NOTE: The route is NOT suitable or fun for a skinny tire road bike!
Got a Gravel Bike? We Got Gravel!
September 11th Update on 2 sections of repair projects:
Got a Gravel Bike? We Got Gravel!
September 11th Update on 2 sections of repair projects:
1. CLOSURE OF HOGAN ROAD... Still in process. A long needed maintenance project!
2. GRADING on the Ammonoosuc Rail Trail... Started Wednesday, August 16th in Woodsville and is still continuing on the trail until finished. Trail is NOT closed, trail will be OPEN to travel, just follow the directions of the grader operator, he will stop to let you pass safely (scroll below for more info).
1. The Hogan Road closure is still in effect. It should be done by"Early September", but as of now, the closure signs and work crew are still there.
This is GOOD news for the washout issues on Hogan Road. Eversource, the power company, is restoring the road, culverts and bridge in the eastern section of the road in Shelburne. They need to have the road suitable for heavy equipment to get in for maintenance on the dams and power lines. The road will still have its adventures, but these washouts and bridge issues were of a major concern. Having the power company fix them is great for us, we can use our budget for continuing our work on restoring and improving the rail trails.
The bad news is that they officially call Hogan Road CLOSED. I talked with the project foreman. The reason for closure is that they will be taking out a small old bridge and a big beat-up culvert, They will be fixing all of the culverts in the eastern third of Hogan Road.
The puddle issues and the culverts on the eastern end are repaired and covered with big metal plates to protect them from the trucks and equipment driving over them. The big culvert washout area is fixed and the concrete bridge/culvert is in place. The roadway needs to be built up and connected to the bridge.
The work crew will not let you though while working there, of course, They are concerned about your safety and theirs, too. It should reopen soon!
For the DETOUR:
Traveling EAST, after arriving in Gorham on the rail trail, you will exit into the long narrow parking lot on the side of Route 2. The detour will be from this parking lot to North Road in Shelburne. Exit the parking lot at the upper (west) end (across from the kiosk and Dero Fixit station and pump), and cross Route 2 with care. Enter onto the dirt access road around the gate. Follow it, a nice downhill ride, staying straight on it all the way. You will go though another gate and then onto a paved road, Cross the railroad tracks and then you will intersect with Route 2. Take a right. The shoulder is good as you travel though Gorham on Route 2. Keep going straight on Route 2 all the way to North Road (about 4.5 miles). The shoulder comes and goes in this section, so be careful. Take a left onto North Road, go slightly downhill, cross the railroad tracks, cross the dam, then go up past the construction vehicles and closure gates at the Hogan Road intersection, and then you are back on the xNHAT, just keep following North Road as it travels east to Bethel.
Traveling WEST from Bethel, stay on North Road when you get totes Hogan road intersection. It will be oboes beaus there are gates up and construction vehicle and equipment parked there. Continue on North Road down the hill, over the dam, over the railroad tracks and up to Route 2. Take a right, heading west on Route 2 into Gorham about 4.5 miles. The shoulder comes and goes in this section, so be cautious, but is good once in the town of Gorham. After passing the Gorham Dynasty Buffet, on your right, take a left onto Bellevue Place (heads to the airport). Cross the railroad tracks and continue straight, go through the gate and continue on the dirt roadway slightly uphill. You will eventually cross a bridge over the Moose River and then be at Route 2. Go carefully across Route 2 into the parking lot. The Presidential Rail Trail will be right there, on the other side of the fence. Go left (West), you are now back on the xNHAT. Enjoy the rail trail all the way to Jefferson Notch Road.
Photos below taken by Michael Prange and Rick Audy who scoped the situation out for me!
2. GRADING on the Ammonoosuc Rail Trail... Started Wednesday, August 16th in Woodsville and is still continuing on the trail until finished. Trail is NOT closed, trail will be OPEN to travel, just follow the directions of the grader operator, he will stop to let you pass safely (scroll below for more info).
1. The Hogan Road closure is still in effect. It should be done by"Early September", but as of now, the closure signs and work crew are still there.
This is GOOD news for the washout issues on Hogan Road. Eversource, the power company, is restoring the road, culverts and bridge in the eastern section of the road in Shelburne. They need to have the road suitable for heavy equipment to get in for maintenance on the dams and power lines. The road will still have its adventures, but these washouts and bridge issues were of a major concern. Having the power company fix them is great for us, we can use our budget for continuing our work on restoring and improving the rail trails.
The bad news is that they officially call Hogan Road CLOSED. I talked with the project foreman. The reason for closure is that they will be taking out a small old bridge and a big beat-up culvert, They will be fixing all of the culverts in the eastern third of Hogan Road.
The puddle issues and the culverts on the eastern end are repaired and covered with big metal plates to protect them from the trucks and equipment driving over them. The big culvert washout area is fixed and the concrete bridge/culvert is in place. The roadway needs to be built up and connected to the bridge.
The work crew will not let you though while working there, of course, They are concerned about your safety and theirs, too. It should reopen soon!
For the DETOUR:
Traveling EAST, after arriving in Gorham on the rail trail, you will exit into the long narrow parking lot on the side of Route 2. The detour will be from this parking lot to North Road in Shelburne. Exit the parking lot at the upper (west) end (across from the kiosk and Dero Fixit station and pump), and cross Route 2 with care. Enter onto the dirt access road around the gate. Follow it, a nice downhill ride, staying straight on it all the way. You will go though another gate and then onto a paved road, Cross the railroad tracks and then you will intersect with Route 2. Take a right. The shoulder is good as you travel though Gorham on Route 2. Keep going straight on Route 2 all the way to North Road (about 4.5 miles). The shoulder comes and goes in this section, so be careful. Take a left onto North Road, go slightly downhill, cross the railroad tracks, cross the dam, then go up past the construction vehicles and closure gates at the Hogan Road intersection, and then you are back on the xNHAT, just keep following North Road as it travels east to Bethel.
Traveling WEST from Bethel, stay on North Road when you get totes Hogan road intersection. It will be oboes beaus there are gates up and construction vehicle and equipment parked there. Continue on North Road down the hill, over the dam, over the railroad tracks and up to Route 2. Take a right, heading west on Route 2 into Gorham about 4.5 miles. The shoulder comes and goes in this section, so be cautious, but is good once in the town of Gorham. After passing the Gorham Dynasty Buffet, on your right, take a left onto Bellevue Place (heads to the airport). Cross the railroad tracks and continue straight, go through the gate and continue on the dirt roadway slightly uphill. You will eventually cross a bridge over the Moose River and then be at Route 2. Go carefully across Route 2 into the parking lot. The Presidential Rail Trail will be right there, on the other side of the fence. Go left (West), you are now back on the xNHAT. Enjoy the rail trail all the way to Jefferson Notch Road.
Photos below taken by Michael Prange and Rick Audy who scoped the situation out for me!
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2. Grading and Resurfacing on the Ammonoosuc Rail Trail
The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail grading and resurfacing project started Wednesday Sept 16th and is still ongoing. Grading starts in Woodsville. Resurfacing with a ledgepack from Chief's Quarry will happen at short section just north of Woodsville and a long section north of the Bath Covered Bridge. The grading/resurfacing will go as far as possible until the funding runs out.. maybe a couple of MILES!. See photos below to see the difference at the Bath Covered Bridge, a small part of the project that was done in May to fix a major washout)
2. Grading and Resurfacing on the Ammonoosuc Rail Trail
The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail grading and resurfacing project started Wednesday Sept 16th and is still ongoing. Grading starts in Woodsville. Resurfacing with a ledgepack from Chief's Quarry will happen at short section just north of Woodsville and a long section north of the Bath Covered Bridge. The grading/resurfacing will go as far as possible until the funding runs out.. maybe a couple of MILES!. See photos below to see the difference at the Bath Covered Bridge, a small part of the project that was done in May to fix a major washout)
Three Photos below from Wayne and his cousin.. they did the entire route on July 12th,
see his report below!
The Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail survived the rainstorms!
If you are out there, please let me know of any new issues that you find (email to crossnewhampshire@gmail.com).
The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail has good areas and some wet and muddy areas, too. You will find a few sections of the rail trail between Bath and Lisbon where the rail bed and the surface has been repaired and restored using a nice hardpack material. We are collaborating with the NH Bureau of Trails and the Ammonoosuc Valley ATV Club to repair areas that we all agree need some love and care. See above for the ammoncment that trail grading and a new surface will be applied. Stay tuned for more restorative work and new surface as the season progresses! PLEASE don't ride on Route 302, it is curvy, has bad lines of sight, has hardly any shoulder (what shoulder is there is all cracked) and it is the major highway for cars and trucks with a 50 mph speed limit (you know they are moving faster than that). NOT fun, You will prefer and enjoy walking through the few gnarly spots on the rail trail and enjoy the views and quiet, too.
The newer section of the Ammonoosuc RT from Littleton to Oxbow Drive in Bethlehem has some loose gravel scattered here and there. You will need to bounce though some of it for a short bit. Note that in some areas. like near Oxbow Drive, you will notice that a little single track-like area has been raked clear of the loose gravel, this was done especially for your biking pleasure. Yeah, we need to do more it it, and it will happen! There will be gates installed on this section of trail over the next week or so. You will see the workers and equipment out there. The trail will remain open, just follow any directions of the work crew. They will let you go right through when it is safe to do so. Give them smile and a thank you for working to improve the rail trail!
The road ride from Oxbow to Whitefield is not bad. It has good pavement, a good shoulder and good lines of sight. The hill is not as bad as it looks! Stay single file and be good sharers of the roadway. It is a a fine ride for road bike riders, but the xNHAT prefers to be off-road, so we are working with the NH Bureau of Trails to extend the rail trail further eastward towards Whitefield. This year another 2.6 miles of this part of the xNHAT route will be on rail trail, rather than the shoulder Route 116. We are getting there, mile by mile as we obtain grants and donations to help get this done! So far, 4.4 miles of the 11 needed have been accomplished!
The Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge is a delight as usual. Do stop in there at the observation deck on Cherry Pond for a scenic break to enjoy the views, lunch and snacks. Look for beaver activities in the ponds alongside the rail trail.
On Israel River Road, stop at the campground for a bathroom break and visit the small camp store for treats and a water refill. They have ice cream treats in the freezer!
Valley Road changes from paved to dirt, and typically during the summer there will be a day or two when the road gets graded. The washboard and potholes disappear, BUT for those days and a day or so later, until it packs back down, the surface is likely bit tedious. The views will be worth it!
The Presidential Rail Trail from Jefferson Notch Road to Gorham is a great ride. However, there are a few spots that are rough. One area has mud even in a drought (likely due to a spring) so you can be sure it has mud now in the "Rainy Season". Due to a really big rainstorm about 2 months ago, there was a large area of serious washouts between Bowman and Appalachia. There are now repaired! Yay! However, do keep your eyes open for other new washout areas or sandy areas as you enjoy the great downhill cruise to Gorham.
At present you must use the detour onto Route 2 to get between Gorham and North Road in Shelburne due to the work being done on Hogan Road (see above for details, as of Sept 11, work crews are still in there).
The rail trail from Gorham to the western end of Hogan Road is shared with a lot of ATVs and they have not been kind to the trail surface. Grin and bear it, it is not long and we need to share the big trestle bridge that spans Route 16 and the Androscoggin River. There is smaller bridge that spans the power canal about a half mile past the trestle bridge. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS SMALLER BRIDGE is the RIGHT turn to access Hogan Road via a short signal track. There are signs and a pink ribbon! Look for this!! Mountain bikers will enjoy trying to bike the single track and all of Hogan Road. It is a fun challenge! Others will just hop off the bike and walk some of those rougher sections. That OK! Enjoy the road and be safe! It is a really nice trip though the woods next to the river.
North Road (paved) from Shelburne to Bethel is fine, It is a nice quiet scenic road, with generally good pavement all the way. The traffic stays on Route 2, so North Road is a good bike ride even on busy summer weekends. There are some short hills, but what goes up slowly goes down quickly.
Saying this again: The route is NOT suitable for a skinny tire road bike!
At any season of the year you can find some places with mud, puddles, chunky gravel, washboard and soft spots on the rail trails and dirt roads, but remember it is an "adventure" so you will manage get through these areas! Enjoy! The weather is always changing, so check the forecasts carefully and be prepared for warm or cold weather, rain, wind... and also many beautiful days!
If it is dry, dust may be present on the rail trail sections shared with ATVs. (we are working on this dust issue with the ATV Club and the NH Bureau of Trails, testing a new surface material... you will see it in Lisbon! It looks great! No dust!)
In 2022, The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail was extended 4.4 miles eastward from Littleton! The new section goes from Industrial Park Road to Oxbow Drive. The surface is a packed mix of dirt, cinder and ballast. It was packed down by a vibratory roller, and it is now a better surface that what was left after the track and ties were removed, BUT it still has some areas of chunky ballast. It is NOT a smooth stone dust surface, it is more of an adventure than that. It is NOT good for a skinny tire road bike, but good for most everything else, it works. This eliminates biking on a busy section of Route 116 in Littleton, avoiding the intersection of Routes 116 and 302.
Here is some detail:
Traveling eastward from Woodsville to Littleton and beyond:
When on the Ammonoosuc Rail Trail, you will get to Industrial Park Road, the first major road crossing at about 20 miles from Woodsville. You will see a big parking lot across the road and the "Frozen Adventures" ice cream stand in the parking lot to the right. Cross the road carefully and you will see the rail trail on the left side of the parking lot. Follow the rail trail and you will see the river and the town of Littleton on the left. If you are not going into town, just follow the rail trail about 4.4 miles to the current "End of the Line" at Oxbow Drive, a dirt road that is adjacent to where the rail trail ends. Take Oxbow Drive eastward for a very short bit uphill where it will intersect with Route 116. Take a right and follow 116 North to Whitefield. Ride safely on the shoulder, and be grateful that the new rail trail avoided a few of the hills and traffic on Route 116 (not ALL of the hills or traffic, however...).
To stop in Littleton for lodgings, food, brewery, cafe, market, candy, etc., exit the rail trail at Riverside Drive, by going left where the trail crosses the road. You will see a pumpkin colored house ahead on your right. There is a narrow dirt bike/ped pathway, right in front of the pumpkin colored house. You will feel like you are crossing their front yard! You are, and that is OK. Note the suspension bridge there, a fun way to get to the Main Street of Littleton! Return to the rail trail by the pedestrian covered bridge to Riverglen Lane, ride the rail trail out to Route 302 by The Little Grill and carefully cross Route 302. Stay on the rail trail to the end where the trail ends just before the tracks/ties begin. Exit there onto Oxbow Drive and go up this short dirt road to ride on 116 North to Whitefield.
When heading west from Whitefield towards Littleton:
Oxbow Drive is a dirt road on the south side of Route 116. It is about 7.5 miles from the center of Whitefield. As you are riding westward on the shoulder of Route 116, Look for it on your left, it is before a hill. USE CAUTION TO CROSS ROUTE 116!! Be patient and wait for a clear crossing, the cars and trucks are moving fast down the hills, so just wait for a safe time to cross. Enter Oxbow Drive and go a short distance down the dirt road, the rail trail is on your left. Enjoy it all the way in to Littleton. If you want ot access the town, you can exit the rail trail at Cottage Street (Route 302) across from the Little Grill Restaurant (the old Railroad Station). Go right and turn left almost immediately at the Freehouse Restaurant and Littleton Bike Shop. Ride to the bike/ped covered bridge and cross over to each the amenities on Main Street.
Please email us if you have any questions: crossnewhampshire@gmail.com
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*** The xNHAT is not suitable for a skinny tire road bike! The on-road sections are certainly fine for a road bike (North Road in particular) but YOU WILL NOT enjoy the entire route on skinny tires. The surfaces of the rail trails and dirt roads are best for wider tires (35mm or more is better), gravel bikes, hybrids and slick or slightly knobby tire mountain bikes. A mountain bike with heavy knobby tires will be ok on the dirt roads and trails, but sluggish overkill on the paved and smooth dirt road sections. Wider tires will allow you to look around and enjoy the scenery, as compared to constantly looking at the changeable surface conditions in front of you.
We suggest downloading the GPS tracks onto your smart phone or GPS, getting the FREE fold out map AND carrying the cue sheet for route details (print out the cue sheet from the maps/cue sheet page). Better to have too much information than too little.
There are a few places where it is not easy to see the turn, so best to have all the info available: getting off of Hogan Road onto the Presidential Rail Trail in Gorham, getting onto the Ammonoosuc Rail Trail off of River Road in Lisbon, getting onto Meadow, Israel River and Valley Roads in Jefferson (these roads parallel the rail trail for a few miles and provide stellar views that are not seen from the rail trail's green tunnel!)
You have likely noticed the word "Adventure" in the name of the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail. This is in there because you will certainly find adventures along the way. Along with the scenic beauty of the mountains, forest, fields, ponds, rivers and streams, the adventures include variable trail and road surfaces, sudden detours, weather, washouts. The rail trails are generally "natural" surfaces (mostly hard packed, consisting of cinder, dirt, some ballast, gravel... NOT the beautifully manicured hard packed stone dust or paved surfaces of the flatlands!). ATVs are a North Country favorite sport, you will see them on the Ammonoosuc Rail Trail (a good example of sharing the trails) and on a short section of the easternmost part of the Presidential Rail Trail (they can be numerous here, grin and bear this short section, the ATVS have wreaked the trail surface), especially on weekends.
So, enjoy the challenges along the way, they make for the best stories to share for years to come.
Ammonoosuc Rail Trail near Woodville: The bridge over Route 302 was replaced and decked with wood planks, but the larger ballast rocks are still in place as you approach the bridge from either side. Please use caution!
Ammonoosuc Rail Trail: From Woodsville to Lisbon:
Woodsville to Bath is Ok. Bath to Lisbon, well, it has some issues, but they come and go. We are woking on this:
On August 30, 2022, the section of the trail in Lisbon behind the furniture factory received a new surface! It goes only about 0.6 mile, an experiment to test the surface material for use by motorized and non-motorized trail users. Thye say it can't be done, but we think that "Chief", of Chief's Quarry in Vermont, has put together a magic mix for us. So far it is a BIG improvement to the trail! We will be watching this for its resistance to washouts, ruts, washboard and dust. After the water and now mud season, the surface is looking great! the surface has no dust issues! We are collaborating with the ATV Club and the NH Bureau of Trails to do more restoration and resurfacing in 2023!
In the other sections of the rail trail there are areas of gravely stuff, especially around the gates, so use caution there. You will appreciate wider tires here. Adventure, remember? What's that new gravel bike for, anyway?? The gravel is being flung off to the side by the ATVS, which is good news, BUT, at the end of the season, the ATVs create washboard, bad news... typically you will be able to avoid it if you stay on the sides of the trail. There are a few lumpy areas south of the tunnel near Lisbon. Spring means wet and mud and potholes and leftover washboard. The tail will be graded and improved once equipment can get in there.
The ATVs in this area are typically mellow and enjoying the scenery as much as you are. They will typically wave and slow down when they see you. Wave and move over to the side of the trail. Stay in your line when they appraoch, and don't be a squirrel darting back and forth across the trail. This rail trail is a good example of all trail users sharing the trail well. There can be rare exceptions to this rule on both sides.
On-road section from Lisbon (Bishop and Lyman Roads) to Rt 302: Paved roads, all good, some places have really nice pavement, the worst section was paved smoothly on 2021!
Rt 302 to River Road and back on the rail trail: Some of the pavement is good, some not as good. The river views are very pleasant in this area. Part of River Road is dirt. It is a much better ride on the dirt road than the (gravelly) rail trail in this area, so stay on River Road, don't be tempted to get onto the rail trail too early. There is a KOA campground ACROSS the river from where you are riding on River Road, you will see the camper vehicles along the riverside through the trees. AFTER you pass by this campground located on the other side of the river, start looking for the right turn onto a short uphill rocky dirt access road that goes about 30 yards to rejoin the Rail Trail. There is a small No Trespassing sign in the woods at the turn, this means to not continue straight on the dirt road, you will end up in a private yard at the Dead End. Instead, go up this short dirt access road to the rail trail and take a left, go thru the gate and continue on the rail trail heading towards Littleton. Be cautious, occasionally trucks haul gravel from quarries located off of River Road.
Ammonoosuc Rail Trail: From River Road to Littleton: It typically is hard packed and in better shape than the more westerly sections.
NEW SECTION OF RAIL TRAIL from Littleton to Oxbow Road: 4.4 miles! See description above! It has some issues, but MUCH better that being on a busy roadway.
Oxbow Road to Whitefield to Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge (Rt 116, Hazen and Airport Roads): Paved roads, not what the xNHAT is all about but we are working on this. Route 116 is a true road ride... it has a good shoulder, good pavement and good lines of sight. However, use your road riding skills and stay far right on the shoulder, single file. You will climb and you will see more cars and trucks here than on any other road of the xNHAT. This up/down road ride will be eventually be converted to a rail trail ride. It is looking good for another 2.6 miles of rail corridor to be converted to rail trail in the late fall of 2023. That's 2.6 less miles on Route 116. Yay!
Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge: The 4 mile section of the Presidential Rail Trail in the refuge is in good shape. The work done 3 years ago to restore, crown, ditch, add new culverts and 4 Beaver Deceivers has made this section good for early season use. However....the new ledge pack surface is more coarse than a typical stone dust rail trail. Some sections are more "more coarse" than others. Raking and continued use has improved the surface. There is a porta-potty (May to November) and a Dero Fixit Bike Repair Station and pump in the parking lot at Airport Road.
Meadows, Israel River and western end of Valley Road: Paved and in good shape. These roads have excellent views of the Presidential Range, and they travel though some of the best fields of lupine in mid to late June. Take these roads as a more scenic option than the rail trail in this area!
Valley Road (dirt section). This road is typically in good shape. Panoramic mountain views are always here to see if you are lucky to have clear skies. There will be some snow dusting the mountain tops this month, it is great to see the snow as spring arrives!
For the panoramic mountain views, be sure to exit the rail trail after Pondicherry onto Meadows Road (Route 115A), follow the cue sheet and map carefully here! Do not stay on the rail trail or you will miss the panoramas. Take Meadows, Israel River and Valley Roads eastward. If doing a looped day ride out of Pondicherry, I suggest doing the Meadows-Israel River-Valley Road route EASTWARD for the panorama, then return westward via the rail trail.
Presidential Rail Trail, Jefferson Notch Road to the Bowman parking lot: You will encounter a short section of mud, a few big rocks and soft areas within a 0.3 mile section to the west of the Israel River Bridge. All this is ridable or walkable with caution. It is better, but there are some ruts, from the bridge eastward. All rideable, just keep our eyes open for any issues to ride around. Stop your bike to look around and soak in the views! There is some rough gravel right at the edges of the Israel River Bridge.
Presidential Rail Trail, Bowman to Pinkham B Road: There are a few sandy spots, soft areas and a few short bits of gravelly surface. here is another section that will be restored late this year. The downhill rail grade is GREAT! You may see moose and bear, they are often viewed in Randolph and in the Pondicherry area. There is a porta-potty for all to use at the Pinkham B Road area from May to November. Look to the right side of the fire station/public works building, it is partially hidden by pine trees!
Pinkham B Road to Gorham: Wow, what a difference the restoration work done in June of 2021 has made on this trail! Enjoy this 9.5 mile downhill gem!
Gorham to Hogan Road: UGH!!! The ATVs have caused damage to this section of the trail. This short section (Rt 2 parking lot to the junction with Hogan Road) is shared with ATVs. There can be LOTS of them on the weekends. From this location they can access 1000 miles of trail, so they come from everywhere to enjoy this riding mecca. To control dust in the residential area, about a 0.1 mile section of the rail trail was paved. Enjoy this short section! HOWEVER......After the pavement ends you WILL have soft areas and loose rocks. It can be a bit better if the rain has packed it down. Take it slowly, walk the worst spots and take it as part of the adventure, it will not be bad for too long, you will be on Hogan Road soon. This issue needs to be addressed, somehow the trail must be restored and be enjoyable for ALL allowed users.
Hogan Road: In good shape (for Hogan Road)! Likely some mud and wet areas, but Hogan always has some issues. Part of The Adventure. It is a beautiful unmaintained dirt road. The rocky areas, sand, etc. from the big floods and washouts of 2017 are all still there...part of the fun. It has been fun to weave around the puddles, obstacle course style. Most consider this to the be best part of the entire route, a few others say just the opposite. Something for everyone on this route! Look for the Osprey nest on a new platform near the power poles. The osprey may be angry at you for being close to their nest, they may squawk and dive towards you..
Finding Hogan Road and the Presidential Rail Trail:
To find Hogan Road from the rail trail, heading east: The short little access trail is IMMEDIATELY on the right after crossing the short bridge over the power canal, BEFORE THE GATE. It really, truly is immediately after the bridge, look hard to your right. The access entrance has 2 small xNHAT signs: a small signs on a birch tree for the xNHAT and a hiking trail, anther sign next to the gate. Use your cue sheet and watch your odometer. If you miss this entrance, you can access Hogan Road from an open parking/work/staging area on the right about 0.1 mile from the small bridge over the power canal.
To find the Presidential Rail Trail from Hogan Road, going WEST... Once you pass the old brick power building/dam, you will go slightly uphill and back into the woods. When you emerge to an open area, there will be many big tall power poles on your right carrying power lines. Up ahead on the left will be a narrow single track that leads steeply downhill. There is a sign on a tree, but it is at the edge of the woods and likely covered with leafy branches. I cannot put signs on the power poles, which would have made this easier! When the power pole and guy wires are right near the dirt roadway, look to the left for that single track. If you miss this, a short distance ahead is a rough dirt road access to a staging area for the power company. It also goes steeply down to the left. The rail trail will be visible, take a left and deal with the ATVs, dust and some unpleasant, some bad surface conditions for about 1.2 miles. You will be pleased at that point to be on the non-motorized section of the Presidential Rail Trail, a highlight of the route!
North Road to Bethel: All paved, a fantastic pavement ride. Most of the pavement is new as of 2 years ago. Some sections are not new and require the usual care looking for cracks and broken pavement.
Please realize that conditions change a lot, especially after rain. I try to keep up with everything, and rely on cyclists and walkers, like you, to help keep this Trail Conditions page up to date! Email me if you see an issue that needs to be shared with other trail users and the NH Bureau of Trails: info@xNHAT.org
Enjoy your ride!!
April 9, 2021. Israel River Bridge heading west towards Jefferson Notch Road. You will encounter some wet and muddy spots for about 0,3 mile.
June 16, 2021. Chris the excavator operator sculpts the Presidential Rail Trail, Gorham to Pinkham B Road. The restoration includes restoring the drainage ditches and crowning the trail so that water will drain away quickly away to the sides of the trail, not right down the middle!
This is the tallest beaver dam I have ever seen. The water is lapping at the trails edge. May 5, 2020, Presidential Rail Trail, Jefferson.
June 1st, What a difference a Beaver Deceiver can make! The height of the black outlet pipe is now controlling the water level. The new lowered pond level will not threaten the trail anymore but will still be good for the beavers and the surrounding wetlands. Win Win Win.
May 2, 2020 The Ammonoosuc Rail Trail has its issues with uneven surfaces and gravel at the gates. Caution!
May 2, 2020. The Ammonooosuc Rail Trail has its various issues or "Adventures", but it is a beautiful ride along the river, well worth the various surface conditions!
Here is Hogan Road, the eastern section, no problem with conditions here! This area is elevated from the riverside, so no damage from the flooding.
New railings on a bridge located near Gorham on the Presidential Rail Trail.
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Disclaimer: The Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail and the authors of the website, social media and maps strive to prepare accurate information about the route and the conditions. However, they make no warranty, representation, or guaranty as to the accuracy of any information presented. Conditions on the route can change without warning due to weather, flooding, wear and tear, construction, tree falls, vehicles on the route, etc. You should verify the accuracy of all information obtained from this web site, wear a helmet and abide by safe bicycling standards. By using or relying on any material contained on this site, the user knowingly waives any and all claims for damages against any and all of the entities comprising the Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail that may arise from the contained information.