THE SPLINE           
The NH spine route will total 17.2 miles and we anticipate virtually all of it will use the corridor of the Boston
and Maine R.R. from Seabrook to Portsmouth.
(This R.R .Right Of Way crosses into Massachusetts and is being advanced there as a trail.)

The southernmost portion of this ROW in NH (4.5 miles) was acquired by the State of NH DOT when it was
abandoned as a rail corridor, including the section passing through the Seabrook Nuclear Power Plant.

The northern section (11.5 miles) is owned by Guilford Industries and is still active on a limited basis for rail
freight.  In Portsmouth, the East Coast Greenway (ECG) leaves the railroad ROW
and uses an on-road route to reach Memorial Bridge,where it crosses into Maine

Earlier planning for the greenway
identified the Boston & Maine
Eastern line RR corridor as the
most feasible route because the
State of NH already owns most of
the section from the Mass. border
to Hampton.  The section from
Hampton to Portsmouth is
privately owned at the time, so an
on-road route is planned for now.
The Rail Trail
New Hampshire's 'Blueprint For Action'
The trail begins at
the Massachusetts
border in Seabrook,
where the old
Atlantic Rail Road
Station was located.
Atlantic Station & Rt. 286
Picture courtesy  Gary Lapoint-R.R.
Stations in NH & MA
North of RT. 286 bridge
Stations in NH & MA
The route begins near Maine's New Hampshire border in Kittery after crossing
Memorial Bridge, a town known as an outlet-shopping mecca including Kittery
Trading Post. The route ends at Bug Light Park in South Portland, with its
stunning views of Portland Harbor in Casco Bay. 'Portland is an old seacoast
town. It is also a funky city filled with galleries, one-of-kind boutiques and
shops, and incredible restaurants serving everything from New England clam
chowder, lobster rolls and Maine seafood to nouvelle cuisine.'   It will follow the
Old Eastern Rail Line.
It then continues into Seabrook
Station property where it is
fenced off. The owners (Florida
Power & Light Co.) has
expressed interest in helping
find an alternate route.
Digital picture by Kenyon F. Karl on April 29,
2001
A Science and Nature Center is present on the Nuclear Power Station Grounds. That building
may provide toilets & water to trail users, and also serve as an attraction for trail users.
Digital picture by Kenyon F. Karl on April 29, 2001
‘The Coastal Trails Coalition network.  
This is a Coalition of Amesbury, Newbury, Newburyport and Salisbury.
They are creating a Coastal Trail network that is emerging as a 30 mile public
system of bicycle and pedestrian trails linking the seacoast and their
communities together.  'Imagine being able to travel from the revitalized mill
village of Amesbury to the beaches of the Salisbury Beach State Reservation;
from shopping in historic Newburyport to the natural sites of the Parker River
National Wildlife Refuge in Newbury - all without getting in your car.'  
Eventually it will connect to the 'Boston to Border Trail' which has been chosen
as a Millennium Trail.
And that’s just the local aspect of the Greenway. The big picture is
connecting to:
It then picks up just before the Browns
River Culvert north of Seabrook Station.  
From there it passes the end of Brimmers
Lane in Hampton Falls, NH  along the town's
boat ramp area at the end of Depot road and
across the Hampton Marsh.    
Looking south from Depot Road.
Digital picture by Kenyon F. Karl  2001
We envision the Greenway as a safe recreational corridor for adults
and children.  Greenway users will be both avid and recreational cyclist, walkers,runners, and others
who are seeking ways to become more active.  In the winter the trail may be used for cross country
skiing and snowshoeing.  The Greenway will be a corridor for bicycle commuters, walkers, and provide
an opportunity for children to walk or bike to school, the library or other local destinations
The abandoned B&M Rail Road
right-of-way in Hampton Falls,
NH. Seabrook Station can be
seen in background. Photo: K. Arrain
Looking east towards Hampton
Digital picture by Kenyon F. Karl 2001.
Looking south from under the Rte 1
Northbound underpass.
Photo: Krystina Deren Arrain 2001
An exit of the informal trail exists just
north of the rear of the Post Office on
Stickney Avenue. This exit is just short of
the end of the active railroad track, but it
may involve traversing the unused end of
Gilford Trans. Ind. (railroad) owned land.  

The most appropriate place to end the
rail-trail would be in the vicinity of the
rear of the Hampton Post Office, so that
long distance bicyclists (and the like) can
cross Route 1 onto the on-road bike route
that continues north to Portsmouth.
Railroad hopper cars in the siding at
Foss Manufacturing.
Photo:  Kenyon F. Karl  2001.
Seabrook
Hampton Falls
Hampton