The Hillsborough Recreational Rail Trail connects three communities in south-central New Hampshire: Hillsborough, Deering, and Bennington. The unpaved trail winds along the Contoocook River through woods, wetlands, and rural farmlands for 8 miles. It follows a branch of the former Boston & Maine Railroad and in some places the rails are still in place; the trail also crosses trestle bridges and passes the Bennington Depot.
Some parts of the trail are surfaced in soft sand and can be difficult for bikers; mountain bikes are highly recommended. ATVs and motorcycles share the trail during the summer months. In the winter, the trail is used by snowmobilers, Nordic skiers, and snowshoers; though the trails are not groomed.
Trail conditions change often due to weather or maintenance schedules. Before you head out, click here for up-to-date conditions and closure information.
This trail is managed by the New Hampshire Bureau of Trails and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation Bureau of Rail and Transit. For more information, please visit New Hampshire's Recreational Rail Trails online, or contact:
There is parking available at the Deering Fish and Game Club. To get there from central Hillsborough, turn off of NH-149/West Main Street onto Bridge Street/Deering Center Road and continue for 0.2 miles. Turn right onto Union Street and continue for 1.7 miles. Turn right onto Fish and Game Road and turn right into the parking lot immediately. The trailhead is just beyond the parking lot farther down the Fishing and Game Road. The trail runs both north and south from here.
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