The Trail
Use the links below to download our latest trail brochure. The PDF has two pages – the outside and the inside of the brochure. If you can do two-sided printing, you can get a nice brochure on one sheet of paper!
The Trail
This five-mile pedestrian / biking trail links Tilton, Northfield and Franklin along the Winnipesaukee River.The trail affords views of the Winnepesaukee River including a spectacular view of a gorge frequently used for whitewater kayaking.The area contains many historic and cultural sites including an old railroad trestle, the Sulphite Bridge ( an upside down railroad bridge on the National Register of Historic Sites), remains of old paper mills.
The Trail
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The Trail
Use the link below to view/download a PDF version of the Winnipesaukee River Trail Map
About & Contact
The Winnipesaukee River Trail Association is a unique coalition of volunteers representing local business, environmental and health care organizations whose goal is to develop and maintain a multi-use trail along the Winnipesaukee River.
By preserving and increasing access with a positive physical health approach to the Winnipesaukee River and its natural surroundings, the trail will: bring together the communities of Franklin, Tilton and Northfield, connect with regional trail systems, and offer increased access to many scenic, recreational and historical sites in the area.
Winnipesaukee River Trail Association is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
About & Contact
The trail is maintained by the Winnepesaukee River Trail Association (WRTA)
Website: https://www.winnirivertrail.org/winnistage/
Email contact: winnirivertrail@gmail.com
Mailing Address: Winnipesaukee River Trail Association, PO Box 464, Franklin, NH 03235
The Trail
GPS Coordinates:
Directions: The trail currently begins at Trestle View Park on Central Street in Franklin and runs to Route 140 in Tilton. The are trail access sites along the trail including in Northfield and at Cross Mills Road in Franklin
Description: This five-mile pedestrian / biking trail links Tilton, Northfield and Franklin along the Winnipesaukee River. The trail affords views of the Winnepesaukee River including a spectacular view of a gorge frequently used for whitewater kayaking. The area contains many historic and cultural sites including an old railroad trestle, the Sulphite Bridge ( an upside down railroad bridge on the National Register of Historic Sites, remains of old paper mills).
Viewing Information: Bike or walk this trail to explore a variety of rich riparian habitat including cattail wetlands, a beaver pond and tumbling water. Look for evidence of beaver activity as well as raccoon, mink and otter. The river provides a variety of summer homes for belted kingfishers, tree swallows, bank swallows, song sparrows, gray catbirds, common yellowthroats, red-eyed vireos and many more. A variety of waterfowl including mergansers, wood ducks and mallards may also be seen. Keep your eyes out for the occasional bald eagle or osprey.
In the Press
by Meghan Siegler
Editor of The Meredith News, Winnisquam Echo and Gilford Steamer
October 13, 2010
TILTON — Phase II of the Winnipesaukee River Trail is complete and ready for use, just in time for fall foliage season.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Thursday near the trail’s intersection with Route 140. Work on Phase II, which runs from the train station in Northfield to Route 140, started this spring, though the project itself is more than 10 years in the making.
“Bit by bit we’ve gotten there,” trail association member Ken Norton told the crowd gathered at Thursday’s ceremony.
The first meeting about the possibility of building a trail parallel to the Winnispesaukee River was held in 1998. Board of Directors Vice President Rick Silverberg said that for the first few years, board members walked along the river to decide which side the trail could go on.
“We got our feet wet quite a few times,” he said.
After spending several years submitting grant applications and fundraising, construction for Phase 1 began in 2004 and was completed in 2005. That portion of the trail is 3.1 miles long and runs from Trestle View Park in Franklin to the Northfield train station.
It took another five years to get the funding, easements and safety concerns taken care of for Phase II. This 2-mile section of trail is the first “rail with trail” approved in the state, and there were some liability issues that had to be resolved before the project could move forward.
The construction easement was given by Dick and Shirley Maher, and the Towns of Tilton and Northfield have worked on several aspects of the project alongside the trail association.
“This is all about collaboration,” Silverberg said.
Silverberg joked about the project’s lengthy timeline.
“Don’t ever underestimate how long it’s going to take,” he said.
Eventually the Winnipesaukee River Trail will connect to the Winnisquam-Opechee-Winnipesaukee Trail in the Laconia area, the Belmont Recreation Alternative Trail in Belmont, and the Northern Rail Trail that moves west from Franklin into Lebanon.
“The vision long term is to go from Lebanon all the way to Meredith,” Silverberg said.
Currently there is a temporary route through Tilton, on a sidewalk on Route 3; the next phase will build a bridge over the river to move that portion of the trail off of Route 3.
Silverberg said they do have some alternative transportation grants at this point, and fundraising continues.
“With any luck next summer we’ll be building a bridge,” he said.
The next fundraiser is “Taste of the Trails,” scheduled for Oct. 21. There is a trail clean-up day Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon, starting at Trestle View Park in Franklin.
The Trail
Click Here to view the Winnipesaukee River Trail listing on the TrailLink.com site – sponsored by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.
Get Involved
There are always opportunities to volunteer your time and/or talents to the trail. Here is a list of some of the areas that we can use help on now.
For information on volunteer opportunities, please send an email to Volunteers@winnirivertrail.org