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The unsigned trail junction at Epping is located in front of a fenced Propane Gas yard located on the west side of Main Street, a town road just west of the Route 125 crossing. The Portsmouth Branch Trail runs straight west on the railroad bed that parallels the north fence of that yard. It also crosses Main Street and Route 125 to run straight east.
The Fremont Branch Trail runs southwest on the railroad bed parallel to the southeast fence of that yard and continues about a half-mile to a highway fence at the edge of Route 101. The trail continues southwest on the railroad bed from the opposite highway fence.
A
permanent trail detour leaves the railroad bed at the highway
fence and runs about an eighth of a mile west along the fence to
a tunnel that passes under Route 101, returning to the railroad
bed along the fence on the other side. Note that the grades on
this permanent trail detour may not be ADA compliant!
Route 101 interrupts the Fremont Branch railbed. Digital picture by Kenyon F. Karl on August 5, 1998.
Trail underpass for Fremont Branch Rail-trail. Digital picture by Kenyon F. Karl on August 5, 1998.
Motorists will certainly notice the granite railroad bridge abutments that march across Route 27 and the Lamprey River parallel to Route 125 a short distance north of the rail-trail. These abutments are instead part of a 15.8 mile railroad abandonment in 1935 between Epping and West Gonic that has since largely been absorbed into the present Route 125. [Abandonment information from the "Directory of Rail Abandonments 1848-1994" in the book by Ronald Dale Karr Lost Railroads of New England, 2nd Ed., published by Branch Line Press in 1996.]
The Route 125 crossing a short distance east of the site of the Epping Depot is
particularly hazardous due to very heavy traffic. Long delays must be expected while
waiting for an opening in traffic, and bikers must consider walking their bikes
across this highway!
Very limited parking is available on the
site of the Epping Depot.
A traditional restaurant is located just
east of the Epping Depot. This restaurant is currently closed on
Sunday. Toilets and water are presumably available upon request
whenever the restaurant is open.
A
gas station is located across the trail from the restaurant.
Outdoor picnic tables are at the ice
cream stand on Route 125 just beyond the gas station.
A McDonalds is located on Route 125 just north of
the Route 101 interchange, a quarter-mile south of the trail
junction at Epping Depot. Toilets and water are presumably
available upon request whenever the restaurant is open. A gas
station and convenience store is adjacent to McDonalds on Route
125.
Note that a sports center has recently been built between the Fremont Branch Trail and the back end of the McDonalds restaurant, which may prohibit access to the restaurant directly from that trail.
The Statewide
Bicycle Route System turns from Rte 27 north onto Main St, about
0.4 miles north via Main St. from Epping Station.
Listed on the National
Register of Historic Places:Click on the map to browse!
The unmarked 'Burger King Trail'
begins near the south side of Route 101 on the Fremont Branch
Trail, then rises steeply about 10 feet to pass a sky-high Burger
King sign. It then follows a curving but level service road to a
gate behind the raised outdoor picnic area at the rear of Burger
King, just southwest of the Route 101 interchange on Route 28. Toilets and water
are presumably available upon request inside the Burger King Restaurant. This trail may be owned and maintained by Burger King
primarily as a
service road to their sky-high sign.
A gas
station and convenience store is located just north of the Burger
King, and reachable from the end of the 'Burger King
Trail' by walking on the grass behind the intermediate
building.
The huge Park & Ride lot southeast of the Route 101
interchange on Route 28 offers ample long-term parking space for trail
users. However, the driver may wish first to drop off riders and
equipment on the loop road that surrounds the raised picnic area near the beginning of the 'Burger King
Trail'. Note that the
grassy area surrounding the building just south of the gas
station allows the driver to walk along the north edge of that
building and then between the stones to reach the east end of the
'Burger King Trail'.
The Coach Company offers commuter bus service
on weekday rush-direction only
from the bus shelter at the back of the Park & Ride Lot to
downtown Boston.
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The site of the West Epping Depot is occupied by a small concrete building that houses the electronics equipment required by the fibre optic telephone cable that is buried in the right of way.
The Statewide
Bicycle Route System parallels the rail-trail on Route 27, about
0.6 mile northwest of the West Epping Depot.
No other trail facilities were observed in this vicinity!
Sign images are from the Manual of Traffic Signs, by Richard C. Moeur.
Updated on February 22, 2001 by Kenyon F.
Karl <[email protected]>.
Unintentional errors are likely!
The Epping
Rail-Trail page has more information about the
Rail-trail in and around Epping.