NORTHERN RAIL TRAIL:
LEBANON-BOSCAWEN, NEW HAMPSHIRE
MASCOMA RIVER GREENWAY:
LEBANON, NEW HAMPSHIRE
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: December 30, 2025
Length: Northern Rail Trail; 58 miles
Mascoma River Greenway; 2.8 miles
Riverside Community Trail; 0.5 miles
Difficulty: Northern Rail Trail; Easy. Flat stone-dust rail trail.
Mascoma River Greenway; Easy. Flat paved rail trail.
Riverside Community Trail; Easy. Flat, narrow crushed gravel trail.
Directions:
To Start from Glen Road in Lebanon for the Mascoma River Greenway: [Western End]; From I-89 take exit 19 to Mechanic St and travel west to Miracle Mile. Cross the river and take your first left down Glen Rd. A dirt parking area will be on your left.
To Start from Spencer Street in Lebanon for the Northern Rail Trail; [Northern End]; From I-89 take exit 18 to Route 120 south. Continue on Routes 4 & 120 around Colburn Park to Campbell St. Follow Campbell St for a 1/4 mile and turn left on Spencer St. Just past the trailhead on your right will be a parking lot on your left and straight ahead.
To Start from Potter Place Station parking lot in Andover for the Northern Rail Trail; [Central Section]; From I-93 take exit 20 to Routes 3 south & 11 west. Cross the Merrimack River past Franklin and continue right on Route 11. Follow Route 11, which soon joins with Route 4, for 11 miles to Andover. Continue another 1.5 miles past Andover. Just before the junction where Routes 4 & 11 split, turn left down Depot St (no sign present). Follow road left and you'll come to the refurbished Potter Place Station.
To start from Jamie Welch Park in Boscawen for the Northern Rail Trail; [Southern End]; From I-93 take exit 17 to Route 4 and head right (West). Continue straight when Routes 3 & 4 merge. Take your first right on Depot St and follow to the Park.
In Lebanon, the Mascoma River Greenway travels East, before connecting to the Northern Rail Trail, which follows the rail bed of the former Northern Railway which was built in 1847. In 1887 the Boston & Maine took over the line. From Lebanon, the Northern Rail Trail travels Southeast, to Boscawen & the Concord border. In Concord, work continues on the Merrimack River Greenway Trail , which will connect North, to the Northern Rail Trail and travel South, to Manchester. For more information visit; FRIENDS of the NORTHERN RAIL TRAIL & MASCOMA RIVER GREENWAY .
In Manchester, 3 Rail Trails converge. The Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail follows the former B&M RR; Portsmouth Branch East, through Epping, to Newfields. In Epping, the Rockingham Recreational Rail Trail; Freemont Branch follows the former B&M RR; Freemont Branch South, to Sandown. The Piscataquog Trail, travels West, from Manchester, connecting to the Goffstown Rail Trail and in the future will connect to the New Boston Rail Trail . Finally, the Manchester & Lawrence Rail Trail travels South, to the Methuen, MA border, where the trail continues along the Methuen Rail Trail and future Lawrence Rail Trail to Lawrence, MA.
The Mascoma River Greenway, Northern Rail Trail, Merrimack River Greenway Trail & Manchester & Lawrence Rail Trail are part of the state wide NH Granite State Rail Trail, a proposed 120-mile trail extending from the Methuen, MA border, Northwest to Lebanon NH.
Mascoma River Greenway:
Starting from Glen Road [Western End]; Future plans call for continuing the trail West, along the old rail bed.
Note; If you continue down Glen Rd you'll travel underneath a brick arched RR bridge (future part of the trail) and come to Riverside Park parking lot after 0.5 miles on your left. Skate Park, playground & restrooms. Here you can check out the crushed gravel Riverside Community Trail that starts by the playground. The trail winds through the woods alongside the Mascoma River before coming out to Glen Rd. It then continues left (trail overtaken by grass) and ends after 0.5 miles next to a gazebo by Powerhouse Mall.
Heading East the Mascoma River Greenway follows the crushed gravel road (spot the old RR tracks along your right) you'll pass by an old RR Mileage Marker B141/WRJ2 (Boston 141 miles/White River Junction 2 miles). These old RR Mileage Markers were located every mile along the railroad. Cross an old RR bridge over Mascoma River and underneath the Miracle Mile Bridge at 0.2 miles. Kiosks located along the trail. Here the trail is paved. On your right is the Miracle Mile parking lot. Travel underneath an old bridge and past some sculptures. Travel over the Mascoma River at a mile, picnic table. A bridge takes you over I-89 at 1.3 miles and along a high berm. Pass by the Mascoma Street parking lot on your left at 1.7 miles as you follow a residential corridor. Pass by old RR Mileage Marker B139/WRJ4 at 2 miles. Come to the junction of Mascoma & Mechanic streets at 2.4 miles. I have not checked out this next section yet. The trail continues straight across the road, crossing a bridge over the Mascoma River, then through a tunnel, where it emerges out to the Downtown Lebanon Mall parking lot. Map Board. Paved trail heads left, where it travels East, above the river. Travel past the New England Sport Park complex and come to an intersection. Head right, via a crosswalk to a wide paved trail and continue left. Cross Spencer St and come to the Northern End of the Northern Rail Trail after 2.8 miles.
Northern Rail Trail:
Starting from Spencer Street in Lebanon [Northern End]; A Map Board is located here. [Re-zeroing Mileage] The Northern Rail Trail travels East, away from town starting out as a paved trail. After only a 0.3 miles you'll pass by an old RR Mileage Marker B138/WRJ5 [Boston 138 miles/White River Junction 5 miles] on your left. These old RR Mileage Markers were located every mile along the railroad. Cross Bank St followed by an old iron RR bridge over the Mascoma River at 0.7 miles. Here the trail is stone-dust. Pass by a wooden Mile Marker 1 [Mile Markers located every mile]. Cross a second bridge over the river at 1.1 miles. Spillway over to your right. You'll cross over two more RR bridges before crossing Riverside Dr at 1.8 miles. Riverside Drive parking lot located here along with a Map Board. This is quickly followed by your fifth bridge crossing. After traveling underneath I-89 at 2 miles the trail becomes a bit more isolated. Two more bridge crossings at 3 miles. Travel underneath Route 4 at 3.5 miles. After crossing yet another bridge at 3.8 miles you travel underneath Payne Rd. Just before you reach the lake look up to spot an old RR Brakeman's Warning Pole. This consists of a rail in the shape of an upside down L, hanging over the center of the trail. + See; RR Brakeman's Warning Pole Below. Mascoma Lake is along your right as you come to the Ice House Road parking lot at 4.1 miles. The trail now travels along the lake crossing into Enfield where it hugs the lake. Nice isolated section. After passing through a rock cut you enter the outskirts of Enfield, traveling underneath Main St at 5.8 miles. The trail continues along the lake, then traveling across a causeway before coming to a long RR bridge over the river at 6.3 miles. Here you leave the lake behind as you enter Enfield. Pass by an old RR building followed by the Main Street parking lot at 6.4 miles. Picnic tables and informational board. Travel through a tunnel underneath Shaker Hill Rd before passing the old Enfield RR Depot parking lot at 6.6 miles. The trail then travels past a spillway and across a RR bridge at 7.2 miles. This was as far as I traveled. Cross Blackwater Rd into Canaan at 8.1 miles as the trail turns South. Pass by Mirror Lake and come alongside Route 4 as you cross briefly into Orange at 14.3 miles. Travel underneath Route 4 , continuing along Route 4 before crossing into Grafton at 16 miles, as the trail turns Southeast. Pass by the Route 4 parking lot next to Tewksbury Pond at 17.1 miles. Cross into Danbury at 23.3 miles, as the trail turns South. Cross Jack Wells Rd and cross briefly into Wilmot before crossing Eagle Pond Rd into Andover at 32.3 miles. Come to a tunnel underneath Route 11 at 34 miles. Located on both ends of the tunnel you'll find an old RR Brakeman's Warning pole. I've checked out this next section. Quickly come to Potter Place Station in Andover at 34.2 miles. Here you'll find the nicely refurbished Potter Place RR Station along with an old red caboose. Porto-Potty located here along with picnic tables and a Map Board (just across Cilleyville Rd). Heading East, the wide stone-dust rail trail crosses Cilleyville Rd, where you'll find a Map Board on your left. Pass by an old cement RR Whistle Post, + See; RR Whistle Post Below, blue B&M rail car and old RR Freight House, along with an old RR Siding (tracks still in place). The trail travels along a partially shaded corridor with occasional views of the Blackwater River. Pass by old RR Mileage Marker B104/WRJ39 at 34.5 miles before crossing an old iron RR bridge over the river. come to Bridge Rd at 35.2 miles.
Note; Left on Bridge Rd leads to the Keniston Covered Bridge.
Cross a second old RR bridge before passing another old RR Mileage Marker. Travel through a tunnel underneath Lawrence St to the Blackwater Park parking area at 36 miles. Porto-Potty located here. Just before an old RR Trestle over the river, spot the old RR Brakeman's Warning Pole. A second old RR Brakeman's Warning pole is located on the other side of the bridge. Cross another old RR bridge at 36.8 miles, where you'll lose the Blackwater River and travel through a tunnel underneath Route 4. The trail then travels along a causeway between Horseshoe Pond at 37.2 miles. This was as far as I traveled. Cross Route 11 at 38.7 miles as the trail turns North. USE CAUTION No cross-walk. At 40.1 miles you'll catch a glimpse of Highland Lake, across Channel Rd, before traveling through East Andover. The trail turns East, crossing into Franklin at 43.2 miles, then turns South. Travel through West Franklin, before passing the remains of the Franklin RR Turntable at 46.6 miles. + See; RR Turntable Below. Cross into Boscawen, before passing by the Gerrish RR Depot in Boscawen at 51.7 miles. Cross Depot St and the Jamie Welsh Memorial Field (parking lot) at 55.7 miles. Travel underneath the Route 4 bridge and come to the Commercial Street parking lot after 58 miles. Map Board. The trail then crosses an old RR bridge across the Contoocook River to Hannah Duston Island.
The next phase of construction will continue the trail South, through Hannah Duston Island, then back across the Contoocook River, where it empties into the Merrimack River, via an old RR trestle to Concord. Here it will connect to a future section of the Merrimack River Greenway Trail . In August 2025, the city voted to purchase the CSX rail corridor through Concord. See; Map Below.
Railroad Equipment:
+
RR Whistle Post:
The Whistle Post,
was a post with a large "W" engraved or painted on it. This
meant the railroad engineers were to start sounding the trains Whistle.
The Whistle posts
were usually placed 0.25 miles
in advance of a road crossing,
bridges, tunnels and other points. Usually, there would be a post placed on both
sides of the crossing, covering both directions.
+ RR
Brakeman's Warning Pole:
Prior to 1888 when Westinghouse developed a reliable air
brake, stopping a train or a rolling car was very primitive. Iron wheels,
located atop cars, were connected to a manual braking system by a long metal
rod. The brakemen, usually two to a train, would ride on top of the car. On a Whistle
signal from the engineer, the brakemen, one at the front of the train and one at
the rear of the train, would begin turning the iron wheels to engage the brakes.
The Brakeman Warning Pole consists of a rail in the shape of an upside
down L, hanging over the center of the trail. The chains hanging down
over the rail line would hit the railroad brakeman, who was on top of the train
and warn him of an upcoming bridge or tunnel.
+ RR Turntable:
RR Turntables are bridges that spin
and are used for turning locomotives and rolling stock. The earliest use for a
Turntable was to redirect trains. The very first locomotives could only run in
one direction, so a device was needed to turn them. Even with bi-directional
trains (can operate in either direction) today, turntables are still used as a
convenient means for moving locomotives and other equipment onto tracks headed
in the correct direction.
HH
CLICK HERE FOR MASCOMA RIVER GREENWAY MAP
CLICK HERE FOR NORTHERN RAIL TRAIL MAPS
BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT
