State of NH Trails Bureau

10/23/2026

The Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in New Hampshire have been making progress on their Recreational Trails Program project in Canaan, but will need a little more time to finish. The trail section will remain closed until Wednesday October 28th (next week). Thank you for your patience as they assist the state with completing these repairs.

We're making good progress on the resurfacing project in the Canaan section of the trail, but the trail closure needs to be extended. We expect the trail to reopen by Wednesday, October 28. Thanks for your patience as we make this important improvement to the trail!

10/14/2026

Trail Notice (construction closure): the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in New Hampshire will be working on their Recreational Trails Program project all next week by resurfacing 0.8 miles of trail in the town of Canaan from Gristmill Road to Rt 4. See the graphic below from the friends group for a map and details. There is no detour for this section, so the trail will be closed from Monday October 19 through Friday October 23rd (all next week). Thank you for your patience as the friends group assists the state with these upgrades to the trail!

10/11/2026

We’re at Race into Winter with Slednh watching the grass drags. Come say hello!

10/07/2026

New Hampshire State Parks has shared the following post from U.S. Forest Service - White Mountain National Forest describing the changes to the popular Falling Waters Trail along with additional information about parking, the shuttle and other amazing trails in the area. Please stay safe and enjoy the new trail route.

TRAIL UPDATE: The Appalachian Mountain Club in partnership with the White Mountain National Forest has opened the newly realigned section of the iconic Falling Waters Trail.

While generations of hikers have loved Falling Waters, parts of the old route have become steep, eroded, and increasingly difficult to navigate safely. This has resulted in numerous search and rescue responses over the years. The new alignment follows a more gradual route through open forest, while a spur trail preserves access to Cloudland Falls.

After two years of work, and thousands of hours, this essential work to ensure the long-term viability of the trail and the greater Franconia Ridge Loop access has resulted in a continuation of reliable access to recreation opportunities.

Hikers should adhere to all trail signage and closures relating to the decommissioned section of the Falling Waters Trail. The old section of trail has been decommissioned and naturalized to allow natural revegetation to occur. The new trail alignment may not be accurate on online mapping platforms and adherence to all signage and trail markings is crucial for hiker safety.

For questions, please contact the Pemigewasset Ranger District at (603) 536-6100 x 0.

10/06/2026

10/20/26 update: on the Northern Rail Trail in Danbury, the bridge redecking is complete and the closed segment from Potter Place to Danbury parking lot is back open. Thank you to our volunteers for helping the bureau keep these trails maintained!

Trail Notice (construction closure): next week from Monday 10/12 through Wednesday 10/14 the Northern Rail Trail in South Danbury between Potter Place and Danbury Trail Parking Lot will be closed for the Roy Ford Road bridge redeck with the assistance of the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in New Hampshire. There is no detour for this closure. Please plan to avoid this area as there will be no passing through. We thank you for your patience as we complete these repairs.

08/19/2026

The Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in New Hampshire have completed the bridge repairs to the Northern Rail Trail bridges in Grafton at the Tewksbury Pond area. The closure for construction is lifted.

Enjoy the improvements!

08/18/2026

The U.S. Forest Service - White Mountain National Forest has a current notice for the rattlesnake fire. The fire is contained however the trails in the area remain closed. Please see link below for details about all alerts including the rattlesnake fire in Rumney.

Things you should know when planning a visit to the White Mountain National Forest....

08/17/2026

**UPDATE** Completed on 8/19/26 and closure is lifted.

Notice: temporary Trail Closure for construction: On the Northern Rail Trail in Grafton, there will be bridge work next to Tewksbury Pond performed in partnership with Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in New Hampshire. A 1.7 mile segment of the trail is closed to all users from Tewksbury Pond parking area south to the crossing at Bullocks Crossing Road starting today 8/17/26 and tomorrow 8/18/26. There is no detour. See attached map for closure location.

Thank you for your patience as we complete these upgrades.

06/04/2026

As OHRV season is currently underway, we would like to remind riders to be Wildly Responsible NH to stay safe and enjoy the ride!

ATV season is underway in New Hampshire! Make sure you’re being : know your equipment, wear protective gear, stay on designated trails, share those trails with others, and have fun!

NH Fish and Game New Hampshire State Parks

06/03/2026

Please see below for a public statement regarding the Northern Rail Trail in Andover:

The State is aware of the barriers currently affecting public access to a section of the Northern Rail Trail in Andover between Bridge Road and Cilleyville Road. We understand how disappointing and inconvenient this is for the many people who utilize the trail.

At this time, the State considers this section of the trail temporarily closed and respectfully asks for the public’s cooperation in avoiding the area. There is currently no State-approved detour available around the impacted section of trail.

State agencies continue to review the situation, including questions related to property interests, and are evaluating appropriate legal and administrative options to help address the matter. While the closure may remain in place for some time, a specific timeline is not currently available.

The remainder of the Northern Rail Trail remains open and accessible to the public. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as efforts continue toward a resolution.