NEW BOSTON RAIL TRAIL:
NEW BOSTON, NEW HAMPSHIRE
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: November 25, 2024
Length: New Boston Rail Trail; 3.9 miles
New Boston Conservation Rail Trail; 1 mile
Difficulty: New Boston Rail Trail; Easy. Flat, crushed gravel rail trail.
New Boston Conservation Rail Trail; Easy. Flat gravel road.
Directions:
From the junction of Route 13 & 114 in Goffstown:
To start from the Riverside Drive parking lot [Northern End]; Follow Route 114 west for 1.7 miles and turn left on Parker Rd, then your first right on Riverside Dr. Parking lot will be on your right.
To start from the Lang Station parking lot [Central Section]; Follow Route 13 west for 4 miles. Turn right on Greg Mill Rd, cross the river and turn left into the Lang Station parking lot.
To start from the Hillsborough County Youth Center parking lot [Southern End]; Follow Route 13 west for 6 miles, Turn right on Hillsdale Lane. Follow this road into the Youth Center and keep right along the dirt road. Just past the horse barn is the trailhead and parking area.
The New Boston Rail Trail follows the old rail bed of the 1893 Boston & Maine RR, which was abandoned in the 1970's. The trail parallels the South Branch of the Piscataquog River. The New Boston Rail Trail travels Southwest, from Riverside Dr to the Hillsborough County 4H Fairgrounds. From it's Northern End, there is a GAP, East, to the Goffstown Rail Trail in Goffstown, which utilizes the same old rail bed. For more information visit; NEW BOSTON RAIL TRAIL .
Starting from the Riverside Drive parking lot [Northern End]; Map Board.
Note; Heading Northeast, the old rail bed is undeveloped, with a bridge missing across a river. The rail bed turns East, to Locker Rd, past which most of the old rail bed is inaccessible to the Goffstown Rail Trail in Goffstown. You can connect to this trail on-road. See; Goffstown Rail Trail for directions. See; Map Below.
Note; According to the Goffstown Rail Trail website, I believe there is a BIKE LANE all along this route now.
The gravel New Boston Rail Trail heads Southwest, into the woods, along the old rail bed. Mile Markers are located every 1/4 mile and start from both ends. This Northern Section has a rougher surface as it is gravel, not crushed gravel or stone-dust. Benches are located all along the trail. Just past the 3/4 Mile Marker come to a Map Board and the Parker Road parking lot on your left. You then head up and over Parker Rd, as the old rail bed was filled in for the road. After a mile you'll start to parallel the South Branch of the Piscataquog River, down along your left. Past the 2 Mile Marker the trail is smoother as you cross an iron bridge over the Middle Branch of the Piscataquog River, before crossing Gregg Mill Rd and coming to the Lang Station parking lot at 2.3 miles. Here you'll find the old Lang Station, which was built by the RR as an open shelter and constructed of local stones. Informational signs. If you go to the rear of the old station you'll find a "Book Share" space. Just past the 3 Mile Marker you'll find a bench overlooking the river. This was the site of the Wilson Dickey Mill. You can still see the old Canal, where the river was diverted to power the mill. Picnic table here as well. A couple of small rock cuts before you come to the end of the trail after 3.9 miles. Crossing the cement bridge brings you to the Hillsborough County 4H Fairgrounds parking lot.
Note; You can continue Southwest, through the fairgrounds, along the gravel road to the Southern End of the fairgrounds. Left, South, the road exits the fairgrounds out to Route 13. Instead continue right, to another gravel road on your left at about 0.4 miles. On the Map they refer to this as the New Boston Conservation Rail Trail, as it follows the old rail bed. I believe it's "Share the road", however, I don't imagine their are many cars that use it. You can follow this gravel road West, then South, through the woods. It will bring you to Depot St after about 1 mile. Just before Depot St is the old New Boston RR Depot. Impressive building. See; NB HISTORICAL SOCIETY .
HH
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BIKE IT OR HIKE IT