Most of this abandoned railroad bed is still surfaced with the heavy stone railroad ballast that was left behind when the rails and ties were removed a few years ago. This trail may not be suitable for human and animal-powered users west of Barrett during the warm-weather months! Note however that a letter was published in the September 24, 1999 issue of the North Country News-Independent that stated the intent of the NH Bureau of Trails over the next year (2000) to "wing back a portion of the ballast stone and to incorporate the remaining stone with the base soils" to leave a surface similar to a gravel road.
The following mileage chart is used to organize available information about this rail-trail. Each underlined station name is a link to a page containing a location map as well as the pictures that were taken in that general area.
Miles |
Station Name |
Svcs | Settlement |
Municipality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93.60 | Woodsville | TFP | Woodsville | Haverhill |
| 98.79 | Bath | TFP | Bath | Bath |
| 104.26 | Lisbon | TFP | Lisbon | Lisbon |
| 106.30 | Sugar Hill | TFPS | Sugar Hill Sta. | Lisbon |
| 109.73 | Barrett | ---- | Barrett | Lisbon |
| [113.0] | [Littleton end of trail] | Littleton Industrial Park | Littleton | |
| 114.78 | Littleton | TFP | Littleton | Littleton |
Railroad Miles from Concord via Plymouth
Svcs (in 1923): T = Telegraph, F=Freight Accounts, P=Passenger Tickets, S=Summer
only
Dark Face suggests depot in 1923.
Italics indicates point beyond end of trail.
Mileage, Station Names and Svcs. from the Official List of Officers, Agents and Stations of the Boston & Maine Railroad, July 1,1923. The Mileage at the Littleton end of the trail is from Surface Transportation Board Document FD 33727 0 dated April 16, 1999. Unintentional errors are likely!
The Bike Trail Map on the reverse side of the Official NH Highway Map shows Route 116 between Littleton and Whitefield as a designated bicycle route. Unfortunately, the State Map does not designate lightly used town roads as bicycle routes. More information about the Bike Trail Map can be obtained from the NH Bureau of Trails at 603-271-3254.
The Snowmobile Corridor Map on the reverse side of the Official NH Highway Map shows Corridor 5 as a connecting snowmobile route between Littleton and Jefferson. Note that most snowmobile routes cross privately owned land and thus are closed during the warm weather months. More information about the State Snowmobile Corridor Map can be obtained from the NH Bureau of Trails at 603-271-3254.
Freedom Express can transport hikers, skiers, and bicyclists between the East end of the potential rail-trail in Littleton and the various potential rail-trail access points in Whitefield and Jefferson. Freedom Express does accommodate bicycles and skis in the wheelchair area of the bus by advance request when that space is not required by a wheelchair passenger. A trailer can also be attached to the Freedom Express bus by advance request to accommodate a group of bicyclists or skiers.
The CVT is proposed to be Vermont's first east-west, long-distance, multi-use trail spanning 75 miles from the Connecticut River in Wells River to Lake Champlain in Burlington. The section east of Montpelier would utilize portions of the former Montpelier and Wells River Railroad bed. The east end of the officially open 11 mile Groton State Forest section of the Cross Vermont Trail at Rickers is approximately 12 miles west of Woodsville via Route 302 and Route 232.
The Bayley-Hazen Military Road is a potential bike route that traces the route of the historic road Wells River northwest to the Hazens Notch State Park in Westfield VT. Some parts of the historic road are still in use as town roads, but other parts are apparently in private ownership thus requiring detours on nearby town roads. A historic marker for the southeast end of the trail is located about a mile west from Woodsville via Route 302 and a quarter-mile north via Route 5.
Public
Transit Service Vermont Transit [Table #1997] provides daily bus service at Wells River VT, about 4 miles west of Woodsville. Vermont Transit accepts bicycles in boxes on a space available basis. Note that Vermont Transit is a subsidiary of Greyhound Lines, whose Official Web Site offers all Greyhound and Vermont Transit schedules in summary form.
Stagecoach Transportation Services operates two round trips on weekdays on their River Route from downtown Wells River (just across the Connecticut River) to White River Junction VT . Trail users are strongly urged to inquire in advance about their willingness to accommodate bikes and skis when the wheelchair area of the bus is otherwise unoccupied.
Concord Trailways provides daily bus service to Littleton. Concord Trailways accepts bicycles on a conditional basis.
Freedom Express provides local public transportation on a demand responsive basis at the end of the potential rail-trail in Littleton. Freedom Express does accommodate bicycles in the wheelchair area of the bus by advance request when that space is not required by a wheelchair passenger. A trailer can also be attached to the Freedom Express bus by advance arrangement to accommodate a group of bicyclists.
Local Services DirectoryEach location map on this Web Site is a link to a map on the Mapblast Web Site which in turn contains a link to a Business Directory of the surrounding area.
Sign images are from the Manual of Traffic Signs by Richard C. Moeur.
Updated on February 27, 2001 by Kenyon F.
Karl <[email protected]>.
Unintentional errors are likely!