The Best 10 Bike Trails in New Hampshire: From the Seacoast to the White Mountains

Bike Trails New Hampshire

New Hampshire packs a lot of variety into a small state. You can ride a car-free path through Franconia Notch, follow old railroad lines past lakes and covered bridges, cruise a new rail-trail near the Seacoast and climb into some of the best singletrack networks in New England, from Exeter to the White Mountains.

We’ve grouped the trails below into three regions: the Seacoast and Southern New Hampshire, the Lakes Region and Central New Hampshire, and the White Mountains and North Country. Each card lists the trail’s surface, length and type, with a link to the map, directions and the official trail page, so you can pick a ride that fits your bike and your legs.

Sort by any column or search by trail name, county or region. Lengths are in miles; click a trail name to jump to its details.

TrailRegionCountiesLength (mi)SurfaceType
New Hampshire Seacoast GreenwaySeacoast & Southern New HampshireRockingham County9.6Crushed StoneRail-Trail
Fort Rock TrailsSeacoast & Southern New HampshireRockingham County30Dirt, Rock, RootsMountain Bike
Bear Brook State ParkSeacoast & Southern New HampshireMerrimack & Rockingham Counties64.5Dirt, Rock, RootsMountain Bike
Northern Rail TrailLakes Region & Central New HampshireGrafton & Merrimack Counties59Crushed Stone, CinderRail-Trail
Cotton Valley Rail TrailLakes Region & Central New HampshireCarroll County12GravelRail-Trail
Abenaki Trail NetworkLakes Region & Central New HampshireCarroll County5DirtMountain Bike
Franconia Notch Recreation PathWhite Mountains & North CountryGrafton County8.7AsphaltGreenway
Presidential Rail TrailWhite Mountains & North CountryCoos County19.2Gravel, Cinder, DirtRail-Trail
Franconia NEMBA Trail NetworkWhite Mountains & North CountryGrafton County40Dirt, Rock, RootsMountain Bike
Marshall Conservation AreaWhite Mountains & North CountryCarroll County11DirtMountain Bike

Seacoast & Southern New Hampshire

A new rail-trail through the Seacoast woods and two of the biggest mountain bike networks in southern New Hampshire, one built with local landowners and one in a 10,000-acre state park. 3 trails.

New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway

The New Hampshire Seacoast Greenway is a 9.6-mile rail-trail on an old railroad line from Portsmouth south through Rye and North Hampton toward Hampton.

It’s a crushed-stone path under a full tree canopy, with only a few road crossings, and it’s part of the East Coast Greenway. Start at the Portsmouth Skate Park or near the Airfield Café at the southern end.

Trail facts

Fort Rock Trails

Fort Rock in Exeter and Newfields has more than 30 miles of trails, built through a partnership between the towns and private landowners.

Expect a mix of smooth flow, challenging climbs and technical features, with recent upgrades that added new bridges, a wetland reroute and two new trails. It’s one of the most popular rides on the Seacoast.

Trail facts

Bear Brook State Park

Bear Brook State Park, in Allenstown and its neighboring towns, is New Hampshire’s largest developed state park, with more than 60 miles of trails across 10,000 acres.

Trails range from wide doubletrack to singletrack, with easy, moderate and advanced options and some purpose-built mountain bike trails. All trails are multi-use, there’s a day-use fee, and you can camp at Beaver Pond to make a weekend of it.

Trail facts

Lakes Region & Central New Hampshire

The state’s longest rail-trail from Lebanon to Boscawen, a lakeside ride between Wolfeboro and Wakefield and a flowy trail network minutes from downtown Wolfeboro. 3 trails.

Northern Rail Trail

The Northern Rail Trail is New Hampshire’s longest rail-trail, running 59 miles from Lebanon to Boscawen on the old Northern Railroad line.

It crosses the Mascoma River nine times in the first few miles, follows the shore of Mascoma Lake and passes the restored 1874 Potter Place station in Andover and the 1882 Keniston Covered Bridge. There are swimming spots at Highland Lake and Webster Lake along the way.

Trail facts

Cotton Valley Rail Trail

The Cotton Valley Rail Trail runs 12 miles from downtown Wolfeboro to Wakefield, alongside the old rails, past Lake Winnipesaukee’s Back Bay and over two causeways by Lake Wentworth and Crescent Lake.

The rails are still in place and local rail-car clubs use them, so walk your bike across the rails wherever the trail crosses them. It’s one of the prettiest lake rides in the state.

Trail facts

Abenaki Trail Network

The Abenaki Trail Network is a 179-acre system just minutes from downtown Wolfeboro, with more than 5 miles of trails.

It’s built for beginner and intermediate riders, with machine-built flow trails and jumps, some downhill singletrack and scenic cross-country loops. Pair it with a ride on the Cotton Valley Rail Trail.

Trail facts

White Mountains & North Country

A paved path through Franconia Notch, a gravel rail-trail below the Presidential Range and two big NEMBA trail networks in the mountains. 4 trails.

Franconia Notch Recreation Path

The Franconia Notch Recreation Path is an 8.7-mile paved path through Franconia Notch State Park in the White Mountains, from the Flume Gorge Visitor Center north to the Skookumchuck trailhead.

It passes The Basin, the Old Man of the Mountain viewing area, Echo Lake Beach and the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway, where you can rent bikes. There are some fast descents, so riders must keep to 20 mph.

Trail facts

Presidential Rail Trail

The Presidential Rail Trail runs about 19 miles from Pondicherry Wildlife Refuge in Whitefield to Gorham on the old Berlin Branch railroad line, with big views of the Presidential Range.

The surface changes from gravel and cinder to dirt and sand, so a gravel or mountain bike is best. Look for moose, beavers and the Cherry Pond observation deck, and note that snowmobiles share it in winter.

Trail facts

Franconia NEMBA Trail Network

The Franconia NEMBA network covers more than 40 miles of trails in Franconia, Easton and Sugar Hill, in the shadow of the White Mountains.

It ranges from easy valley cruising to technical singletrack, and it’s open year-round, with fat biking in winter.

Trail facts

Marshall Conservation Area

The Marshall Conservation Area in North Conway has about 11 miles of green and blue trails, with flow trails, classic singletrack and adaptive-accessible routes.

It connects to the West Side trail network, so it’s easy to link a longer ride, and it’s just a few minutes from the shops and restaurants of North Conway.

Trail facts

Trail guides

Looking For New Trails To Conquer?

Explore our state-by-state trail guides – distances, surfaces, maps and directions for paved rail-trails and dirt singletrack alike.