The Friends of the Northern Rail Trail (FNRT) in Merrimack County is an all-volunteer group converting a 34-mile stretch of this trail—one of the two main trails of the ASC—into a 4-season trail. This conversion will make the trail friendlier to snowmobilers by removing loose rocks from the trail and covering the remainder with packed stone dust. It will also make the trail usable in other seasons by bikers, walkers, joggers, and folks who just plain love the New Hampshire countryside.
The Northern Rail Trail runs through the towns of Danbury, Wilmot, Andover, Franklin, and Boscawen in Merrimack County and will connect with the other trails in the area. It continues north an additional 23 miles in Grafton County, where the trail has already been converted to 4-season use.
Replacing the ballast rock (which prevents walking or bicycle riding in the summer) with hard pack to make a smooth unpaved trail is a priority for the FNRT! The Friends—with labor and machines donated by the Andover Snowmobile Club—have already covered and compacted a demonstration stretch of over a mile in Andover and they’re committed to resurfacing the rest of the Northern Rail Trail.
Together, the Andover Snowmobile Club and the FNRT can make it happen.
Join the Friends at www.FNRT.org and help create the all-season Northern Rail Trail in Merrimack County!
Share the trail with a friend.
