MASON RAIL TRAIL:
GREENVILLE-WILTON RECREATIONAL RAIL TRAIL:
GREENVILLE-MASON, NEW HAMPSHIRE
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: October 20, 2026
Length: Mason Rail Trail; 6.6 miles
Greenville-Wilton Recreational Rail Trail; 1 mile
Difficulty: Mason Rail Trail; Easy. Flat, crushed gravel rail trail.
Greenville-Wilton Recreational Rail Trail; Easy. Flat, hard packed dirt, grass & cinder rail trail.
Directions:
From the junction of Routes 31 & 123 in Greenville:
To Start from Pratt Pond parking lot [Northern Section]; Travel north on Route 31 and take your second right onto Adams Hill Rd. After 0.8 miles, turn right on Greenville Rd and follow for 0.4 miles to Pratt Pond Rd. Turn left and travel 1.3 miles to where the trail crosses. The parking lot is on your left.
To Start from the Depot Road parking lot [Southern Section]; Take Route 123 east through Mason then south. Turn left on Depot Rd and look for where the trail crosses the road. Parking located here.
To Start from Morse Road parking lot [Southern End]; From the Massachusetts/New Hampshire State Line (Follow Mason Rd north and take your first right on Morse Rd. Follow 0.2 miles to a small knoll (trail crosses here). Parking alongside the road past here for a couple of cars.
The Mason Rail Trail runs from the Massachusetts State Line North, across the town of Mason to Pratt Pond. It then turns West, crossing into Greenville, where it is referred to as the Greenville Recreational Rail Trail. The trail follows the rail bed of the old Peterborough and Shirley Railroad , which was incorporated in 1845 and opened as a branch from the Fitchburg RR in Ayer to West Townsend in 1848, continuing to Mason, New Hampshire in 1849 or 1850. The Fitchburg Railroad leased it in 1847 and bought it in 1860, with an extension to Greenville opening at some point. For more information visit; MASON RAIL TRAIL , GREENVILLE REC. RAIL TRAIL .
Starting from Morse Road (limited parking alongside road) [Southern End]; Black Fly Brook crosses the road here. Small waterfall.
Note; Heading South, the hard packed dirt & grass cinder trail only travels a bit over 0.1 miles to the Massachusetts border, where the old RR ties and tracks are still in place. A small path on your left (pink tape marked this trail) takes you to a large granite State Border Marker [T (Townsend) Mass 1894 & M (Mason) NH 1894].
Heading North, the wide, crushed gravel Mason Rail Trail travels past a gate and heads into the woods through a small rock cut. Pass by a granite RR Whistle Post on your left at 0.2 miles. + See; RR Whistle Post Below. Cross a high berm over a stream at 0.5 miles, followed by a deep rock cut. Several rock cuts along this section. Cross an old RR bridge over Jackson Rd at 1.4 miles. Cross Depot Road at 2 miles. Location of the old Mason RR Depot (long gone). Map Board. Pass by a possible old granite RR Mileage Marker reading 72 on your right at 2.6 miles. These old RR Mileage Markers were located every mile along the railroad. Come to a Spur Trail on your left at 3 miles. White Mason Quarry Conservation Area signs.
Note; Here a Narrow Gauge RR spur traveled to the MacDonald Quarry. This narrow hard packed dirt trail w/tree roots follows the old rail bed past granite walls. Pass the first spur on your left (overgrown) before coming to another spur. Both route will bring you to the old quarry after 0.3 miles. Very scenic quarry filled with water and sheer cliffs. Old iron bars still embedded along the quarry, along with old stone foundations. In 1857 the Glen Quarry opened. In 1867 it became the MacDonald Quarry. Some of its granite was utilized in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY city and the Albany State Capitol.
Continuing along the trail pass by another old granite RR Mileage Marker reading 6? on your right, just before a small rock cut at 3.6 miles. Cross Sand Pit Road at 4.1 miles. Small parking area. Pass by another old granite marker on your right (not sure what this was for) before crossing a causeway and bridge over Black Brook pond. Cross Russell Road at 4.6 miles. Parking for a couple of cars. Cross another causeway before crossing Wilton Road at 4.9 miles. Parking for a few cars. The trail travels above Wilton Rd, before crossing a transmission line at 5.3 miles, where you pull away from the road. Quickly look right after entering the woods to spot an old stone foundation? Cross Pratt Pond Road at 5.7 miles. Parking area. Location of the old Pratt RR Depot (long gone). Travel past scenic Pratt Pond as the trail turns Northwest, then enters another rock cut. Causeway through a marsh before you pass a gate into Wilton at 6.5 miles. The Greenville-Wilton Recreational Rail Trail continues as crushed gravel. Cross another transmission line where the trail turns Southwest. Past here the trail is a bit bumpy from ATV use and not as well maintained, with the occasional rock. Cross a high berm at 7.4 miles as you enter Greenville. The trail follows a ridgeline and travels through a high rock cut (avoid after heavy rain as their is no drainage). Cross a transmission line at 8.1 miles. Spot Route 31 below. Come to Adams Hill Road after 8.5 miles and the end of the trail. Parking for several cars.
Note; The undeveloped, hard packed dirt & grass rail bed continues straight through a rock cut (avoid after heavy rain as their is no drainage), bringing you to the old RR bridge abutment after less than 0.2 miles. The old abandoned granite bridge piers for the high trestle that once spanned Route 31 are still visible. The bridge would have also crossed the Souhegan River.
Old Railroad Equipment:
+
RR Whistle Post:
The Whistle Post,
was a post with a large "W" engraved or painted on it. This
meant the railroad engineers were to start sounding the trains Whistle.
The Whistle posts
were usually placed 0.25 miles
in advance of a road crossing,
bridges, tunnels and other points. Usually, there would be a post placed on both
sides of the crossing, covering both directions.
HH
CLICK HERE FOR MASON RAIL RAIL MAP
CLICK HERE FOR GREENVILLE-WILTON RECREATIONAL RAIL TRAIL MAP
CLICK HERE FOR MONADNOCK REGION TRAILS MAP
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BIKE IT OR HIKE IT
