Nashua River Rail Trail, Sunday, September 4, 2005

[amstony]

Although primarily a bike trail, this nice 11+ mile trail that stretches from Nashua, NH to Ayer, MA has other uses too. It was an excellent training route for upcoming marathon and since I neded a 20 mile run, this fit the bill. An out and back run would be 22+ miles. Plus it was less than 6 driving miles from my house.....

. Pepperrel is an excellent spot to start, it has soda and water machines and a couple of places to eat when your done. Their is more than adequate parking since this is a major trailhead for the rail trail. The run started at 8:10 AM with melanie and I heading south towards Groton and Ayer from the Pepperel trailhead.

The weather was perfect, barely at 60 degrees. I took my digital camera along to take a few pictures at our scheduled water breaks. We cruised along at a nice pace through some nice areas with lakes, brooks and what appeared to be or bogs. The trail got busier as the morning wore on asnd when we ran into the trailhead termination in Ayer we turned around and headed north, taking 3 minutes to refill, refuel, and leave a trace. Pics of the bathrooms are included.....

Then it was back north towards Nashua. We passed through Pepperrel again and contunued north at a nice pace passing through some nice areas, past the Unquettynasset Brook, where there appeared to be a large heron nest in a tree. When we reached the OLD trailhead at the northern terminus, it now continues on into Nashua, NH. This adds probably a 1/2 mile to 3/4 mile to the book route of 22 miles. When we reached that it was time for another turn to the south where we headed back down the trail and finished up at the Pepperrel trailhead- our initial starting point.

All told it was 23 miles, time of 3 hours 41 minutes, and a perfect day to be out on any trail.

 

[amstony]

The remaining pics from a nice run

 

[MichaelJ]

I've taken my bike out and ridden this trail numerous times from the parking lot at the Ayer end up to the NH border (and a bit beyond) and back. It's a beautiful trail, not nearly as busy as the ones closer to Boston, and I highly recommend it, especially during foliage season.

Don't forget the ice cream stop in Pepperell center.

And yes, I've seen those restrooms before. Putting in Clivus Multrum units was a fine idea, but they've been horribly abused (trash and lack of maintenance) and are in poor shape (and were pretty full the last time I was there).

 

[amstony]

And yes, I've seen those restrooms before. Putting in Clivus Multrum units was a fine idea, but they've been horribly abused (trash and lack of maintenance) and are in poor shape (and were pretty full the last time I was there).

They were in great shape this trip. Last time I was here they were nasty.

 

[amstony]

As a native Pepperellite, I agree that there is a good selection of food options in Railroad Square, but I know of no ice cream vendor unless you diverted a mile off the trail and went to Doc's.

Their is an ice cream shop there next to the restaurant with great food and lousy service . The ice cream shoppe is on the opposite side of the street from the trail.

 

[MichaelJ]

There also must be a bike rental place in Pepperell near the trail, because I've often seen people on these funky carriage bikes, more like pedal cars, really, riding their kids around.

The crowds on a nice summer day there (Railroad Square, it's called?) are just a really good example of how a nice bike trail can boost the local economy.

Oh, and that gorgeous section of the Nashua River above the dam, just off the trail, is wonderful for kayaking. There's at least one place that rents right at a put-in, too.

Here's the web site for the trail, as well as my own pictures from April of 2004.

 

[Mike]

Two questions

Living in NH, about 3 miles from the Nashua end of the path, I am lucky to also be able to bike to it from home. I average about one ride per week and try to hit the path fairly early in the morning before the walkers, joggers, roller bladers, carriage pushers, etc. are also using it in numbers. Obviously in the summer it is also more pleasant when it is cool early on.

Now that fall is approaching, the early mornings will be getting a lot colder, so my first question is, "how much traffic is there late morning or early afternoon?"

My other question is, "are there any nice sandwich stores on the Ayer end?"

Thanks.

 

[MichaelJ]

I know there's a coffee shop with excellent pastries right in the center on 2A, as well as a Dunkin over near the parking lot for the traditionalists. Beyond that I just ... don't .... remember .....

 

[roadtripper]

rail trail

I absolutely love in-line skating on this rail trail....best quality pavement around (leagues better than the Minuteman Trail)

Nice trip report btw.

 

[amstony]

All the food spots are in Pepperrell and Ayer. The new Nashua extension is miles from any food, and there was nothing visible from the Groton parking area. Pepperrell has the ice cream shop, restaurant, another restaurant called Crumpets, and a very busy "package store" ...... It is also close to a covered bridge, if your so inclined to look at that.

Ayer has more of a strip area near the trail, there is a Dunkins, couple of gas stations and a Mobil Mart (under construction), but I don't remember much else nearby.

Early in the morning you have many more of the competitive type racing bikers, roller bladers, and runners out training. It appears that between 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM you get more families, kids, etc that come out. Saturdays are also buier than early Sundays. We pretty much had the trail to ourselves until around 9:30. The Pepperrell trailhead appears busier than the Ayer end too.

 

[MichaelJ]

Ayer has more of a strip area near the trail, there is a Dunkins, couple of gas stations and a Mobil Mart (under construction), but I don't remember much else nearby.

The "nicer" strip is along 2A in Ayer. Go past the parking lot about 100 yards to the true very end of the trail and look left (ahead of you is the commuter rail station). There are a few places in there, the town center proper.