Green Woodlands: Big Loop

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Allowed

Features Drops/Jumps · Views

Green Woodlands is a foundation that maintains a network of MTB and XC ski trails near Dorchester, NH. The trails are all machine-cut, graded, bermed and drained, for a great day riding in the woods. There are skills areas/pump tracks at some of the trailheads and trail maps at every intersection.

Cell phone coverage is patchy and there are no stores north of Canaan. Make sure you are carrying everything you need, food, snacks, water, first aid kit, spares etc... There are plenty of rivers and streams so a filter is alway an option to refill your bottles.

This route takes in all the 'fun' stuff, all the blue trails with some great climbs and some awesome descents, with the best being the 2+ mile ride down from the top of Norris Hill.

It starts at the parking lot off Rte 118 in Dorchester and takes Town House Trail north to the parking lot on North Dorchester Rd. Cross the road and pick up Quimby Bike Trail to climb up to the Norris Hill/Captain Norris intersection. Bear left onto Captain Norris Climb and pedal your way up to the warming hut and enjoy a snack and the view before you drop into the first proper descent of the day down Captain Norris to Six Mile Trail (doubletrack).

A short ride on the doubletrack will bring you to the bottom of Captain Norris Climb and you follow your way back to the Quimby Bike Trail ready to climb Norris Hill. Grab some water at the top before you start the 2.5-mile, 850' descent down to the Brook Trail (doubletrack), crossing North Dorchester Rd again on the way down.

Once you reach the Brook Trail, you've got the option of heading south back towards the parking lot which makes for a ~14-mile ride, or head north to take in the full route.

Taking the Brook Trail north, you'll reach another trailhead with parking and a pump track. Cross North Dorchester Rd for a third time onto Clough Rd, and this will bring you to the Town Line Pond Trail. Follow this trail for 0.8 miles until you reach an intersection with Bobcat Pass, a recently-built trail that traverses the hillside with some lovely views along the way.

At the end of Bobcat Pass is Thunder Chicken, a short but fun descent with jumps all the way down. This will lead you to Bambi, then Beaver Dam Trail and onto the Kiln Trail which will take you all the way to the Cellar Hole Loop. The loop can be ridden in either direction, but clockwise is recommended. Once you've completed the Cellar Hole Loop, you backtrack on Kiln Trail, Beaver Dam Trail and Bambi, before switching to the doubletrack for a short, steep climb back to Bobcat Pass.

Follow Bobcat Pass and Town Line Pond Trail all the way back to North Dorchester Rd and the Brook Trail (if you opted for the shorter ride at the bottom of the Norris Hill Trail this is the way). Stay on this trail for nearly two miles until you reach the intersection with Connector, bear left and follow Connector as it winds through the forest to Wagon Wheel.

Wagon Wheel is the penultimate climb of the day, nearly 300' and then downhill to Moose Tracks. Once you're on Moose Tracks, it's about half a mile to the intersection with Ledges. If your legs are done then carry on Moose Tracks but if you've still got some gas in the tank then bear left onto Ledges for the final 100' climb, enjoy the last view and then drop into the rock slabs and berms that will take you back to Moose Tracks and down to the parking lot.