Russel C. Chase Bridge – Falls Path

Very popular and well-​travelled, the Bridge-​Falls Path is a nice easy little trail, about half a mile long. Starting downtown at the Wolfeboro Train Depot, it follows the path of the now defunct Wolfeboro Scenic Railway. The tracks are gone, but the scenic views remain.
There’s plenty of parking at the historic depot, and a short ride on your bike or a leisurely stroll will take you along Wolfeboro’s Back Bay and past some informative signage telling the history of the area. After passing through the wooded shade and some interesting rock outcroppings, you will see the remains of Berry Mill, built in 1840, and still making excelsior when I was a kid in the early 80s. Here you can often find people fishing along the river, and others walking their dogs, taking photos, or just simply enjoying the sun.
Crossing the bridge at Wolfeboro Falls, near the run-​down water wheel, the Bridge-​Falls Path comes to an end. But if you still have some adventure left in you, you can venture across the street and continue the 12 mile path onto the Cotton Valley Trail, also known as the Wolfeboro-​Sanbornville Recreational Trail or the Honorable Russell Chase Memorial Path. The rails are still in place from here on, and still used once a year for hobbyists to try their own rail vehicles. But that’s another review!
The Bridge-​Falls Path is lit for nighttime use, but I’m not really sure I’d go it alone in the dark. Unfortunate signs of graffiti are sparse (and oddly kooky– OctoCat, half-​octopus half-​cat! These vandals are likely young kids with an off-​kilter sense of humor.)
Overall, the Bridge-​Falls Path is a great start to the Cotton Valley Trail.