Home › New Hampshire › Laconia › Ahern State Park
Ahern State Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 301 Google reviews · Running trail in Laconia, New Hampshire · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Ahern State Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Peaceful park along the shores of Lake Winnisquam with a sandy beach & trails through woodlands.
What runners say about Ahern State Park
“Amazing beach, very calm , clear water and clean”
“We were drawn to this park due to the abandoned Laconia State School but the trails in the park were great and the beach was beautiful.”
“Amazing beach, very calm , clear water and clean”
Great, beautiful, & scenic area for walking, hiking, biking and swimming. The Main beach area was nice, a little bit small. But, you can go nearby to the first trail head on the right and there are many areas that branch off that have small sandy and fantastic swimming areas.
Very nice place to walk, swim or just relax close to the water. Kids enjoyed so much! I saw a lot people with their popies enjoying as well.
Ahern State Park is a great place to walk your dogs, but go early cuz there's a lot of people that do so. It also has a myriad of bicycle trails for off-road riding.
We were drawn to this park due to the abandoned Laconia State School but the trails in the park were great and the beach was beautiful. Highly recommend.
Trail conditions & character
“We were drawn to this park due to the abandoned Laconia State School but the trails in the park were great and the beach was beautiful.”
“I took my 2 daughters (10 & 13) and dog and we ventured a short way off the path and had our very own swimming area.”
“Be mindful of swimming advisories (always read the posted material that can be found at the parking lot)”
Plan your run at Ahern State Park
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking, restrooms — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitenhstateparks.org
- Phone(603) 227-8745
- Social Instagram · Facebook
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near Laconia
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Opechee State Forest
4 ★★★★☆ 2 reviews
Laconia Sledding Hill
4.4 ★★★★☆ 58 reviews
Public park with a large hill for sledding that's suitable for children.
Weirs Community Park
4.7 ★★★★★ 105 reviews
Playground featuring tall trees and swings, plus a clean pavilion for picnics and outdoor lunches.
Lake Winnisquam Scenic Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 56 reviews
Two-mile trail for walking and cycling, with views of Lake Winnisquam.