CONCORD-LAKE SUNAPEE RAIL TRAIL

CONCORD-LAKE SUNAPEE RAIL TRAIL:

CONCORD-WARNER-BRADFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE

-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-

Last Updated: January 08, 2025

Length: Concord Trail Section; 2.4 miles

Mast Yard Rail Trail (Hopkinton); 1.7 miles

Stevens Rail Trail (Warner); 2.2 miles

Bagley Field Rail Trail (Warner); 0.7 miles

Warner Rail Trail; 0.3 miles

Tilly Wheeler Rail Trail (Bradford); 0.6 miles.

Difficulty: Concord Trail Section; Easy. Flat stone-dust & hard packed dirt rail trail.

Mast Yard Rail Trail (Hopkinton); Moderate. Flat, hard packed dirt, gravel & grass rail bed. Some double track. Mt bike recommended.

Stevens Rail Trail (Warner); Easy. Flat stone-dust rail trail.

Warner Rail Trail; Easy. Stone-dust/crushed gravel rail trail.

Tilly Wheeler Rail Trail (Bradford); Easy. Flat, hard packed dirt & grass and stone-dust rail trail.

Directions:

For the Concord Section [Eastern End]; From I-93 take exit 15W to Route 202 west. Turn right on Route 3 north. Travel 3.2 miles to the parking area on your left.

For the Mast Yard Rail Trail in Concord & Hopkinton [Eastern Section]; From I-89 take exit 7 to Route 103 east to your first left onto Route 127. Cross the river and head right on Dustin Rd, which becomes E Penacook Rd, then Warner Rd. Turn right on Horse Hill Rd. Parking area will be on your right at Lehtinen Park (granite marker).

For the Stevens Rail Trail in Hopkinton & Warner [Central Section]; From I-89 take exit 6 to Route 127 north and cross the Contoocook River. On your right you can park and check out the old Contoocook Railroad Covered Bridge. A century and a half ago up to ten trains a day would steam across the covered railroad bridge over the Contoocook River, packed with vacationers heading to Lake Sunapee and beyond. The rail bed northeast of here has been developed. Turn left on Pine St and travel 0.3 miles to Houston Park on your right.

For the Bagley Field Rail Trail & Warner Rail Trail in Warner [Central Section]; From I-89 take exit 7 to Route 103 west. Travel about 2 miles. On your right is the entrance to Bagley Field. Continue north on Route 103 for 2.3 miles. Turn left on Depot St. Parking lot on your right.

For the Tilly Wheeler Trail in Bradford [Northern Section]; No parking area that I know of. This is a very short section.

The Concord-Lake Sunapee Rail Trail is an envisioned trail following the former rail bed of the Concord-Claremont Railroad from Concord Northwest to Lake Sunapee. Currently 6 sections have been completed. For more information visit; CONCORD-LAKE SUNAPEE RAIL TRAIL .

Concord Section Trail:

Starting from the Fisherville Road parking lot (Route 3) in Concord [Eastern End]; Map Board & BIKE STATION.

Note; Heading South the trail quickly dead ends alongside Fisherville Rd.

The stone-dust trail travels West along the old rail bed past fields. You soon head into the woods and cross a road at 0.7 miles into a thick Pine forest. Pass by an old wooden RR Mileage Marker CJ52/C5 (Claremont Junction 52 miles/Concord 5 miles). These old RR Mileage Markers were located every mile along the railroad. Then pass by 3 old cement RR Rail Holders at 0.9 miles. + See; RR Rail Holders Below.

Note; Construction began in Jan 2025, from Bog Rd 1.25 miles to Carter Hill Rd.

After 1.1 miles the trail is hard packed dirt, cinder & gravel. Travel through a rough rock cut and the trail improves as you parallel Bog Rd. Travel through a narrow tree tunnel passing by another old wooden RR Mileage Marker CJ51/C6 and 3 old cement RR rail track holders just before 2 miles, after which, the trail narrows some with more grass. Come to Carter Hill Rd at 2.4 miles. The old rail bed disappears into the woods where it would have crossed the river. The old RR bridge is long gone. Only the abutments remain in the Contoocook River.

Mast Yard Rail Trail:

Starting from the Lehtinen Park parking area in Concord [Eastern End]; A narrow dirt & gravel trail brings you down to the old rail bed. Lots of signage. Heading right (West) the hard packed dirt, gravel & grass Mast Yard Rail Trail follows the old rail bed across a wide metal RR bridge over the Contoocook River. The trail widens, however it soon become double track with some roots. You come to an intersection at 0.7 miles as you cross into Hopkinton. This is as far as I traveled. Grass thickens. It ends after 1.7 miles.

Stevens Rail Trail:

Starting from Hopkinton Town Library parking lot in Hopkinton [Southern End];

The trail has been extended Northeast, from the Hopkinton Town Library, to Kearsarge Ave. I haven't checked out this section.

Head West along a dirt road through Houston Park. Look right as the road turns left to spot a hard packed dirt, sand & grass trail that travels through the woods out to Spring St at 0.4 miles. Cross the street where you'll pick up the old rail bed. Here the wide, stone-dust Stevens Rail Trail, travels Northwest through the woods. You'll pass by some old cement RR Rail Holders, + See; RR Rail Holders Below, before passing by RR MILE MARKER C13/CJ44 at 0.8 miles. RR Mile Markers were located every mile along the railroad. You'll pass by another old cement RR Rail Holders at 1.8 miles and pass by old wooden RR MILE MARKER C14/CJ43 (Concord 14 miles/Claremont Junction 43 miles). After 1.9 miles you turn off the old rail bed where the trail winds along an open wooded corridor out to Warner Road in Warner after 2.2 miles. On-road parking.

Warner Rail Trail; Bagley Field Section:

Starting from Bagley Field Parking lot in Warner [Southern End];

Heading Northwest past the orange gate, the wide stone-dust Bagley Field Rail Trail quickly crosses an old RR bridge, across the Warner River. I haven't checked out this next section. The trail continues through the woods, parallel to I-89, before ending after 0.7 miles next to the Warner River and next to Exit 8.

Heading Southeast the crushed gravel rail trail travels through the woods. Pass by a Map Board & BIKE STATION next to the Route 103 parking area. Come alongside the Warner River before the trail ends after 0.5 miles.

Warner Rail Trail:

Starting from W Joppa Road in Warner [Southern End]; Check out the Dalton Covered Bridge over the Warner River. The flat, stone-dust Warner Rail Trail travels Northwest through the woods as it parallels the Warner River. The Story Walk also utilizes this trail. Beginning at the Pilsbury Free Library on Depot St [Northern End] a story is revealed page-by-page over the course of twenty one podiums placed along the trail. Cross a culvert over Willow Brook. Come to an orange gate, turn right up Depot St and you'll come to the Depot Street parking lot after 0.3 miles.

Future plans call for continuing the trail Northeast through Warner. See; Map below. Lower right in blue & yellow on the Map is the completed Warner Rail Trail; Bagley Field Section. Orange is the Exit 8 project. Under study in 2024. On the left edge of the picture in red is the 136 & 174 E Main Project. This section of rail bed has been apportioned, just waiting for future construction.

The Exit 9 project. Future plans call for constructing a trail to get from the East Side to the West Side of I-89 in Warner, as well as, 2 new bridges. Under study in 2023.

Tilly Wheeler Rail Trail:

Starting from Church Street in Bradford [Southern End]; I haven't checked out this section. The flat, hard packed dirt & grass Tilly Wheeler Trail travels Northwest through wooded Whitman Park. You cross Gillingham Dr at 0.3 miles where the stone-dust trail now travels alongside Route 103. Cross a bridge and a causeway between Todd Lake before you pass a kiosk and come to High St at 0.6 miles.

Old Railroad Equipment:

+ RR Rail Holders:
RR Rail Holders were used to store extra railroad track alongside the train tracks. Usually made of iron or concrete, the top is shaped like a small U to keep the tracks from falling off. I assume these were used to keep the rails off the ground and quickly available if needed. Couldn't find any information on them.

CLICK HERE FOR CONCORD-LAKE SUNAPEE RAIL TRAIL MAP

CLICK HERE FOR MAST YARD STATE FOREST TRAILS MAP

CLICK HERE FOR WARNER RAIL TRAIL; BAGLEY FIELD SECTION MAP

CLICK HERE FOR WARNER RAIL TRAIL MAP

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