Turns out you don’t have to go all the way up to the Whites, down to Monadnock, or over to Baxter in Maine to experience a wide variety of hiking and biking trails suitable for all ages and levels of experience and ability. There’s plenty to do in Concord’s own back yard to its north.
The Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway, a fittingly raggedy sometimes strenuous loop trail, passes through seven towns in the Lake Sunapee area just up Interstate 89 from the city. The Northern Rail Trail runs from Concord’s northern border just off Interstate 93 all the way to Lebanon, on the Connecticut River.
The Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway is a 75-mile loop that circles the Lake Sunapee area and connects the summits of Sunapee, Ragged, and Kearsarge Mountains as it winds through Andover, Warner, Sutton, Newbury, Goshen, Sunapee, Springfield, New London and Danbury. Fourteen segments varying in length and difficulty pass through forests and fields, over mountains, and along abandoned roads providing walkers with minimally developed access to vistas and historical sites of the region. Visit srkg.com to access maps and trail descriptions, find updates on trail conditions and learn more about joining the all-volunteer coalition.
Bog Mountain Trail
(2 miles round trip, about 500 feet
vertical gain)
A perfect outing for a family with young children. This trail begins partway along SRKG Trail No. 7 in Wilmot, climbs through woods and emerges onto ledges leading to the bare summit (1,787 feet) and spectacular views. The trailhead can be found from Route 11 in Andover, go 4.8 miles west on Route 4A, turn right onto Stearns Road and drive for 0.8 mile. There is parking for a few cars on the left, 100 yards beyond the trailhead.
Mount Sunapee
and Lake Solitude
(5 miles, about 1,750 feet
vertical gain)
SRKG Trail No. 1 passes over the summit of Mount Sunapee (2,743 feet). The views from the summit and a visit to the lodge are well worth the climb. This hike requires two cars and can be hiked in either direction. Eastern trailhead parking is available off Route 103 in at the Newbury Post Office, the Newbury Town Dock and the Newbury Information Booth. The Western trailhead is at the eastern end of Old Province Road in Goshen. This is a challenging hike; allow about 4 hours and be sure to bring a map or guidebook.
Fairly flat, well-maintained, and fun for people of all ages, the Northern Rail Trail is the longest rail trail in the state, extending 58 miles from the Penacook/Boscawen line to Lebanon, passing through the towns of Franklin, Andover, Wilmot, Danbury, Grafton, Orange, Canaan and Enfield along the way.
Walkers, runners, bicyclists, horseback riders, and snowmobilers (in season) are all welcome. For more information, visit fnrt.org.
Potter Place
Bring the whole the family to Andover’s historic village of Potter Place on a Saturday or Sunday this summer for a walk or bike ride on the Northern Rail Trail plus a visit to the old railroad station and general store museum, both owned and maintained by the Andover Historical Society. Also on the property are a handy bike rack attached to an informational kiosk supplied by the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County, a picnic area, toilets and a secret cellar-hole garden full of impatiens, hostas and other shade-loving plantings. Going east or west on the trail, you’ll be charmed by a covered bridge, old railroad trestles, original granite mile markers of the old Boston & Maine Railroad, cuts through granite bedrock, lake and pond views – all on a flat, wide, smooth trail surface of stone dust. A seven-mile ride up to Danbury will take you to the Danbury Country Store, a rail trail welcome center, which boasts fine foods and snacks.
Potter Place is located just off Route 11 between Andover and Wilmot. Museum hours between Memorial Day and Columbus Day are 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and 12:30 to 3 p.m. on Sundays.
Merrimack River
and Webster Lake
(28 miles round trip)
For a longer day trip, leave your car at the Park and Ride just off Exit 17 of Interstate 93 in Boscawen, near the Hannah Duston memorial, and follow the signage to the trailhead off River Road. The first part of the trail through Boscawen takes you past cornfields followed by heavy forest. The next major crossroads is at Jamie Welch Park on Depot Street in Boscawen, where there are restrooms open in season, ball fields and access to the Merrimack River.
Further north stands the historic Gerrish Railroad Station, soon to become a museum of the Boscawen Historical Society. Parts of the trail run parallel to the Merrimack River, and cyclists have reported seeing bald eagles soaring overhead. Another three miles will bring you to your destination: Webster Lake in Franklin. This is a great place to hang out and enjoy the view , even take a dip at the public beach before heading back. If you have small children with you, you might choose to leave a car at the Webster Lake end to eliminate the ride back.
( Lee Carvalho is a longtime volunteer and hiking leader with the Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway Coalition; Larry Chase and Heather Deardorff are volunteers with the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County, and Deardorff is also a member of its board of directors.)