Winter arrives on the Nashua River Rail Trail

December 18, 2025February 18, 2026 / Ellen Kolb / 2 Comments

The calendar says winter is a few days away, and late fall has been happy to provide a preview. I visited the Nashua River Rail Trail on a quiet weekday morning to take advantage of a just-above-freezing day. I wanted to beat the messy forecast: rain, followed by plummeting temps and a resulting flash-freeze.

I strapped cleats onto my shoes just to be on the safe side, since icy patches can lurk in a path’s shaded areas. The powder snow that fell earlier in the month was packed down nicely in an informal lane for walkers. There were traces of ski tracks alongside, but I think those must have been made when the snow was fresher.

I was on the northernmost segment of the trail, in Nashua. I was pleased to see that the city has kept the Gilson Road parking lot plowed. Many tracks in the snow between parking area and trail attest to the NRRT’s continuing popularity.

artwork displayed alongside a snowy trail in Nashua, NH — *_{Along the Nashua River Rail Trail: “The Shapes of Water” by Faith T., a student at Nashua High School South.}* *_{Ellen Kolb photo.}*

The art displays along the way between Gilson Road and the Rt. 111-A crossing featured pieces by students at Nashua High School South. Some of the display stands were showing signs of wear, and I hope the city will maintain them. The artwork is a meaningful way for Nashua to put its stamp on its section of the NRRT.

A bird’s nest was in the middle of the trail, perched atop the snow. A gust of wind probably took it down from a nearby tree. I picked it up thinking that it was edged with snow, but I was mistaken – all the white fuzz was from downy feathers. I moved the nest the edge of the trail, not wanting to damage it even if its former occupants were done with it.

*_{Feathers, not snow, adorn this nest. Ellen Kolb photo.}*

The painted markings on the old granite B&M railway mileage marker have weathered away. W 40, I thought to myself as I walked past it. Forty miles south to Worcester along the old rail line.

Granite post along a snow-covered rail trail — *_{This granite post is a mileage marker, which once had “W 40” painted on it (40 miles to Worcester, Massachusetts). Ellen Kolb photo.}*

The twelve-mile long NRRT has several parking areas along the way. Trail users in Nashua can park by the trail on Gilson Road, NH Rt. 111-A, or Groton Road/Hollis Street (at the NH/MA state line).

You can help send the Granite State Walker to the next trailhead with a small donation at her Buy Me a Coffee page. Thank you!

NHRTC conference welcomes you

September 18, 2023September 18, 2023 / Ellen Kolb

What do I do when I’m not hiking? Lots of writing, much of it on topics having nothing to do with the outdoors. Sometimes, though, I take what used to be called a busman’s holiday: I seek events where I can learn more about trails and the people who treasure them. I never run out of things to learn.

One such opportunity is coming up at the end of October. It’s the biennial conference of the New Hampshire Rail Trail Coalition, to be held on Friday, October 27, 2023, at the McAuliffe-Shepard Center in Concord, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The theme is “Collaboration, Communication and Connections.”

It’s for anyone who’s interested in our state’s rail trail system, and it has something to offer to anyone who cares about outdoor recreation. Twenty-five dollars will get you a day filled with interesting people, useful information, AND breakfast and lunch. That’s a bargain, my friends.

Ever heard of Cycling Without Age? That’s a program being implemented on a portion of the Northern Rail Trail, where a cycling “pilot” can give rides to people who due to age or disability would otherwise not have access to the trail. Where does funding come from for trail development and maintenance in New Hampshire? You might be surprised at the sources. How many local trail groups are working within New Hampshire? More than you think, and many of them will have trail-specific information to share at the conference. These topics and more will be on the day’s agenda.

I’ll be there as a NHRTC board member, helping to check in attendees. I’d love to welcome you personally. Find out more at nhrtc.org, and if you’re ready to register, click on https://bit.ly/3KLqjHn.

flyer advertising New Hampshire Rail Trail Coalition conference 2023

The well-read hiker

February 4, 2023April 5, 2024 / Ellen Kolb / 1 Comment

As I write this, a brief but vicious cold snap is dominating the local weather. It’s an evening for reading amid quilts and hot drinks. I want to share a couple of gems that fellow walkers might enjoy.

If you’re not following the one-of-a-kind blog New Hampshire Garden Solutions, click over to it this minute (yes, this one). The photography alone will make your day, but the writing certainly holds its own. Don’t let the blog’s title fool you; I think the site might have grown away from its author’s original intent, as blogs are wont to do. These posts are the record of the ramblings of a southwestern New Hampshire hiker armed with a macro-lens camera, a keen eye for detail, and a love for botany. In almost every post, I learn the name of one or another plant I’ve seen but never been able to identify. On a day like this, when I’ve let the weather get the better of me, New Hampshire Garden Solutions helps me look forward to future Granite State hikes.

One of my goals for 2023 is to walk the full distance of the Ashuelot Rail Trail, which is right smack in the middle of that blog’s territory. I’ll probably use the blog to create a list of things to look out for along the way.

I sometimes think (wrongly) that I’ve read every book published in English about walking, trekking, and hiking. For walking – just plain walking – it’s tough to find anything fresh that’s longer than a magazine article. A casual visit to my local library’s New Books shelf turned up a pleasant surprise: 52 Ways to Walk by Annabel Streets. As the number in the title suggests, there’s an idea or recommendation for each week in the year. The subtitle is “the surprising science of walking for wellness and joy, one week at a time.” Ms. Streets does not believe in being held back by weather, even the kind that has me hunkered down at the moment with a mug of hot chocolate. I’m only a few “weeks” into the book, but I can already tell that I just might get carried away by the author’s enthusiasm….once the outside temp moves above zero once again.

Enjoy the reading, and stay safe as winter serves up its worst. The trails will still be there for us later.

Using mud season to plan ahead

March 23, 2022March 22, 2022 / Ellen Kolb

New Hampshire’s mud season is here, thanks to a month that has brought days of snow alternating with days of 50 degrees. I went to the forest trails in one of my favorite Concord parks the other day, and I turned around after about a hundred yards. Squishy ground is not ideal for hiking. Turns out hiking isn’t ideal for squishy ground, either. Ask any trail maintainer. I’m switching to pavement for the time being.

Paved bike trail in wooded area, with old brick industrial building in background — *March 2022: Nashua River Rail Trail, Dunstable MA. Clear pavement, muddy edges.* *Ellen Kolb photo.*

While I’m putting in the miles on roads and paved trails, I’ll be giving some thought to the maintenance work and spring cleanup that will be going on as the weather gets warmer and the mud dries up. This is a good time for trip planning, too.

I serve on my town’s conservation commission, on a subcommittee dedicated to one of the town’s nature preserves. We’ve been keeping an eye on some areas being taken over by invasive plants that are crowding out native species. In consultation with an expert from the local university’s extension program, we’re coming up with a management plan to tackle the invasives later in the year. Planning now will pay off later.

My favorite local paved trail, the Nashua River Rail Trail, has obviously seen recent work from volunteers who have already made the most of mud season. While the side paths in the woods are still muddy and soft, working on the pavement is easy. Between my last two visits to the northern section of the trail, a crew or crews had been through to clear away fallen branches and pick up trash.

I’m gathering trail information this month for a multi-day hike later in the year on the rail trails in the southwestern part of New Hampshire. I don’t feel quite so stuck during mud season when I know there’s a trip ahead to plan and train for.

Mud season might give you time to learn more about the trails in your area, even if they’re temporarily off limits until things dry up a bit. Is a trail owned or managed by your town? Check with the Parks and Recreation department or the municipal Conservation Commission to find out if there are opportunities for you to volunteer for upcoming events. Are you fond of a certain rail trail? The New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition website contains links to many local trail clubs, each with its own projects and schedule. Don’t dismiss Facebook; it’s still a great way to find groups organized around a specific trail or park. Those Facebook groups are often the best source of information on up-to-date trail conditions and maintenance needs.

Avoiding the trails for another couple of weeks will be good for them. Using the time for planning ahead will be good for me.

A walker’s view of rail trails: video of Granite State Walker’s presentation to NHRTC conference

December 17, 2021December 16, 2021 / Ellen Kolb

The New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition biennial conference went virtual this year, and the online environment didn’t get in the way of an informative event. I was invited by fellow NHRTC board members to talk for a few minutes about a walker’s view of the trails, and how even the slowest of users can become an enthusiastic advocate for rail trails. My presentation is now up on Vimeo, and I hope you’ll enjoy it.

The Granite State Walker Explores NH Rail Trails-Broadband High.mp4 from NH Rail Trails Coalition on Vimeo.

For all of you who have suffered through videoconference indignities this year, you’ll sympathize with the post-slide-show Q&A here featuring my deer-in-the-headlights reaction to someone’s unintentionally muted mic. Once that problem was solved, our ace moderator kept the questions flowing.

You can find other presentations from the conference at The New Hampshire Rail Trails Coalition Vimeo page.

Little things

May 13, 2021June 12, 2025 / Ellen Kolb

I love vistas from mountaintops. Sweeping views can take my breath away. They’ll always have their place for me. Even so, I take time to look down as I walk. What’s along the trailside? What’s in bloom this month? What’s that little kid ahead of me exclaiming over, pulling mom or dad aside to see? Little things.

What’s growing

When I parked at Gerrish Depot in Boscawen and walked south along the Northern Rail Trail, I knew I was near a veterans’ cemetery. What I didn’t know is that there was a spur from the trail directly to the cemetery, with a sign that offered an detour to trail users wishing to pay respects. Other trails use signage to inform users about expansion plans, inviting donations to maintain or extend a trail. Sometimes a trailhead kiosk will feature a flyer that tells me about a local festival or program.

Destination hikes – heading to a waterfall, a view from a notch, or a fire tower, for example – are always interesting. I like big payoffs, especially if I’ve had to stagger my way uphill for a few miles. I’ve learned to love my undramatic walks, too. They’ve taught me to look out for the little things.