | 3.9 mi | Dirt |
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The Old Railroad, as its name suggests, is a multi-use trail that occupies a former Boston & Maine Railroad corridor. The trail picks up at the northern trailhead of the Common Pathway, a paved...
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NH | 2.7 mi | Dirt |
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Following the Nissitissit River through the woods, the Potanipo Rail Trail offers beautiful river views and launch sites for canoes or kayaks. Composed of two segments, the multi-use path is roughly...
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NH | 2.7 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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Crossing through wooded areas and featuring magnificent wetland vistas, the Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail (Fremont Branch) offers an 18.3-mile trail adventure from Epping to Windham. The northern...
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NH | 18.3 mi | Dirt, Sand |
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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 runs from Manchester, the state’s...
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NH | 28 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand |
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The South Manchester Rail Trail is a developing bike/pedestrian path that currently runs through the City of Manchester's southeast neighborhoods to the border with the Town of Londonderry. The...
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NH | 1.8 mi | Asphalt |
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The Stevens Rail Trail is part of the Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail, which follows the historic Concord-Claremont Railroad corridor. Located about a dozen miles west of Concord, the Stevens Rail...
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NH | 1.65 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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The Sugar River Trail runs for 9.5 miles between Claremont and Newport along the old Sugar River Railroad corridor. The 9.5-mile trail crosses its namesake river seven times—twice on covered...
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NH | 9.5 mi | Ballast, Gravel, Sand |
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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...
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NH | 2.7 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NH | 10.8 mi | Dirt |
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The Winnipesaukee River Trail runs for nearly 5 miles between the towns of Franklin and Tilton, nestled in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
About the Route
The Winnipesaukee River Trail...
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NH | 4.94 mi | Asphalt, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail carries its users for 23.46 miles along the scenic river that shares the trail's name. The river itself is a destination for fishing, kayaking, and canoeing. The trail passes...
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NH | 23.46 mi | Ballast, Dirt, Gravel, Sand |
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The Brookline Rail Trail winds through the New Hampshire woods and passes by several small bodies of water, including the Potanipo Pond. The rail-trail has two segments, known as the Brookline Rail...
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NH | 4.5 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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Following the historic Concord-Claremont Railroad corridor, the Concord–Lake Sunapee Rail Trail will eventually connect communities from Concord to the southern point of Lake Sunapee via a multiuse...
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NH | 5.65 mi | Asphalt, Boardwalk, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Gravel |
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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...
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NH | 6 mi | Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Gravel, Sand |
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The Granite Town Rail-Trail runs for 3 miles in Milford, New Hampshire. Portions of the route are unpaved and surfaced with sand, gravel, and/or dirt, while short concrete sections can be found along...
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NH | 3 mi | Ballast, Cinder, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand |
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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...
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NH | 7.8 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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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...
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NH | 1.6 mi | Dirt |
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The West Milan Trail follows a portion of the Upper Ammonoosuc River along State Route 110 northwest of Berlin. The mult-use trail is relatively flat and follows a scenic mountain valley...
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NH | 4.5 mi | Gravel |
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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...
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NH | 1.3 mi | Asphalt |
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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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NH | 1.3 mi | Asphalt |
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The Village Spur Rail Trail begins in downtown Belmont, and stretches from behind the Belmont Mill to the Tioga River on the west side of South Road. Out and back for the entire trail is about four...
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NH | 2.1 mi | Asphalt, Dirt, Grass |
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The trestle trail is part of a network of rail-trails converted from and old logging railroad in the White Mountains. It is close to the Zealand Trail, the Sugarloaf Trail, and the Hale Brook...
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NH | 1 mi | Dirt |
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The Franconia Brook Trail runs from just north of the confluence of the east branch of the Pemigewasset River and Franconia Branch. Note that bicycling is not permitted along the route. You can...
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NH | 7.2 mi | Ballast |
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The Henniker Rail Trail is an unpaved single-track path that follows a former rail corridor for 2.3 miles. The rail-trail picks up east of the former passenger station. Situated south of the Town of...
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NH | 6.7 mi | Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand |
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The Hooksett Riverwalk Trail is an out-and-back trail that leaves from the Hooksett Dog Park, although trail users can continue on to the Allenstown Rail Trail to reach Ferry St.
About the...
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NH | 1.4 mi | Crushed Stone, Dirt |
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The Merrimack River Greenway Trail (MRGT) will stretch from Boscawen southward through Concord to Pembroke, offering scenic views of the Merrimack River, the city and the surrounding landscapes. The...
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NH | 0.33 mi | Asphalt |
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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...
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NH | 12 mi | Ballast |
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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...
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NH | 3.5 mi | Dirt |
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The Potanipo Rail Trail is composed of three segments across New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Running through the woods along a former a rail corridor, the trail parallels the Nissitissit River for a...
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MA, NH | 3.4 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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Open for a variety of recreational activities, the Profile Trail is a 1.5-mile multi-use natural surface path in the Town of Bethlehem. Running between US Route 3 and US Route 302, the trail runs...
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NH | 2.3 mi | Cinder, Crushed Stone, Dirt, Grass, Gravel, Sand |
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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.
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NH | 9 mi | Dirt, Gravel |
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The Warner Rail Trail and the Bagley Field Rail Trail are part of the Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail, an eventual 34-mile rail-trail connecting Lake Sunapee and Concord, New Hampshire's state...
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NH | 1 mi | Crushed Stone, Gravel |
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Most of the Wild River Trail falls within the Wild River Wilderness and is off-limits to bikes. At it's southern end, the trail meets the Wildcat River Trail, near Bog Brook. From here, you can bike...
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NH | 15 mi | Dirt, Gravel |
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The York Pond Trail begins at the Berlin Fish Hatchery (just past the locked gate), going through a notch in the Mountains to the south and west to Bunnell Brook. The trail leads to Willard Notch,...
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NH | 6.5 mi | Dirt |
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I’m glad I didn’t believe a lot of past reviews. This trail is great. Very smooth and a beautiful ride. I highly recommend it!
I have ridden this trail from one end to the other! Parts are wonderful and parts washed out and muddy!
Rode the trail on Saturday 7/5/25. Liked that it was well shaded, rode by water, not many cross overs where you had to stop for cars and not crowded. I liked the trees on both sides. My only complaint would be you really need to make sure you have front end suspension when riding as there are alot of tree roots growing up under the asphalt- bumpy- outside of that it was a great ride!
Great trail. Bad culverts!!!
I bike rode Rockingham Rail Trail, Portsmouth branch for the first time today 6/29/25. Headed from Manchester east out 15 miles and back. Very nice trail, good base and I enjoyed the trail very much. HOWEVER, those underpass culverts 7-8 miles east of Manchester are DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS!!!!! Very low clearance, terrible visibility, and a deteriorated and uneven riding platform all contribute to a recipe for a terrible accident and injury. I am a good rider, and I crashed today. I was barely creeping along and fortunately I was not seriously Injured. Something needs to be done to make these less dangerous. I do not know who is responsible for maintaining these underpass culverts, but please consider my concerns. I would volunteer to assist in improving these hazards. Reread the description and walking bikes in these culverts was recommended and I would agree. On site signage would be a good idea also. The trail gets 5 stars the culverts get 0 stars.
I enjoy taking a walk before or after running errands. This path has filled a need in the Mt Washington Valley! The paved surface is welcoming and checking out the turtles on the north end of the pond is fun. Enjoy!
The Nashua River Rail Trail is terrific. It's long, smooth, well-maintained, and beautiful. Since it lies in a relatively rural part of Massachusetts, I find it to be a lower-key ride than its eastern cousin, the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, but still well-used. There's less to see and do along it, but that might be exactly what you're looking for. Wholeheartedly recommended.
I ride my bike & walk this trail & downtown Derry is a great bike ride to Salem, 14-miles round trip and always free parking ¿
This portion of the Cheshire rail trail has almost no incline is completely straight and runs past a former major manufacturing complex, which is now vacant. Other sites include Keene police department and Keene ice and American house.
I enjoy the trail. I've seen cows bunnies and birds.
This was my first time on this trail, and I really enjoyed it. The views were amazing but there was one big take away I have for next time. If you can, bring a bike with suspension. I had my road bike and REALLY felt the poor condition of the path. It was still very bike-able though.
Start at the Peterborough Shopping Plaza parking lot. Stop in the Information Center across the street. It's operated by very nice local volunteers. Make your way north though the center of Peterborough. The surfaces are mostly paved & packed. You don't hit dirt & gravel until the upper half of the trail. Most riders stop at the school bus parking lot on Rt.202. There's a small parking lot there. If you cross the road you can pick up the Powder Mill Pond Rail trail and follow it northeast for another mile or so until it ends at Forest Rd. The trail gets rougher the further north you go but it's VERY manageable for most riders.
I've managed to ride portions of the trail between Fremont and Derry where it's open to summer OHRV on my hybrid bike (40mm gravel tires). It's not really pleasant as the trail is very sandy in sections to the point where I have had to walk my bike through sections. This is unfortunate because it's a great connector to the RT corridor that runs between Methuen, MA and Londonderry with the Rockingham Recreational trail from Manchester to Newfields. I get that summer OHRV use south of the North Woods is a scarce resource and that bikes do have the option of riding on the pavement. Except the shoulders of the roads are awful narrow. I could go on about the short sightedness of State and Local government but...
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