Hooksett & Allenstown Rail Trails, NH
• 3-star trails
• 4 miles each way
• Easy | Low gradient
• Hooksett & Allenstown, NH | Merrimack Region
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Approaching the end of the Heads Pond Rail Trail.
Situated between Concord and Manchester, several rail routes pass along the route of the Merrimack River and through the small towns of Hooksett and Allenstown. Two navigable rail trails exist in this area within a mile of each other. We were particularly enamored with the Heads Pond Trail which follows a string of ponds and wetlands. The other is the combined 1.7 mile Hooksett River Walk and Allenstown Rail Trails, though the Hooksett half of this route prohibits bicycle riders.
1 Heads Pond Rail Trail
The longer of these two Hooksett rail trails occupies a section of the Portsmouth & Concord railroad that only existed for a decade, back in the mid nineteenth century. This hypotenuse route branched of the Portsmouth to Manchester line in the direction of Suncook before following the Merrimack River up to Concord.
Today the accessible section of this route is best approached from the large parking lot on Route 3, and a short descent on a connecting trail leads to the rail bed. At this point, most folk head East along the chain of ponds, though you can also head West under Route 3 and proceed 0.4 miles on the less travelled section to a couple of roadside parking spots on Pleasant Street.
| 1
4★ Heads Pond Rail Trail
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions GPX? |
| 2
3★ Hooksett Riverwalk & Allenstown Rail Trail
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions |
Heads Pond Rail Trail proceeds Easterly through forest land alongside a creek that opens up to become Heads Pond. Watch out for beaver lodges (nests) close to shore as you continue along the trail. After Heads Pond the tree cover begins to recede, and falls back completely upon arriving at the second - and unnamed - pond. A bench provides a great place from which to admire the views, though there are also a couple of areas of sandy shore that would make a pleasant spot for a picnic and perhaps a way to access the pond for swimming in warmer months.
A gate by this second pond signifies the end of the navigable part of the old rail route, though you could continue on along the unpaved road in a SouthWesterly direction to discover a third pond. Reportedly there is also a mountain bike trail that runs along the opposite shore of the second pond, though it doesn't show up on Trailforks, and we didn't have the time to explore this on our visit.
⚠ Trail Conditions: Good hardpack surface with stone dust. Beyond Heads Pond there are some small undulations, but otherwise the trail has minimal gradient changes.
Heads Pond is a popular fishing spot.
2 Hooksett River Wal & Allenstown Rail Trail
Hooksett Riverwalk is a pleasant park on the banks of the Merrimack River that's best suited for a nice stroll. In addition to river views, interpretative signs add to the interest - describing the brickmaking industry that was present here, producing many of the bricks that were used to build Manchester's mill buildings among others.
Only sections of the original rail alignment can be traversed at this park. Its route can be traced from the abutments that cross the river south of the park, past the courthouse and dog park to where the track bed is used as the park entrance. Shortly after entering the park heading north, the trail jogs away from the railroad bed and later crosses it and follows adjacent to it where the old route is identifiable as a long thin strip of trees and bushes.
After close to a mile, the trail swerves back onto the original railroad alignment and connects with the Allentown Rail Trail at the town boundary. Note that cyclists may ride a bike on the Allenstown side of the border, but a land-use restriction on the Hookset side currently prohibits bicycle riding, which is somewhat frustrating. We've marked the extent of the 'no cycling' section on our map with two red dots. Hopefully this situation will change at some point, as this section of former railroad line may be key to connect up the proposed Granite State Rail Trail.
⚠ Trail Conditions: Hardpack stone dust path throughout. A little soft and muddy in places, particularly on the Hooksett half. No significant gradient. No cycling on the Hooksett (south) half.
Checking out the Allenstown Rail Trail, opened in late 2024.Tangents:
• AllTrails Public: Heads Pond, Riverwalk
• TrailLink Map: Heads Pond
• Facebook Group: Comment, Follow Us
Rail Trails of New England
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The first and only complete rail trail map. With photos, reviews and downloads.
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