Ammonoosuc Rail Trail

The Trail:

The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail offers pleasant views of the surrounding mountains with the Ammonoosuc River always close by. The trail is open all year round and is a popular ATV and snowmobile route. The rail-trail's ungroomed gravel surface is in fair condition with larger stones scattered about. Nothing a mountain bike couldn't handle, though there are some rough stretches especially around the gates.

The trailhead begins at Route 302 and Highland Street in Woodsville. Because of the town's strategic location at the junction of the Ammonoosuc and Connecticut rivers, it was a busy railroad hub until the mid 1960’s. Rte 302 through Woodsville is also known as Central Street and runs parallel to where the railroad tracks once ran. Before the construction of the railroad in 1853, only a handful of buildings existed; a blacksmith shop, sawmill, gristmill and a store.

About 0.25 miles from the start, the trail intersects with the Blackmount Trail in Woodsville behind an auto parts store, which leads four miles north to Haverhill.

Continue biking. You'll ride under the north end of the Bath - Haverill Covered Bridge, the oldest remaining covered bridge in New Hampshire, and travel through several residential communities and stretches of woods occasionally interrupted by fields speckled with wildflowers. There is a trestle bridge over the Ammonoosuc River in Lisbon.

A gold strike near Lisbon on the Ammonoosuc in 1864 led to the opening of several small mines. After your ride try your hand at gold panning in the Wild Ammonoosuc River or visit the regions covered bridges (see Historical Note below). The Frost Place is Robert Frost's farm, now a museum of his life and work. The White Mountain National Forest and the Northeast Kingdom in Vermont are nearby with unlimited mountain biking opportunities.

Historical Note:

Three of the oldest and longest covered bridges in New Hampshire are located in this area; one in Woodsville, another in Bath, and the other in Swiftwater.

Bath-Haverill Covered Bridge
Located one-quarter mile north of U.S. Rte. 302 at Woodsville on N.H. Rte. 135 over the Ammonoosuc River. The Rail Trail passes under the north end of the Bridge. Built in 1829, it is the oldest authenticated covered bridge in New Hampshire. It is 374.5-feet long and crosses the Ammonoosuc River into the village of Bath. The Bath Depot must have been just east of this bridge. There is a sidewalk on the north side of the structure and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bath Bridge
Located west of U.S. Rte. 302 on Pettyboro Road in Bath over the Ammonoosuc River. The bridge was originally constructed in 1832 and features an enclosed sidewalk. The current structure is the fifth bridge to stand on this site.

Swiftwater Bridge
Located North of N.H. Route 112 on Valley Road in Bath over the Wild Ammonoosuc River. This bridge is the fourth to cross the Wild Ammonoosuc River at this site. The first was built in 1810. It was carried away in 1818 by a flood and replaced in the same year. Again, the bridge was destroyed by a flood in 1828. The third bridge was erected in 1829 and remained at the site until 1849. At that time it was dismantled and replaced by the current bridge. The Swiftwater Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Robert Frost Farm (in the area in nearby Derry)

Listed on the National Registry for historic landmarks of national significance. Guided house tours, a children's garden, walks along the Hyla Brook Trail, a summer lecture series, and poetry readings on selected Sundays are all available at the park.

Directions: Located at 122 Rockingham Road (Route 28) in Derry, NH. From I-93: Take Exit 4. East on 102 to Derry Traffic Circle. South on Route 28 and follow signs to Robert Frost Farm Historic Site.

Admission Fees. (www.robertfrostfarm.org) Phone: 603-432-3091

Directions:

Woodsville: The trail begins at the southeast end of the old railroad bridge across the Connecticut River behind Clarkie's Market, a short distance northwest of the Woodsville Station.

Lisbon: Parking in Lisbon, off Central Street next to the old train station. Look for trail parking signs on the corner of Central Street & Route 302 in Lisbon.

Littleton: Large parking lot west of town on Industrial Park Road. Trailhead begins across the road and imediately travels under the I-93 overpass.

Blackmount Trail: Parking available on Route 10 next to the “Augie’s Take-A-Break” pavilion. Look for trail parking signs on the corner of Brier Hill Road & Route 10.

For more information:

For other long distance multi-use rail trails in this region see New Hampshire Rail Trails

Bureau of Trails
Division of Parks & Recreation
NH Dept. of Resources & Econ. Dev.
PO Box 1856
Concord, NH 03302-1856

Phone: (603) 271-3254
TTY Users: 711 (AT&T National Relay Service)

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