(on my 1 inch tires) Danbury. Surface of crushed rock was very flat and well maintained - fewer bumps than most asphalt trails I've ridden. I did not take that end of the trail. Had I not been so worn out from the hot, sunny ride I would have spent more time chatting, but I opted to go lie down at the picnic table near the station and have a late lunch. If you start from the Inn, go two miles south through the most beautiful section of the trail to the end at Dyer's Crossing, then turn around and go the full eight miles to Potter Place. Canaan to Danbury was slightly overgrown on the Canaan end(need a Mt. Lots and good parking at the end at Lebanon. From the Potter Place end you can add another 10 miles or so of back paved road riding around Wilmot. Coordinates: 43.6280, -72.1456. Both extensions are components of the Granite State Rail Trail, a 125-mile project that will eventually span New Hampshire from the Massachusetts border to Vermont. The first three miles (from Canaan) is challenging as the gravel is somewhat looser. The best was a guy with a tag along, with a four year old and a nine month old in a seat on his handle bars. Find rankings, stat leaderboards, schedules, scores, news and more of your high school teams and players. to pick up the Northern Rail Trail for a ride to Potter Place in Andover, NH. It is the most lonely trail that I have ridden and the homeless don't give you a feeling of safety. My wife and I just completed an end to end round trip on the NRT. We plan to go back and give it another try. I also submitted a picture to the Merrimack web site taken in the other direction at the same point where the Merrimack section of the trail is clearly grown up. Two old retired folks out riding, this time from Potter Place north to Danbury and return. My brother was on his Hybrid, I was on a old Mt Bike with a street tire, both girls where on Mt bikes. From Grafton to Lebanon (Grafton county) the surface is trickier, with regular sandy spots and some exposed railroad ties. My longest trip was 25 miles in and 25 out. Wide, crushed stone, smooth surface. Downed trees from this fall's storms were almost all cleared up, or at least clipped to give a tunnel. Encouraging customers to use its mobile, online … There are no water pumps to replenish your water supply during this ride, but you are close enough to towns and shops though good portions of this trail if you need to stop. You're never far from Route 3 either as the trail essentially parallels this major north-south highway. After a short while I encountered Webster Lake, where you can hop off the trail and stop for a swim if you like. This access isn't mentioned in the description on Traillink. Despite a week of rain, this was well drained and ranged from dry to damp. I plan on doubling that mileage on my next visit here. We were riding mountain bikes. Granny Judy's Kitchen on Rt 3 across from Benson Auto in Franklin was recommended for Lunch. Bo at L un ch& eAr State - NHDOT Im 96. Thanks to all who keep this so well maintained. They have plans to replace it with rock dust in 2010. Finished with an awesome 142 miles total. EHFPL is well known for its teen and family programs, while Rathbun Library is known for its adult and child programs. On the northern end, the paved Mascoma River Greenway is 0.4 miles from the Northern Rail Trail, and offers a scenic 2.5-mile ride, ending at Glen Road. The first section of the Mascoma River Greenway - which was a section of the Northern Railroad - open in 2018 from High St. in downtown Lebanon westerly two miles to Glen Rd. In an effort to protect the health and safety of our community, employees, and customers, our branch lobbies are currently closed to walk-ins, but all drive-up locations of Mascoma Bank are open and can handle most transactions. We … 3 to a right turn on Depot Street and driving a short distance and swinging left a few yards and turning right through an underpass and then turning left on Wells Ave. you will see the entrance to the end of the trail immediately on your left. Agricultural and timber farming, shipbuilding, tanneries and blacksmiths were among the early commerce. It is free and quick. It's very shady and relaxing. I did stop at the Franklin Historical society to read and take a picture of the plaque by the side of the trail and of the building complex by the Webster/Tay House (Daniel Webster's NH farm). I sleep in a hammock so it was easy to find a place to stay. My only complaint about this trail is that it is often in view and earshot of the highway, but it is quite scenic nevertheless. Near Riverhouse, overlooking the north side of the, This page was last edited on 5 January 2021, at 15:03. If you drive just a bit farther down (south) on Rt. Please report the requested data every day school is in session. Other reviews mention places to stop and get food but I didn't look for them. First Church of Christ - Congregational Church built in 1794, on Town Street. The evaluation found that the lake It is mostly beneath tree cover. You’ll also come across the stone remains of a turntable that once assisted in changing the direction of locomotives. Saw only six other people, all on bikes, for the whole ride. Both have parking and bathroom or porta potty facilities. Riding around the lake was such a gift. The median age was 38 years. "`$ UVLT Enfield WMA (NHFG) Town of Enfield?x?x Town UVLT!. I could make this an every weekend event. Trail could be used by a road bike, but a mountain bike would probably work better because of the packed sand. Our favorites are JJ's pizza in Franklin and Salt Hill Tavern in Lebanon. There is a Pizza Place just off the trail in Andover (south from Potter Place), or pick up something at the Danbury Store. The first couple of miles from Zaccaria Road are a bit rough but no problem for a hybrid. The parking lot and boat launch are across the street. Become a member and wear your FREE T-Shirt with pride. Sports coverage includes football, basketball, and many more high school sports. Mascoma Bank is different by design. We parked at the Danbury Store, but there is plenty of places to park at Potter Place as well. There is a nice hard surface for bike riding. Still, it is a historically significant trail with spectacular views, especially the areas by Lake Mascoma and near Mt Cardigan. The per capita income for the town was $28,112. Some flat sections in the middle of the trail were muddy and slower. Leaving Lebanon on 7/10/15, we rode through to Boscawen, where we stayed over Friday evening. Heartfelt thanks to all who created this and maintain it! Good stops along the way. I was pretty much alone in the woods and found it very quiet, peaceful, scenic and an easy first ride of the season. I rode into Potter Place in Andover, NH, passing some short sections of track that are in place as part of this historical section of town, and one siding had a boxcar, another a caboose. Don't bother trying to ride it south of Gerrish Depot. After an hour we decided to turn around just short of Mascoma Lake and found the ride back to be much easier, slight downhill grade, which was much appreciated. I have walked and ridden the full length of the trail several times and keep visiting again. Not a busy trail, but a nice trail. The woods do open up however, and for some stretches you will be pedaling in the sun if it is a hot day. We have tadpole recumbent trikes that have 16" slick tires which were not the perfect tires for the dirt pack surface but it was ok. As we made our way along the trail we stopped at the many bridges for a view of the Mascoma River and foliage. If you want to go the 23.8 miles as stated, take route 4 into Danbury, NH. I hopped back on my hybrid bicycle and rode northwest. East Haddam Libraries - two public libraries, The East Haddam Free Public Library] (18 Plains Rd, Moodus) and The Rathbun Free Memorial Library (36 Main St, East Haddam). Further up the trail is Highland Lake, and beyond that the trail turns rather dry in the hotter weather. It sits on the banks of the Merrimack River. The trail's surface changed to slightly larger stone for a short while, and for some stretches it was more like an old dirt road with a variable surface, but it was still very passable on a hybrid. We were surprised at how pretty the trail was and how few road crossings there were. At this time of year, the mosquitoes are plentiful and ready to bite. It was one of my most favorite biking days I have ever had. I had my wife drop me off in at on end and picked me up at the other end. It starts 0.5 miles down the street. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 25.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. Built in 1847 by the Northern Railroad, the line formed a substantial portion of a Boston-to-Quebec route that was heavily traveled during the first half of the 20th century. The trail is sometimes interesting, but lonely. Chain Pickerel: Nearly … At 6 miles there are the interesting remains of an old train rotator off the trail on the left. The section along the lake is particularly scenic. "I walk or bike the trail several times a week. The small maps at the little kiosks at some parking areas give good mileage but the sign at the start in Lebanon near the town green is totally wrong. We Broke this into a few sections and rode the entire trail this year. It is family friendly and a cross over bike is ok. Road the entire trail yesterday. Granny Judy's is a half a block to a block down this street on the left. Took photos of all but the whistle post east of Grafton, uploaded them to Flickr: http://flickr.com/photos/russnelson/tags/northernrailtrail/ There's a nice treatment of a former at-grade crossing. Any suggestions or best route would be great. I rode this trail for the first time today. Practically no one on the trail before Danbury. Shakoma Town Beach on Mascoma Lake is a public beach in Enfield, NH. It was great to look at the railroad station as it was years ago, the same with the caboose out back and the general store across the street. I did the entire trail in a series of out-and-back segments as I was riding alone. But otherwise, many parts are in excellent riding shape, including Lebanon, Enfield, Andover and Franklin. Mascoma Lake depth map (nautical chart) The marine chart shows water depth and hydrology on an interactive map. This section of the trail was crushed stone that looked like it had graded and compacted earlier in the spring. Storm Connors. I passed about a 1/2 dozen people. Trail is in excellent shape. Deeded ROW to Perry Ct to access Lake Sunapee without going back onto Rt 103A. First 4 miles give intermittent views of farms and the Merrimack river. I've loved it so far! Continuing south, several interpretive signs scattered throughout the remainder of the trail inform trail users of the rail trail’s history. Soon 8 miles will be nothing. This is the best rail trail I've been on - solid surface of crushed stone, quite wide, only rare spots of sand or water and those easily navigated. The maximum depth is 73 feet. The journey is easy and scenic as you cross nine short bridges over the Mascoma River in the first 4 miles. Views were fantastic of the lakes, rivers, and streams. While the state owns the rail corridor, two local groups did most of the work to open the trail for year-round use in their respective counties from 2000 to 2014 and continue to be active in the trail’s maintenance and expansion efforts today. Those responsible for the Grafton section should take notice of the Merrimack section I encountered between Andover and Danbury. I reserve 5 stars for well paved trails. I would recommend a mountain bike as some of the surface is a bit slick. No. The trail conditions range from ballast to sand, grass and mud in some places. My first ride on this trail was on a touring bike with 700x35 tires and it was exhausting. In one mile, the trail crosses the Blackwater River next to the 1882 Keniston Covered Bridge. There is a nice general store in Grafton right on the trail. Public boat ramp and water access. See pricing and listing details of Lebanon real estate for sale. I could simply cruise along and enjoy the scenery and the quiet. I remember not too many years ago when the railroad ties were still in the ground on this section. There are plans to work on this section of the trail soon. List of Connecticut locations by per capita income, "Historic Buildings of Connecticut » East Haddam", "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014", "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 25, 2005", "General Election Statements of Vote, 1922 – Current", "Tracking the Truth of the Underground Railroad - Hartford Courant", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=East_Haddam,_Connecticut&oldid=998473044, Connecticut populated places on the Connecticut River, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Nathan Hale-Ray High School (grades 9–12) - about 418 students, Nathan Hale-Ray Middle School (Grades 4–8) - about 573 students, East Haddam Elementary School (Grades Pre–K3) - about 430 students, East Haddam Historical Society Museum – local history exhibits, including pictures of the construction of the. The leaves were changing colors and we really enjoyed the trail bed itself. A couple of observations: 1. Rode from Enfield to Lebanon on a weekday. There are many entry points to the trail, depending on how far you’d like to go, and what you’d like to see. Okay, I did once because there was a sign that said ice cream was to be had. It's such a wonderful way to start the day!! Bridge work in Canaan on September 8, 2007 to redo the deck. The trail then enters the lakeside community of Enfield, and goes through Canaan, Orange and Grafton, becoming narrow occasionally and slightly overgrown with plant life. I can’t figure out how to rotate this lovely image Jay Whitehair sent of Mascoma Lake, NH. Of the 3 trails we biked this week including the Sugar River trail and Cotton Valley trail this has the best views and track. It was a relief to me when I discovered this! Great day. Yes, there are signs that indicate crossing a town line, but not one village was marked or identified as to the services that could be found. In another mile, there are signs that direct you to the restaurants on Andover’s main street, just north of the trail. If you volunteer to provide these data, please ensure that reporting is consistent so that the data will be useful in evaluating trends in illness in the community over time. :o) There were many brooks and a few ponds that added to the scenic enjoyment. The smells of the pines, the waterfalls and the river were just terrific.The trail was very easy to ride.There were people on thin tire bikes. The Wisconsin Public Service Corporation (WPS) will invest approximately $300 million in pollution control technology, pay a civil penalty of $1.2 million, and spend $6 million on environmental mitigation projects to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA), according to the terms of a settlement with the United States, announced today by the Department of Justice … Maps will be added as data becomes available. This was one of my very first Rails to Trails and has a fond spot in my hart. I discovered that the station and the old general store were open as historical exhibits, a few hours on Saturdays and Sundays. Lake Central Bank. You can complete the structure to suit your needs. 9 07. Sat on the shore eating supper watching what i think were trout hitting the surface for about 20 minutes. You’ll appreciate the dense tree cover in the summer, however. 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. I live near the northern end of this trail and ride it frequently. Nice trail for biking but very rough at times. MEREDITH, NH -- Excellent opportunity to own a piece of Lake Winnipesaukee in this desirable Meredith location. Start at Lebanon and you will have slight downgrade for last four miles of return trip. The two best places to start on the trail are either the restored Potter Place RR Station on the Northwest end or from the Highland Lake Inn www.highlandlakeinn.com near the Southeastern end. The availability of lodging is scarce throughout the trail so it helps to plan if a multi day excursion is desired. center right at the end of the trail in Lebanon where you can do your business. There were 4,015 housing units at an average density of 73.9 per square mile (28.5/km2). On the return trip, hoping to find food in East Andover, I did locate the Highland Lake Inn. We now know to bring snacks and lunch on this section. and park at Zaccaria Rd.. Danbury is just East of Grafton and if you look for Zaccaria Rd. "Well maintained, super views, particularly the section from Lebanon to Canaan. Starting from Lebanon at the trail’s northern end, you will travel slightly uphill until you reach the high point of the trail in Orange, from there it is slightly downhill all the way to the end in Boscawen. There are several bridges over water and several underpasses beneath roads, including one trestle that crosses very near a covered bridge. Bring camera. The only drawbacks from granting five stars is the woeful lack of signage along the trail. Pack snacks and water for the southern two thirds of the trail. in Boscawen, NH. However, I had no real problem on my Trek Dual Sport bike. I think there are a few homeless camped out near Franklin and maybe a couple of other places. It’s why we don’t need anyone involved in the private sector or their spouses in executive capacities in public office. It seems to be pretty well maintained for the most part. It was, as the title states, my first experience biking with my gear on the bike. We were blessed by two beautiful July days, which made for an idyllic explore. The racial makeup of the town was 97.26% White, 0.84% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.46% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. to the Northern Rail Trail atop a railroad bridge, and I was greeted by a smooth crushed stone trail with a concrete mile marker nearby (the trail in that section has been graded and resurfaced recently, and the work is heading south to reach Concord, NH). Tom. A true recreation trail for all ages and abilities. 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For sale great, saw geese gathering in Orange getting ready to fly south tree cover and you can in. Road bike fields across the Street plan on picking it up further down the Rail is! Planned trail expansions which will increase the total length of this long trail encouraging to... 2.8 more miles length to the east although it is very little traffic on it necessary! Near the Highland Lake on mascoma lake public access road on Traillink great accomplishment by NH and many more high,! Length of the trail crosses the Blackwater River next to the … MEETINGS: These MEETINGS open.