Andover along the Northern Rail Trail

The Northern Rail Trail runs through Andover, more specifically through West Andover (Gale Station), Potter Place, Andover Village, and East Andover (Halcyon Station). It is part of a longer route: 57 miles in total, it runs from Boscawen to Lebanon in New Hampshire and passes through Andover. The place names provide a clear structure for the section through town, while the endpoints show the regional scale. This distinction is useful for planning a trip: Andover is a place along the route, not its entire length.

Along the way in different seasons

The trail is level and has a firm gravel surface. In spring, summer, and fall, it is used for walking and jogging, cycling, horseback riding, and wheelchair use. When covered in snow, it is used in winter for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sledding, and snowmobiling. The season therefore changes the main activities; the winter options are expressly dependent on snow cover. Trip planning thus involves two considerations: the long route and the different seasonal uses.

Bridges and architectural history

In Andover, the Bog Bridge is a well-preserved covered road bridge with Town lattice trusses; today it is used as a pedestrian bridge. This brings together a named construction style and a present-day use in a single structure. The Keniston Bridge offers a different point of interest: it crosses the Blackwater River in the center of Andover, was built in 1882, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its location and specific year of construction complement the picture of the Bog Bridge, where the design and pedestrian use are the focus.

The Tucker Mountain Schoolhouse takes the architectural history further back: it was built in 1837, is owned and maintained by the Andover Historical Society, and is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Compared with the Keniston Bridge, built in 1882, its earlier construction date makes the chronology immediately clear. Both structures are listed on the same register, but they date from different periods: 1837 for the schoolhouse and 1882 for the Keniston Bridge.

Proctor: landscape and sports

The Proctor grounds show another side of Andover. The main campus and wooded areas cover more than 2,500 acres and include four ponds, a river, and many miles of trails. This expanse is on a different scale from the individual bridges and schoolhouse, giving a sense of the size of the campus and wooded area.

Proctor Ski Area has alpine and Nordic facilities capable of hosting international scoring races. It also has one of the few remaining high school ski jumping facilities in New Hampshire. The two details highlight different aspects of the same sports facility: its ability to host competitions and the rarity of its ski jumping facility in the school setting.

Discover more destinations: Hooksett, Newbury, Loudon, Pembroke, Sutton, Warner, Boscawen, Wilmot

For the broader travel overview: Merrimack County.