Merrimack County: Trails, Nature and History

The Northern Rail Trail is a distinctive starting point for exploring Merrimack County’s trails and landscapes. The route runs 57 miles from Boscawen to Lebanon. In the county, it passes through Danbury, Wilmot, Andover, Franklin and Boscawen. The trail can also serve as a guide to the different towns along its route.

Trails for a Variety of Activities

The Northern Rail Trail is suitable for hiking, biking and horseback riding, as well as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and dog sledding. This range of activities makes the trail an option for different ways to spend time outdoors. In winter, the Muster Field Farm Museum also offers marked trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing through woods and fields. Since this offering is seasonal, it’s worth checking conditions before you travel.

The Sunapee-Ragged-Kearsarge Greenway offers a different kind of route: the 75-mile loop connects New Hampshire’s four state parks—Sunapee, Winslow, Rollins and Wadleigh. By contrast, the Northern Rail Trail runs between its endpoints in Boscawen and Lebanon, while the Greenway forms a loop. Their lengths and route shapes give you two different points of reference when planning time for trails and outings.

Wooded Landscapes and Water

Bear Brook State Park covers more than 10,000 acres and is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. Its trails extend for 40 miles through densely wooded areas, bogs and swamps, over peaks and past ponds. The landscape varies within the park: woods, wetlands, ridges and bodies of water are among the features described. Those looking to combine nature trails with different types of landscapes will find plenty of room to explore here.

The waterways offer their own highlights. Clough State Park is on 150-acre Everett Lake; its sandy beach is 900 feet long, and boating is available there. At Mt. Sunapee State Park, the beach is on a 4,085-acre lake. There is a boat launch with restrictions, as well as boat rentals; both may vary by season. Check conditions before your visit if you plan to use the launch or rent a boat.

Agriculture, Culture and History

Muster Field Farm Museum is a historic farm with restored farm buildings and self-guided tours. Along with its marked winter trails, it combines a look at farm buildings with seasonal time outdoors. You can shape your visit differently depending on the season, while keeping in mind that the historic tours and winter activities offer distinct experiences.

At Medicine Woods at the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum, visitors can learn about the natural environment and how Indigenous peoples historically used plants for food, medicine, dyes, shelter and tools. The museum also displays artifacts and shares information about Indigenous peoples of North America, from prehistoric times to the present. This combination of environmental knowledge and history gives a visit a different focus from trails through woods and fields.

Canterbury Shaker Village is a National Historic Landmark and a museum. A local food connection can be found at Richardson’s Farm in Boscawen: its ice cream is made entirely on site with cream and milk from cows in New Hampshire.

Explore more destinations: Andover, Bradford, Pembroke, Loudon, Boscawen, Sutton, Henniker, Wilmot, Warner, Newbury, Bow, Hooksett.

For the broader travel overview: New Hampshire.