WINDHAM RAIL TRAIL LETTERBOX:
WINDHAM, NEW HAMPSHIRE
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Planted: August 15, 2009
Length: Windham Airline Trail; 3.5 miles
Depot Road parking lot to Letterbox; 0.2 miles
Difficulty: Easy. Flat paved rail trail.
Directions:
From I-93 take exit 3 to Route 111 west. Take a right on Church St and another right onto N Lowell Rd. After traveling underneath I-93 you'll come to Windham Junction. Turn right up Depot Rd and you'll spot the "Blue Caboose" on your left. The parking lot is on your right.
The Windham Rail Trail travels along the railroad bed of the old Manchester and Lawrence Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad. Future plans call for continuing the trail north to connect to the existing Derry Rail Trail. See; Derry Rail Trail . For more information visit; WINDHAM RAIL TRAIL .
Starting from N Lowell Rd; The wooden 0 Mile Marker post starts from here. Mile markers are placed every 1/2 mile along the trail.
Note; Heading north into Derry the trail is undeveloped. However, it consists of a hard packed cinder surface and is very rideable. Mt bike recommended.
From the 0 Mile Marker head south 17 paces (2 steps = 1 pace) and look to your left. Spot a small rock outcropping about waist high. You'll see three stones under the ledge. Remove only the center stone and the flat rock on top of it. Under a flat rock, used to protect the box, you'll find the Windham Rail Trail Letterbox. Continuing along the paved trail you'll pass by the blue caboose and cross over to the Depot Rd parking lot. Travel past the metal gate and there will be a sign board. The old Windham Train Station is on your left. The trail heads into the woods along a high berm. There are many berms along this old rail bed. The trail is very shaded and includes very slight grades along its route. After passing through a rock cut at 0.6 miles, another high berm takes you past some granite benches overlooking a marsh below. Look for the old railroad mileage marker on your left at 1 mile. L on one side M on the other. The miles were obscured. The L stood for Lawrence and the M for Manchester. There are many ponds and marshes along this very scenic trail. At 1.5 miles you travel across a causeway between a marsh and pond and again at 2.4 miles. At 3.3 miles a tunnel travels under the trail. I believe this was probably used to allow livestock access to both sides of the tracks. Another old railroad marker is located here. It reads 9/89? The trail currently ends after 3.5 miles at Roulston Road. No parking lot is located here. The trail continues south undeveloped, but consists of cinder and is very ridable. Mt bike recommended.
HH
LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON
AUGUST 15, 2009
TO EMAIL A VERIFICATION
BEFORE YOU SET OUT BE SURE TO READ THE
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT LETTERBOXING