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Print Friendly MapClosure 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.
Overview
The 21.4 mile Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail passes such scenic and historical landmarks as covered bridges, abandoned mills, and postcard-perfect towns. Starting on asphalt in Keene, the rail trail can be marked by deep puddles and potholes as it follows the Ashuelot River south to Hinsdale in southern New Hampshire. Mountain bikes are recommended in warmer months, and in winter, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and dogsledding are all permitted.
About the Route
Leaving from Keene at the northern end, the trail starts as an asphalt path that passes through the campus of Keene State College. It crosses a secluded trestle on the Ashuelot River and then takes a pedestrian bridge over busy NH 12/101. The packed gravel here becomes ballast, dirt, and sand a mile south of the bridge.
About 2.5 miles past the pedestrian bridge, the trail crosses the Sawyers Crossing Road, where the circa 1859 Cresson Covered Bridge sits about 500 feet to the left. The trail crosses the river in 0.3 miles near West Swanzey in an area considered moose territory. Passing on the east side of West Swanzey, a 0.3-mile detour right onto Railroad Street and then right onto Main Street which leads to the 1832 Thompson Covered Bridge.
Between West Swanzey and Winchester, the rail trail passes east of Pisgah State Park. At Holbrook Avenue, trail users can detour off the trail to the right for 0.7 miles to find the 1862 Slate Covered Bridge (from Holbrook Avenue, turn right onto Westport Village Road). The trail crosses the Ashuelot River on a trestle about halfway to Winchester, where trail users can find the old railroad depot on Elm Street put to use in a lumber yard.
About 2.2 miles past the old depot in Winchester, the trail arrives in the town of Ashuelot, where there’s another restored railroad depot at the Gunn Mountain Road intersection. Next to the trail is the Ashuelot Covered Bridge, built in 1864 to bring wood across the Ashuelot River to fuel the burners of the railroad’s steam engines. Considered one of New England’s most sophisticated covered bridges, the span is 169 feet long and decorated with intricate latticework.
The slope drops over the next 3 miles to Hinsdale, where the route passes abandoned mills and rusting boxcars on a siding that marks another railroad depot—this one restored and converted into a residence. The trail sticks to a ridge above the town, which is festooned with a clock tower and church steeples. The Ashuelot River empties into the Connecticut River shortly past Hinsdale, and the trail ends 2.6 miles south of town at a trailhead on NH 63.
Connections
At the northern end of the Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail, trail users can connect to the Cheshire Rail Trail.
At the southern end of the trail, trail users can pick up the Fort Hill Recreational Rail Trail.
Trail History
The Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail traces the corridor of the Ashuelot Railroad, which began serving the area in 1851. The Connecticut River Railroad acquired the route in 1877, and the Boston and Maine Railroad took over in 1893. It ran until 1983, helping to spark the late-19th-century manufacturing boom for mills along the river by supplying raw materials and getting products to market.
The Ashuelot Recreational Rail Trail runs between Emerald St. (Keene) and Northfield Rd. (Hinsdale), with parking available at both ends.
Parking is also available at:
Please see TrailLink Map for all parking options and detailed directions.
I would hate for people to avoid this lovely trail because of reports of the washouts. By using the trail map from this app or even Google maps you can easily find nearby roads that allow you to ride around the closed sections. We had a lovely 18.7 mi ride today and we’re able to keep cool because of lots of shade even though it got up to 90 degrees! They were repairing the bridge on the road to the Slate Covered Bridge, but they paused work to let us cross. It will be repaired very soon.
A nice 5 miles to a huge wash out shutting down the trail. We bypassed the closure using the road for 1/2 mi. Only to find another sign saying trail closed. Turned around , do not plan on going more than 5 mi from Keene! Frankie
We rode from Keene to Hinsdale and back. The beginning 4 miles in Keene and last 3-4 miles to Hinsdale are in good shape. The southern end parallels the river and runs above it, giving you some nice views. Stopped at the covered bridge in Ashuelot. The reuse of the old trestle bridges is cool with some good photography opportunities. In between the ends of the trail is a mixed bag of packed single track, tall grass, and rougher gravel. Horse traffic had chewed up the trail for extended lengths. You'll need a hybrid, gravel bike with 40mm tires minimum. Still a fun ride, but expect some rougher spots. Wish that there was better maintenance in the middle sections.
Dirt trail 90%, but there are quiet rural roads paralleling it if it seems too rough in places and the countryside is amazing through Swanzey! The ride out of downtown Keene is very interesting for a few miles as it follows the power lines which have wooden piers(?) under them for maintenance that they were building as I traveled, there is a neat overpass of the highway, but take great care at road crossings as they are unfortunately on sharp curves with nary even a crosswalk painted! Loved this ride.
I preferred from Hillsdale. It is a bit bumpy at first. Rides on a ridge and along a river. We rode about 9 miles in from Hillsdale. Really enjoyed it! Interesting decrepid factory buildings along the river and a beautiful bridge. I have a trek verve 3 pedal assist without any special tires or front fork shock absorbers. It was mostly fine, a big puddle finally got us to turn around.
right about mile 9 from Keene it was too muddy, and trail was not packed gravel anymore so we turned around. most of the trail follows powerlines so not super pretty from Keene. Next time going to try the other end to start neat Winchester…
This was a bike ride from Depot Street in Hinsdale to Keene State College area. Beautiful views of Ashuelot River along ride and several covered bridges. Several old mill buildings in various state of disrepair to look at. The trail from Depot Street to near Riverside Lane in Swansey has good sections of loose gravel with several sections of puddles and mud. This part of the trail is good for mountain bikes and for those that don't mind going through puddles that vary in length from a few feet to over 20 feet long. Some are deep too. A few potholes and gopher holes in this section and one bridge with bad decking boards. I'd rate this first section of the ride a 2. From Riverside Lane up to Keene trail is wide with good gravel base. Easy for most bikes to navigate this. I'd rate this section a 4.
I was a first time user and started from the trailhead near Keene State after parking in the shopping center lot on Emerald St. The pavement was done after the first 0.5 mile and then after the bridge over the highway the trail became packed dirt/stone. It has been dry so the going was fine and the trail is relatively smooth. At mile 5 the trail becomes a 100 yard stretch of sand as it runs along the road- hard going and I just took the road on the way back to bypass it. After this the trail gets narrower until it is simply a dirt track through a mowed strip of grass along a power line right of way. Around mile 7 there started to be patches of mud which had enough solid surface to get through, the longest was probably 20-30 yards long. I wasn't able to reach my goal of 10 miles before turning back due to a large mud puddle (mostly puddle) at mile 8.7- no way to bypass it due to the overgrown vegetation on each side and more mud than I was in the mood to handle. But I enjoyed the ride, it was not crowded when out of Keene (between 9-11am on a Saturday morning). My bike is a hybrid with road tires and did OK.
We started north from the Ashuelot River Campground. North ride was much nicer than the southern ride. North trail nice and wide and obviously well taken care of. Going south, not so nice . Basically ends up being and old narrow and rough ride. Could be muddy, if raining. Be careful of an old iron, wood beam bridge. Many rotten boards and nail heads popped up. That was enough, we road back on the road.
started at the southern terminus at rte 63 North of Northfield Mass. and South of Hinsdale. The trail starts across rte 63 from the large parking lot, up on the berm. The trail is in poor condition at this point. The trail is not much more than a unused fire road. A better starting point would be the Hinsdale rail station. My highlight was the Ashuelot Covered Bridge. I returned to my car from that point.
We took the advice of a previous reviewer and began our ride at the athletic fields on Kroc Street in Keene. We headed southwest and ride to Monadnock Speedway . The first several miles are well pack and relatively smooth. After that the trail is a mixed bag. A couple short sandy sections, a couple very muddy areas, and some narrow grassy riding. The grades are easy and overall the trail is very rideable. On our next outing here we will start by the Speedway, where there is enough parking for several cars.
We did part of the northern section starting in Keene.
As we rode further from Keene the trail became more rustic and sandy.
The next day we rode from the southern end. This part of the trail was also a challenge in spots. However the river and the history made both rides enjoyable.
Today my husband and I took the trail from Keene and went 6 miles before turning back just due to our own time constraints. The trail is used but not crowded. It is excellent for bikes BUT not skinny wheel bikes! Also the bridge is out in Keene so begin the trail at 110 Krif Rd, Keene, NH 03431 by the Keene State Athletic Field. There is parking and the trail is right there. We had a great time and will do it again in the future.
Instead of the heavily used trails, l looked for one off the beaten path, so to speak. I found this trail searching for NH trails and was somewhat familiar to the area after going to Monadnock Speedway over the years. I didn't realize this trail runs across the entrance to it. After reading a bit, it seems it is partially a paved trail but only near Keene. Figured I would start at the southern end since it's only an hour from where I live. I found the parking area easy enough and figured I'd start the trail from there which is right across the street. I see that the trail goes south a little more but in all honesty, driving on the road getting to the parking area or after leaving, I couldn't see where you actually get to the trail end. Since it's only a quarter mile more, I didn't bother backtracking to figure it out. Trail is unpaved on the southern end and I had read a few people's comments about how they couldn't get past the speedway since the trail isn't maintained all that well in that area. I went up to where it crosses over Rt. 119 (short distance west from the intersection of Rt. 10) then rode back on the highway back to the parking lot. The trail is a mix of grass, gravel, some mud but not much, soft sand and the like. Looks like they just took the tracks out and cleaned it up a bit and said here you go. It wasn't all that difficult to get through the section I did which was about 8 miles, give or take. I used a hybrid bike and had no real issues. I wouldn't recommend a road bike at all. It was a fun ride, saw all the stuff people had mentioned about the old tracks, rail shed and covered bridge. It was a pretty cool ride. I didn't see any other bikers the whole time I rode through the area and only a 2 other people out walking. I did see a couple devices on the side of the trail which had cables running across it. It appeared to be devices to record how much usage, somewhat like you'd see driving a car across a road. Not sure why they are doing this, it's not like I think they're putting too much into this section if this is the state doing this recording. I wonder if by chance it was paved that it would bring more people in. However, I don't see where those using it would help economically since it's not going into any business areas. Some trails have businesses near it like ice cream stands or convenience stores but this section is not designed for that. Time will tell I guess. Maybe I'll go back next year to see if I can get past the race track area. A good Sunday ride through the woods.
I started the trail in Hinsdale, and found it reasonably rideable (I use a Specialized hybrid) through Winchester and a few miles beyond. However, the trail started to get rougher including some wet areas. I came to a spot where it followed high tension lines and by the time I got to the monadnock speedway, I was done. I went back to Winchester via Rt 10 and then caught the trail back to my car. Not my favorite trail, but if you have the bike and the inclination, it could be fun for you
We started the trail in Keene. The first 5 miles were nice, but we had to dodge pretty deep chipmunk holes. The trail is very poorly marked and we missed seeing the Sawyer Crossing Covered bridge which could not be seen by the trail. After 7.5 miles we got turned around by heavy mud, water and a downed tree. I would say this trail might be perfect for equestrians and aggressive mountain bikers.
From West Swanzey toward Winchester, trail isn't as good for biking as it has not been improved as much as the Keene to West Swanzey portion.
There are two errors in the directions:
About 2.5 miles past the pedestrian bridge, you’ll cross Sawyers Crossing Road, where the circa 1859 Cresson Covered Bridge sits about 500 feet to the right (should read 'to the left'). The trail crosses the river in 0.3 mile near West Swanzey in an area considered moose territory. Passing on the east side of West Swanzey, a 0.3-mile detour right onto Christian Hill Road (should read 'right onto Railroad Street and then right onto Main Street which') leads to the 1832 Thompson Covered Bridge. (FYI: Main Street becomes Christian Hill Road at the bridge over the rail trail and one cannot turn right or left onto either road because the trail passes well below the road level).
Hi Guys!
I started this ride at the Hinsdale trail-head. Big mistake! The trail is poor and the vegetation is overgrown. It had to be over 2 feet high. There is a very small area to ride that's about a foot wide. Otherwise, it's very hard to ride and stay out of the vegetation. It was also very, very buggy for some reason. I know it's summer and bugs are out there, but it was unusually buggy. I used a lot of bug spray, but it didn't matter. The little suckers wanted me and got me. It is a very pretty area of the state, but I wouldn't go back until the fall, or maybe starting from the northern start point. I'm new to biking and can not do the whole length of this trail yet.
Very much disappointed. From Keen, I both tried for this trail and Cheshire trail, too. Compared to other trails in other states, these two rails are both so poor in views and surface conditions except first 5 miles. Only good for MTB!
Hi folks,
I read the reviews and went anyway. Started at the Hinsdale end on Northfield Road and went 10 miles. The trail starts on a private driveway directly across from the gas station. I truly enjoyed my ride. Yes it does have mixed surface conditions; abandoned buildings from some industrial past; and the horse-impacted stretch. But is also boasts spectacular river views, covered bridge worth seeing, and a nice trail bridge to ride over. Best of all, the reviews seem to have kept it quiet and underused.
The worst of it is at about mile 8 where the trail first crosses Old Westport Road and Old Spofford Road. There, the horses have torn up the trail and you go between jarring bumps and deeply worked lose sandy soil that will grab your wheel and bring you to an involuntary stop. These conditions last 1.5 miles or there abouts. I won't ride that stretch again; but such is life with multiuse trails.
After mile 10, I exited the trail on the second crossing of Old Westport Road and used the road to bypass the bike unfriendly portion for my return leg. The road is a pleasant spin through farm country.
Overall I found the trail low gradient, shaded, and with easy road crossings. It's not the place to set the land speed record on your road bike and I would not bring young children. But it is certainly teenager compatible and heck, I had 2 hours to kill near Brattleboro and this was just the ticket.
Ashuelot river trail north of West St Keene is short but scenic, today we did 15 miles round trip on southern part of Ashuelot river trail south of Keene. The trail is really nice for about 4-5 miles after that you follow the power lines and not the river and the going is not as smooth but OK with hybrid bike. We went as far as Swanzey Lake Rd which you can see from a brown house who's back yard is the trail and that is about 7.5 miles one way and it is mostly flat .
My husband and I recently completed this entire rail trail from route 63 in Hinsdale all the way to Keene. We did this in 5-mile increments and we both enjoyed every mile. My husband is an advanced mountain bike rider and I'm more of a beginner.
Almost the whole trail is old railroad bed of packed ballast with shorter gravel and sandy sections. This is NOT a road bike trail and those of us that have mt bikes like it exactly the way it is!!!
The first 5-mile section from route 63 in Hinsdale to the old Ashuelot depot and covered bridge on Gunn Mountain Rd off of route 119 was spectacular. There is only one small spot where a bridge most have been that is a short, steep down and then quick up the other side which requires any technical skill. I just choose to walk my bike down and then back up. This section of the trail goes by some fascinating old, abandoned mills with some spooky looking old tracks.
The second 5-mile section from the Ashelot covered bridge to Old Westport Rd in Winchester is only slightly more technical.
The third 5-mile section from Old Westport Rd to Railroad Rd in West Swanzey was a beautiful ride.
The forth 5-mile section from West Swanzey to Keene while beautiful was, for us, pretty boring. This section of the trail is hard pan dirt and, when dry, would easily accommodate road bikes.
All in all a fantastic biking resource which we are delighted to have discovered. We'll be back often!
First it was hard to find the trail head next looking for parking and then when we finally started riding on it we didn't even get a mile before there was major construction and blockage going on the Keene trailhead... big disappointment
We biked this trail a couple of years ago and it is gradually being improved. Can go about 5 - 6 miles south and NW. They have put in a bridge over Rt 9/10/12 so that reduces the risk of crossing a very busy road. Crossing 101 going south still is hazardous. Pretty good ride both directions although horses had been on it for a short distance and didn't help the surface. Getting better!
It's scenic easy riding until the intersection of Eaton Rd, Pine St, Railroad St. Then it turns into up-to-the-axles mud and wet lands. I bailed and took South Grove St down to the intersection of Homestead Ave and got back on the trail. From there it was single track mixed with mud holes. And nonstop deer flies. A good variety for different riding preferences.
My 13 YO and I headed out to do Keene to Ashuelot Covered Bridge. Should have read the reviews here first. ABSOLUTELY correct that starting in Swanzey it's just a cleared way, NOT a bike path for anyone riding anything less than some extremely hard core off road bike that can take mud up to the hubs and a heavy duty mudmucking rider. I'm not talking about someone who doesn't want to do puddles here. It was asking you to ride through a wetland. Really disappointing. We thought possibly the place under the bridge was an anomaly. No. It's spot after spot of swamp. By the time we backtracked, and got our bearings on the road we were out of time to head all the way to Winchester. This would be a fabulous ride if whoever fairy godmother's the funding for trails like this came through with money to upgrade the trail to the condition it is right outside of Keene. My suggestion would be to get off the trail at Sawyer's Crossing rd. Make a right off the trail at Sawyer's Crossing and follow it out to Rt. 10. Take Rt 10 south (nice wide shoulder makes traffic not such a big deal)Then possibly get back on at Coombs Bridge rd. I didn't ride south from Coombs Bridge but it looked more improved again at that point.
As in the previous review five miles south from Keene was regraded hard pack 8 feet wide a joy to ride on! Great scenery and some nice bridges. And then at West Swanzey the trail became single track, over grown weeds, deep mud ruts, deep mud holes and passable only for the technical mountain bike riders. We can only look forward to the day when the rest of this trail becomes usable for everyone.
The good, the bad, and the ugly: Like much of New England in the few months that aren't winter, this makes for some pretty tough sledding in spots. My 14 year old son and I rode from downtown Keene all the way to the trailhead in Hinsdale on our mountain bikes. I wouldn't recommend parts of this on anything less rugged. About 5 miles south of Keene was shin-deep in mud holes off and on for 1/2 mile. Since we've had a lot of rain this summer (2013) there were several spots that were loose gravel, and a handful of sand traps that were waiting to snatch your front tire out from under you if you're not paying attention.
That being said, it was a fantastic ride! Gorgeous August weather, riding through miles and miles of cool, shady tunnels of trees, a few patches that were grown over with tall grass and flowers like some wild single track, and wending to and fro, back and forth over the river on rusty iron bridges with scenery straight from Yankee magazine. And of course, all of the deep, earthy smells you don't get from a car, for better or worse - you decide.
My favorite part is the east-west leg from Hinsdale to Winchester then back, high above the Asheulot river, flying down well-packed trail, deep and dark in the trees, with a few rocks to hop here and there, very few encounters with pedestrians or vehicle crossings, and a gentle grade that makes for a good cruising speed when you're heading west around the old Hinsdale station.
Just because the whole trail isn't necessarily suited for a leisurely Sunday stroll (nor strollers), there are plenty of miles of pleasant riding to be enjoyed.
The trail has been much improved with hardpack surface from Keene into West Swanzey. Tentative plans to improve the rest of the trail south. A great site for xc skiing beginning at the Sawyer's Crossing Bridge either direction (generally maintained by snowmobile groups).
Used more by snowmobilers(who maintain it) than by bicyclists or anyone else for that matter, this trail is truly a recreational jewel in SW NH. I have riden this trail many, many times and I live in one of the towns that it passes through. It follows the Ashuelot river and crosses it several times using the old railroad bridges which are still in decent shape. If you start at Dole Junction in Hinsdale, there's a dirt parking lot on the west side of Rt 63 north of the MA state line. You can ride the rail trail along the Connecticut river to Brattleboro, VT on the west side of Rt 63 or cross the road and travel north all the way to Keene more than 20 miles away. At the start of the ride, there are nice distance views to the west. Once the trail turns east, it follows the Ashuelot river with it's class III and IV rapids. It climbs steadily with the river all the way to Ashuelot(Winchester) where it turns north again to follow the river through Winchester and Swanzey on the way to Keene. In Keene, the end of the trail runs right by the KSU campus on it's way to The Center at Keene where the old railroad maintenance facility roundhouse has been cleverly disguised as modern shops with a semi circular, brick courtyard. Here it joins the Cheshire County Rail Trail, another great scenic trail more than 30 miles long which runs from the roundhouse, SE through Keene, Troy and Fitzwilliam on it's way towards Winchendon, MA or NW through Keene to Westmoreland. In fact, they are right now building a bridge over RT 9/12 in Keene where at times, it is almost impossible to cross the multiple lanes of traffic. All of the rail trails in Cheshire County are wonderful experiences, not to be missed. Try the trail from Jaffrey NH to Winchendon, MA. Yes, they can be challenging and yes they are long and have no facilities but they are without a doubt, some of the most beautiful, scenic trails I have ever ridden. Scenic vistas, remote grottos, wild streams and rivers, old farms and abundant wildlife with lack of people are just some of the pleasant surprises that await the competent off-road rider looking for an easy trail ride. If you want to spice it up a bit, there are dozens of side trails and old roads to keep you busy exploring for as long as you want. I have ridden many paved trails and they are fun and easy but can become boring for lack of challenge. If you can ride 20 miles of Cheshire County or New Hampshire rail trails, you can ride 40 miles of pavement on Cape Cod. I believe that one of the best things that the state of NH ever did was to purchase the old B&M right of ways and tear out the tracks to make recreational trails. If you've ever ridden any rail trails, you have to marvel at all the work that went into the railroads. Especially considering that they did not have modern power equipment when they built those 80 ft high causeways that cross the valleys or those big block, granite bridges over the old roads and streams. All along these trails you will discover relics and other evidence of the antique machinery that once transported most commerce in this country. I am impressed and very grateful for this lost legacy which has become a very valuable resource for the few people who use it.
Rode the trail on May 29, 2010. I started from Keene and headed south. The first 4 miles are not bad. After that, it became very rough. I have a hybrid bike, so it is designed for onroad and a fair amount of off roading. Even with a mountain bike, it would have been tough in many spots. This has a lot of sand throughout the trail, making it very difficult. There had been very little rain for weeks, yet many spots were muddy. At a few points, it was hard to tell if I was on the trail or not. One spot was through a field for over 1/2 mile. No trail markers, no dirt path. The only indication was the owner of the land had run a tractor over the grass leaving a mowed path through the taller grass. Another thing was the amount of tree fall debris through the trail. Many times, had to get off the bike and lift it through the woods to get around the fallen trees. I made it to Hinsdale, and within a mile after the restored train station, there was a tree fall with at least a dozen good size trees blocking the trail. There was no way to get around it, forcing me to turn around with less than a mile to the end.
I was surprised by the lack of scenery. Granted, there were a couple of pretty spots, but much of the ride is either following power lines or through people's backyards. Not very scenic. There were many different forms of wildlife, which was nice. Deer, beaver, turtles, hawks and more.
Overall, there are much nicer trails to try. I would suggest trying them first. This one was long, hard and boring. I bike trails consistantly and this one is probably the least enjoyable of them all.
I started from the Hinsdale side this afternoon and rode half the trail. Aside from a couple of trees that had fallen at the outset, the trail was in great shape. Completely dry with many leaves to crunch through. The surface (hard dirt with some rocks, a bit of sand) combined with the flat grade was ideal for a novice mountain biker like me. Riding behind the abandoned buildings was a little creepy if you are alone and female (there was literally no one else on the trail the entire afternoon), so you may want to keep that in mind if you are riding on a weekday. The scenery was spectacular, as the leaves have just started to change. The one thing that would have been helpful would have been mile markers, even every couple of miles for orientation. Other than that, the experience was perfect, and I'm excited to start from the other end and make my way south!
I'd like to mention that people trail ride their horses on this trail. Please be careful when you approach a horse and rider, a horse cannot see you if you approach from behind. Horses are not like dogs, they can spook and throw their rider which could result in serious injury or death. If you do come up behind a horse please say something in a calm gentle voice so you don't scare the horse and wait for the rider to respond. Most riders are courteous and will either move to one side and wave to you or tell you it's ok to go. If you approach a horse from the front they could also spook because you might be going to fast towards them. In that case it's best to stop and wait for the horse and rider to pass. When you go by a horse and rider please give them plenty of room, a horse can deliver quite a painful kick (they can also kick out to the side). I've ridden on these trails with my horse long before it was opened to the general public and never seen a soul. But after it was opened to the public I've met up with many people who are just clueless about horses. I've had joggers and mountain bikers either come up behind me scaring my horse. I had one jogger that was so close I could've touched her head, if I didn't keep all 4 hooves on the ground by keeping my horse moving forward she would've had one planted in her chest. I've even met up with rude mountain bikers who kept on riding by me when I've asked them to stop because my horse is ready to buck or bolt. I had one that said to me "I pay taxes I have the right to ride here" and she kept going while my horse was trying to rear up.
So please be careful so we all can enjoy the trails together.
We rode the trail for about ten miles from Hinsdale toward Keene on 8/25/08 -- a beautiful sunny day with temps in the 70's. Had read previous reviews about sandy conditions after about the ten-mile point so turned around at Monadnock Speedway and returned. Very scenic trail mostly through wooded areas. We rode Trek hybrids, with comfy seats and fairly wide tires due to the roots and rocks. Definitely not suitable for road bikes, as other reviewers have mentioned. Enjoyed the trail very much despite some bumpy parts and short sections that were sandy, but overall, trail is in fine shape, considering the surface is not *improved*. Had some difficulty finding the trailhead, but with some directions from the local firemen washing vehicles at the fire station, were able to find it. Recommended trail with beautiful new Hampshire scenery!
"This trail is home base for me. I think it's silly to hear people complain about short segments of a trail. Sometimes some sandy parts are sandier than others. If you bicycle through the rain, it will be muddier. But the trail is very good throughout, and if you don't like dirt or bicycling when it gets ""tough"" for a minute, then either don't go bicycling, or keep your opinion to yourself. Every day is a different day outside in NH and this is an excellent trail to use. As a mountain cyclist, I appreciate challenge. There's always a challenge cycling or hiking, and a true outdoors person doesn't complain about the outdoors."
This trail follows the Connecticut river and provides some really spectacular scenery. It is particularly beautiful this time of year. This trail is not really suitable for a road bike because of the rocks, but it is easily ridden with a mountain bike. We started at the southern most point (a parking area) on the trail and road 6 miles north. The first two miles are loose ballast but because of leaves, the ride wasn't too bad. Watch out for the first bridge since the spaces between the boards could catch even a mountain bike tire. The next two miles are shared with cars who are using a local lake (no real traffic). The road is potholed, but is a fairly easy ride. Beyond that is packed fine gravel. We went as far as the Citgo station (about 6 miles from our start point). Beyond this, it appeared that the trail was less travelled and there was a fair amount of overgrowth. It was nearing sunset, so we turned back at this point. One last comment - beware of hunters who share the trail in the fall. They seem to like sunset in particular.
"Date: Sept 16, 2006
Weather: great
Starting point (mile 0): parking lot off Rt 63 near S end of trail
Bike: Hybird 700 x 38 tires with tread for mixed dirt and pavement
The good news is the southern end of this trail has great views of Ashuelot River and by NH unimproved trail standards the trail surface condition is OK but not for narrow tires (don't think about using a road bike ... my son's mountain bike would have a better choice.)
At the 10 mile mark all this changes ... soft sand and then much worse, soft dirt. I had to walk the bike for about 1 mile.
From about 11 mile mark to 16 mile mark you need to watch for soft dirt and in place may need to walk your bike. This section mostly follows power lines and is not very interesting.
At the 16 mile mark first you encounter very soft dirt and the water ... a real marsh. Don't think about riding thru it. Walk you bike and get wet feet.
From this point to Keene the trail has been improved but it is not very pretty.
My advice:
1) Go to the fairly nearby Sugar River bike path or
2) Take a round trip on the 10 most southern miles of the trail. Because I had to be in Keene and the soft sand / dirt cut my speed to 8 MPH I did not have time to explore the towns along the way. I wished I had had time to do so.
The middle part of this trail is not a good bike path ... too much loose dirt and sand."
We road a short segment including the Ashuelot crossing south of Westport. Rideable in parts; deep sand elsewhere. NH trails are not to be recommended for bikers.
"Left Winchester at 11am on a cool day that warmed up later.
The first 1/3 up to the Monadnock Speedway is sandy and slow going. The trail crosses Rt.10 and other roads quite frequently and after the speedway got better. It is a scenic trail and in what seems to be the NH tradition of not being well graded but trimmed of grass and brush with nice bridges. There was on very wet section under an overpass in west swanzey that you can use the road to go around. The covered bridges you pass near are worth the extra side trips. Take the time to find out where they are in relation to the trail. We had lunch in Keene about 2pm and returned the same way, but cut the last sandy mile off by jumping on a road that paralleled the trail."
"8-2-05 started at Dole Jct. Trail head was 2.2 miles south of Hinsdale on rt.63 and from south is shorter to find from Northfield and head north on rt.63. parking on rt.63 on west side of rd. Head north on east side of rt.63 for Ashuelot. First mile some weeds and wet, but rained the night before. at Hinsdale found nice restored station. biked to Winchester and had lunch. On return route we took right down hill into Hinsdale and after asking directions, found a different return rt. I think it is the Conn. river RR and starts at boat ramp on conn. river and gets you right back to your vehicle. Trail varied from nicely packed dirt to very rough, but steady climbs and great views. Don't miss the covered bridge. "
"The section of this trail between Hinsdale and Winchester is very pleasant; the trail is like a constantly curving and tunnelling through the woods. Two or three miles immediately south of Keene are also pleasant. However, there are about five or six miles just north of Winchester that are just long, straight stretches of recently bulldozed dirt, with some stretches of thick sand, that run under a power line. These are not pleasant and I recommend avoiding them, especially on hot days. Hopefully, the trail will not be bulldozed or graded with large earthmoving equipment again."
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