In its May/June 2015 issue, in time for the summer travel season, Yankee magazine has laid out its 2015 Travel Guide to New England. Its editors’ top picks include the Northern Rail Trail as Best New Hampshire Bike Trail. “Kudos to this 50+-mile stretch: It’s been added to ‘100 Top Trails in the U.S.’ by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Washington, DC. The longest rail trail in the state…it glides past farms, orchards, lakes, mill sites, and covered bridges…”

The Merrimack County portion of the Trail was completed last fall and is in prime condition for this summer’s biking and hiking. It starts just north of the Concord city line, in Boscawen, where it can be accessed by parking at the Hannah Dustin Park and Ride just off exit 17 on Route 93.

From there the trail heads northwest 35 miles to the Danbury/Grafton line, where the Grafton County part of the trail begins.

The old Northern Railroad followed the path of least resistance along waterways and the Northern Rail Trail provides views of the Merrimack River in Boscawen, waterfalls and Webster Lake in Franklin, Highland Lake and the Blackwater River in Andover, Frazier Brook in Wilmot, and Eagle Pond in Danbury. In Grafton County, the Trail skirts the Mascoma River and Lake Mascoma before it enters downtown Lebanon.

“We’re thrilled that the Trail has received this recognition from Yankee magazine – and we couldn’t agree more with their designation!” said Craig Heim, Wilmot resident and member of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County.

The Northern Rail Trail is open to all non-motorized users, free of charge. It has two Welcome Centers: the Highland Lake Inn in East Andover and the Danbury Country Store in Danbury.

For information and maps visit FNRT.org.