Access and parking: Parking is available in each of the towns the trail connects (south to north): Ayer, Groton, Pepperell, Dunstable and Nashua; for specific locations, visit the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation website. The trail starts out paved as it ascends a ridge with the river below to your left. The town of Keene serves as a hub to both the Cheshire Rail Trail and the Ashuelot Rail Trail. How to Adapt Trail Activities and Gear for Cold and Winter Conditions, 2. Judy Lorimer is one of the members who took the chainsaw course and can’t wait to get out there this fall to tidy up the equestrian pathway adjacent to the paved rail-trail. Franklin – Northfield – Tilton. Historic harbor town Portsmouth may be mostly modern but it's easy to find reminders of this city's real character on a harbor cruise or tour of sights from its seafaring past. Contact Field Offices. Use our easy Lodging Search to find exactly the type of accommodation you are looking for at the right price. Two smaller airports are also nearby: Worcester Regional Airport (375 Airport Drive, Worcester, MA), about 35 miles from the southern end of the trail, and Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (1 Airport Road, Manchester, NH), about 20 miles from the northern end of the trail in Nashua. Copyright © 1997 - 2021 The Go Travel Sites. The trail goes over many bridges, including two covered bridges and the area has some nice forest scenery. Start point/end point: Park Street and Main Street (Ayer, Massachusetts) to Gilson Road and Country Side Drive (Nashua, New Hampshire). Maples, oaks, beeches and birches adorn the paved pathway that connects a handful of quaint towns northwest of Boston. Maples, oaks, beeches and birches adorn the paved pathway that connects a handful of quaint towns northwest of Boston. As built plans for the fourth and final stage of the Piscataquog River Trail Bridge. “I live very close to the Nashua River Rail Trail, so I can ride my bicycle from where I live to get on the trail,” she enthused. Bright splashes of color of the manmade kind also adorn two underpasses in Groton, toward the southern end of the trail. It’s a corridor for both wildlife and people to move.”. Plan your next trail adventure right from home! At the recent deliberative session Conservation Commission Chairman presented Mr. Woody Fogg with tokens with the Town's appreciation for his outstanding work on the Village Rail Spur Trail Bridge. 2121 Ward Court, NW, 5th Floor New England in autumn is nature’s spectator sport, and a special place to view its riotous colors is the Nashua River Rail Trail, spanning just over 12 miles in Massachusetts and spilling into New Hampshire. Get your choice of one of our 13 guidebooks with your support for the trails you love, including two updated guides for 2020! Maintenance and Volunteers “Every town along the river was dumping their raw sewage into it, and there were paper mills and plastic factories dumping industrial waste.”. This last phase of the trail was made through a FHWA Transportation Enhancement grant, and a generous local match. Explore destinations near Laconia / Lake Winnipesaukee. Another volunteer, Marion Stoddart, also exemplifies this unfaltering work ethic and dedication to the cause. Location: 12.3 miles west of the Saco Ranger Station on the Kancamagus Highway. New England in autumn is nature’s spectator sport, and a special place to view its riotous colors is the Nashua River Rail Trail, spanning just over 12 miles in Massachusetts and spilling into New Hampshire. Email For equestrians, the rail-trail serves as an important conduit to the J. Harry Rich State Forest as well as other conservation lands and riding trails in the area. Searchable list of Laconia-Lake Winnipesaukee tour companies, guides and outfitters, rental companies and more. The Ammonoosuc River provides a gorgeous backdrop to this trail. The trail was a great way to enjoy New Hampshire foliage and to see some truly beautiful scenery. With a mix of on-road riding and connections to other local trails, travelers can patch together about an 8-mile route from there into downtown to enjoy city amenities. Using Trails and Outdoor Spaces Safely in the Wake of COVID-19, 4. After being used as a dumping ground for decades, the river was in terrible condition when Stoddart first moved to Groton back in 1962. “The other day, I rode my bicycle up into Nashua. Transportation Alternatives Data Exchange, http://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2019/november/08/massachusetts-and-new-hampshire-s-nashua-river-rail-trail/, Looking Back, With Gratitude, on a Year of Challenges and Triumphs for Trails, Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation website, How to Adapt Trail Activities and Gear for Cold and Winter Conditions, Staying Active While We Practice Social Distancing, Using Trails and Outdoor Spaces Safely in the Wake of COVID-19, Resources for Safe Outdoor Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Massachusetts and New Hampshire’s Nashua River Rail Trail. Just this month, Stoddart was honored for her work at the 50th anniversary event for the Nashua River Watershed Association, the organization she founded to clean up the waterway. Tourism and Economic Development To develop, and promote a continuous, off-street paved trail in Concord, NH, following the Merrimack River from Pembroke to Boscawen. “I moved to Pepperell in 1976, and at that time, the rail-trail was still a railroad,” said Lorimer. Some of the property, the fields in particular, is leased to local farmers … “The Nashua River literally ran psychedelic colors—reds, blues, greens, yellows—from all the different types of chemicals that were being dumped into it in the 1940s, 50s and 60s,” said Dwayne Ericson, the DCR’s Central Highlands District Manager. DCR is maintaining a lot of trails besides the Nashua River Rail Trail, so they’re happy to have us, and we work closely with them.”. Making things even easier: Bikes are allowed aboard the trains. Laconia-Lake Winnipesaukee weather report, historic temperatures and climate info,…. The Nashua River Rail Trail is a 12.5-mile (20.1 km) paved mixed-use rail trail in northern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire under control of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Even at 91, she rarely misses a trail cleanup event organized by the Friends group. As expected, the terrain is all easy to moderate with no steep hills and it's a nice easy ride for all skill levels including kids. Bicycles are allowed aboard the trains. Your email and your recipient's email will NOT be shared with anyone. Daily passes are available at most trailheads. Book online at scenicrailriders.com. After 0.5 miles the trail converts to stone-dust as you reach the old rail bed. Traveling right the trail travels above the river along a … Follow the trail from the parking lot at the Russell Colbath Historic House. Trail of the Month. Parking areas for access to the trail are located in Ayer, Groton, and Dunstable. Continue to Mobile Site Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Stevens Rail Trail and Sugar River Trail. Complete the form below to email this page to a friend or family member's email. People would come up to us, and they were just so grateful.”. The Passaconaway Historic Site and Russell-Colbath House are located in Albany, New Hampshire. “We just got a half-dozen of our members officially approved to use chainsaws,” said Kalter. “I belong to a couple of different horse organizations, and when we heard that they were going to convert it to a rail-trail, we went to a lot of meetings and put in a plug for equestrian access—and so they did! Of course, you can still use the full version of Go-Newhampshire on your mobile device just as you can on your desktop. I really, really enjoyed it and, on my way back, I stopped in Pepperell and got a root beer float.”, Best Of “Today, it’s pristine! Roughly midway, a few shops and eateries surround the trail in Pepperell (nearly everyone interviewed noted that there’s a popular ice cream shop here), making it an optimal lunchtime goal, or a nice turnaround point for shorter walks and rides. “It’s amazing how many kids don’t have anywhere to bicycle, especially in New England with its narrow, busy roads,” said Houston. County: Most of the trail lies in Middlesex County, Massachusetts; over the border in New Hampshire, a short section of trail is open in Hillsborough County. They left an unpaved trail that parallels the bike trail.”. “There are innumerable reasons why the Nashua River Rail Trail is important. It’s very important to have natural vegetation along the river to help filter pollutants and to store water to be released gradually into the river. A human voice is also preferred over a bell, which could startle them. In 1874, an extension was opened up to Portland, Maine. The Nashua River Rail Trail is built along former Hollis Branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad. The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail is 20 miles long and goes between Woodsville and Littleton. This property is managed by the Fish & Game Department as a fish hatchery. It started life out in 1848 as the Worcester & Nashua Railroad running between the two cities. While many rail-trails follow rivers along their course, the Northern gives riders a chance to get up close and personal with the Mascoma River as the trail crosses the river seven times within the first four miles. Uses: Walking, bicycling, inline skating, horseback riding, fishing, cross-country skiing; wheelchair accessible. The fourth and final phase of the Piscataquog Trail was completed in early 2016 and provides a connection to the Goffstown Rail Trail. Washington, DC 20037Phone: 202.331.9696 The Lisbon Depot is another must-see along the trail. A section of it has become overgrown, and she looks forward to taking Sweetpea, her bay mare, out for more rides on the trail once the work is completed. Surface type: The rail-trail is an asphalt pathway with a paralleling unpaved equestrian trail for much of the route, from the Ayer town line to the New Hampshire state line. That always makes my day.”. All Rights Reserved and. no two people seemed to pronounce Ashuelot the same way (so let's go with ash-wheel-ot) and b.) Cochecho River POINT OF INTEREST TRAIL ACCESS POINT DOVER COMMUNITY TRAIL FOURTH ST. Rotary Trailhead Downtown Dover F HER ST. z NORTH not to scale ROTARY TRÂILHEAD bridge ŸgASHiNGTON ST. —l staggered fence YOU ARE HERE O Post Office Downtown Dover NORTH 0.05 0.10 MILES Woodman Park Elementary School OVERALL TRAIL MAP Follow the trail from the parking lot at the Russell Colbath Historic House. You can send yourself an email as well. This multiple use trail is about nine miles long and follows an old railroad bed along the Sugar River. Getting there: The Ayer train station (70 Main St.), located across the street from the southern end of the rail-trail, is served by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) commuter rail, which provides daily service to Boston. The Ammonoosuc River provides a gorgeous backdrop to the trail. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Rail Trails in NH ¥ 0 5 10 20 Miles NAME ... Salem Rail Trail Sugar River Trail Tower Hill Pond Rail Trail U pe rC os R ailT WOW Trail Warner Rail Trail W aren R ilT Windham Rail Trail Winnipesaukee River Trail Woodsville Rail Trail S:\Global\B66-RailTransit\BIKEPED\TRAILS\Rail_Trails\Rail Trail Maps\Rail_Trails_July2016.mxd. Click on any trail below to … Explore the best rated trails in Warner, NH. Laura Stark is a lead writer and editor for Rails to Trails magazine, responsible for highlighting trails and the people working hard to support them across America. The greenway offers a 300-foot buffer between the land and the river, preventing any development along the river’s edge. To navigate the area with an interactive GIS map, and to see more photos, user reviews and ratings, plus loads of other trip-planning information, visit TrailLink.com, RTC’s free trail-finder website. Copyright © 2001-2020 Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC). Searchable listings of Laconia-Lake Winnipesaukee RV parks and campgrounds. Sign up for eNews to get monthly updates on trail news, events and success stories from across the country. Parkingat Nashua River Rail Trail. At its southern end in Ayer, an MBTA station serves a commuter rail line that runs to Boston, opening up access to the trail’s beautiful natural settings for urbanites and tourists. The trail is intended to be a 4-season paved “shared use” facility that will serve bicyclists, pedestrians, skiers, snowshoers and other non-motorized users. 10 Awesome Rail Trails In New Hampshire You’ll Want To Visit. “And there’s plentiful wildlife along the trail. Lorimer, also a longtime resident, remembers once riding her horse near the railroad tracks, but the smell from the river was so bad that she turned around and went back home. Winnipesaukee River Trail. Given that the trail opened in 2002, some sections were recently in need of repair and repaved just a few years ago; additional paving is planned to smooth out the rest of the trail in the future. I really, really enjoyed it and, on my way back, I stopped in Pepperell and got a root beer float. n t y F a r m C r o s s R d L o n g H i l l R d Directions Dover Community Trail Guide County Farm Cochecho River op Trail & Wing ay sSt ble Open Lands Committee Dover Planning Department 288 Central Avenue Dover, New Hampshire (603)-516-6008 Email: openlands@ci.dover.nh.us 2008 This trail guide was created through a collaboration Stoddart rallied thousands of citizen activists around the issue, which pushed lawmakers to enact the Massachusetts Clean Water Act in 1965, becoming the first state in the country to pass clean water legislation. The Northern Rail-Trail is one of the most family friendly trails in New Hampshire. An adjacent subdivision even named all its streets after bicycle brands, like Schwinn, Diamondback, Trek and Huffy. Laura Stark The above wetlands area along the Flat Mountain Pond Trail , which utilizes the old railroad, is the general area of where the hairpin corner was. This landmark project by the Nashua Conservation Commission links the recently acquired Terrell Homestead Conservation Land with Nashua River Trail and parking area; the Yudicky Farm/Southwest Park; the Lovewell's Poind and Buck Meadow Conservation Lands. April 2, 2014 - The City of Nashua signed a contract with Morin's Landscaping, Inc. to complete the Southwest Trails Project. Trail Communities Trail information: The Souhegan River Trail meanders thru property owned by the State of New Hampshire. For her fellow trail-goers, Lorimer recommends calling out when passing a horse, as a bicyclist coming up fast and quiet behind them might give a horse the impression that a predator is approaching and make them fearful. The Winni Trail has an abundance of seasonal wildlife, flowers, trees and a pond only accessible by foot or bike. Used railroad corridor: The original right-of-way was built by the Worcester & Nashua Railroad, which began servicing the corridor in 1848. As was noted by other posters, you can easily get a tire stuck between the Horseshoe Curve – Beebe River Railroad, New Hampshire The Beebe River Railroad was known for its many trestles, and a hairpin corner, near logging Camp 9, called the ‘Horseshoe”. This trail is considered to be a handicapped accessible trail with its wide crushed stone path and wooden bridges. Trail Destinations Unfortunately, one of the trail’s best assets, its tree buffer, can also make upkeep challenging with downed branches, leaf debris and root upheavals. In Bath, you can see the magnificent 345 foot covered bridge that was built in 1832. A summary of what Laconia-Lake Winnipesaukee has to offer. There is a map at the Rail 'N River Trailhead, and interpretive signs (like the ones for the Forest Discovery Trail) are along the trail describing the farming and logging history in the area. Local Organizing Enjoy a genuine old-fashioned railroading experience through the Saco River Valley to Bartlett. in New Hampshire Although Massachusetts, like many states, faces constraints on budget and staff time to manage a large number of trails across a large territory, a stalwart local volunteer group—the Friends of the Nashua River Rail Trail—has stepped up to support the efforts of the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to keep the Nashua River Rail Trail in good working order. Sugar River is the Rail to Trail Conservancy's 'Trail of the Month' Parking Areas With more than 52 trails covering 399 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Resources for Safe Outdoor Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Exeter River Trail [CLOSED] is a 2.1 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Exeter, New Hampshire that features a waterfall and is good for all skill levels. While the trail is generally flat, care is needed when crossing over the rails (which happens a lot). Today, however, the railroads are abandoned, but not forgotten. I figure riding there and back, I rode about 25 miles! Tourism Return to Main Site. Annual and weekly passes may be obtained at our offices or a local vendor. The trail starts in Lebanon and is a pleasant jaunt to Danbury. Nashua, New Hampshire, on the opposite end of the trail, offers a mile-long section terminating at a picturesque pond framed by trees. The Passaconaway Historic Site and Russell-Colbath House are located in Albany, New Hampshire. Full information on Laconia-Lake Winnipesaukee Tourist Attractions, Scenic Drives and other easy vacation activities…. Now, the river is a recreation resource, used for canoeing, kayaking and fishing, and the rail-trail runs right beside it.”, In reflecting on her own legacy and of those who tirelessly supported these efforts, Stoddart notes the intertwined significance of both river and trail. All rights reserved. Keen-eyed observers will note a few granite posts along the way; these century-old structures in the woodlands’ quiet—marked on one side with a ‘W’ and the mileage to Worcester, and on the other side with a ‘P’ and the mileage to Portland, Maine—offer whispers of the trail’s raucous railroad past. The other day, I rode my bicycle up into Nashua. And it’s because of all the hard work from the watershed association bringing the issue to light, talking about the science, good stewardship and pollution control, and getting everyone onboard. National Headquarters: This is a fairly flat trail, fully accessible trail. To arrive by plane, Boston Logan International Airport (1 Harborside Drive, Boston) is about 45 miles from the southern end of the trail in Ayer. Our 21-mile, 1-hour-45-minute Bartlett Holiday Special offers a festive & relaxing journey along the river and through the woods. We can do it on our own now, and we have people that are willing to do it for free on volunteer time. “We got the river cleaned up, and at the same time, we were working to protect the land along the river for conservation and recreation,” she said. Trail website: Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation. America's Trails, —Marion Stoddart, member of the Friends of the Nashua River Rail Trail. All trailheads on the Kancamagus Highway require a parking pass. The trail boasts two historic covered bridges and meanders along the Sugar River. Just as quickly, it became a well-loved community asset. People have seen bald eagles, owls, deer and turkeys that run across the trail, but my favorite is seeing the swans on the river. Location: 12.3 miles west of the Saco Ranger Station on the Kancamagus Highway. Grade: The trail is relatively flat, though there is a slight downhill grade as you travel south to north. Also in the park, are ruins from several anthracite-fired iron furnaces, which were part of a thriving industry during the mid to late 1800’s. The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail is 19 miles long and goes between Woodsville and Littleton. The murals, painted by local art students, depict the corridor’s history, from steam-engine trains to the rail-trail, and showcase the diverse mix of present-day travelers, including walkers, bicyclists, equestrians, wheelchair users and skiers enjoying the trail through the seasons. And Maine Railroad on Laconia-Lake Winnipesaukee tour companies, driving directions and.. Soon as we opened this trail made through a FHWA Transportation Enhancement,. 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