Bike trails

New Hampshire is home to hundreds of miles of trails with a variety of recreational uses. Here are some of the best trails for a bike ride.

1. NASHUA RIVER RAIL TRAIL

Access point at Gilson Road, Country Side Drive, Nashua, mass.gov/locations/ nashua-river-rail-trail The 12.5-mile trail runs along the Nashua River, connecting Nashua to Ayer, Massachusetts. It is completely paved, making it ideal for bicyclists looking for a smooth ride.

2. GOFFSTOWN RAIL TRAIL

Access points in Goffstown at Goffstown Parks and Recreation Center, 155 S. Mast St.; Hillsborough County Offices complex on Mast Road; Danis Park Road; and Moose Club Park Road; and in Manchester at Sarette Recreation Complex, 2 Louis St., goffstownrailtrail.org The unpaved trail runs for 7.5 miles between Goffstown and Manchester, connecting Pinardville, Grasmere and Goffstown Village.

3. LONDONDERRY RAIL TRAIL

Access points in Londonderry at the Interstate 93 Exit 5 Park & Ride, 4 Symmes Drive; at the south end of the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport runway, 106 Harvey Road, Londonderry; North Elementary School, 19 Sanborn Road; and Independence Drive, londonderrytrails.org The trail is around 4.5 miles and runs through North Londonderry, ending at Harvey Road in Manchester near the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. Around 3.5 miles of the trail is paved, from Liberty Drive, past the Interstate 93 Exit 5 Park & Ride to Sanborn Road. Londonderry Trailways and the Town of Londonderry are currently working to extend it to 6 miles, where it will link directly to the Derry Rail Trail.

4. WINDHAM RAIL TRAIL

Access points in Windham at Windham Depot, off Depot Road; and Route 28, just north of Range Road, windhamrailtrail.org The 4.3-mile trail runs through Windham, connecting with the Derry Rail Trail on North Lowell Road at the Derry-Windham line. Fully paved, it features scenic views of wetlands, rock waterfalls and an old stone arch bridge.

5. MINE FALLS PARK

Whipple Street, Nashua, 589-3370, nashuanh.gov The park has around 8 miles of trails across 325 acres of forest, open fields and wetlands, bordering the Nashua River, Millpond and canal system on the north side.

6. DERRY RAIL TRAIL

Access points in Derry at Hood Park off Rollins Street; and Derry’s town center; and in Windham at Windham Depot, off Depot Road, derryrailtrail.org The paved trail runs 4 miles through Windham and into Derry’s town center, with scenic wetlands and woodlands along the way. The Derry Rail Trail Alliance is currently working to extend the trail so that it links directly to the Londonderry Rail Trail.

7. ROCKINGHAM RECREATIONAL TRAIL

Access points in Manchester at Elliot Hospital, Tarrytown Road; and Candia Road; and in Auburn at Lake Massabesic, manchesternh.gov/departments/parksand-recreation A little over 3 miles, the trail provides a connection between the urban amenities of Manchester and the rural setting of Lake Massabesic in Auburn and the lake’s trail network. It’s unpaved but has a packed gravel base from Proctor Road to Lake Shore Road in Manchester.

8. NORTHERN RAIL TRAIL

Access points located throughout Boscawen, Franklin, Danbury, Wilmot and Andover, fnrt.org The trail is 58 miles, making it the longest individual rail trail in New Hampshire. It runs from South Boscawen and crosses nearly a dozen towns across two counties, ending in Lebanon, where it connects with the Mascoma River Greenway. It’s paved with a smooth, hard surface of compacted ballast and stone dust and features scenic views of woodlands and streams.