Loudon: Racing and Nature Trails

Loudon combines distinctive racing venues with trails through former farmland and an early-season fishing spot. New Hampshire Motor Speedway is on Route 106; the New England Racing Museum is also located on its grounds. The Lovejoy Trails offer a different focus: they pass through wooded terrain and include a trail with a boardwalk over a wetland. Those planning a trip to Loudon can choose between motorsport, local history, and outdoor activities.

Racing on Oval and Road Courses

New Hampshire Motor Speedway uses different tracks for different types of racing. The 1.058-mile oval hosts NASCAR Cup Series races. The annual motorcycle competition, the Loudon Classic, takes place on the full 1.6-mile road course. These details distinguish the tracks and their respective events without needing to combine them into a single format.

During Laconia Motorcycle Week, the speedway offers racing events, demo rides, vendor booths, and camping. This means there are other offerings alongside the races. If you want to visit Loudon for motorsport, you can focus on the town itself when choosing a location to search for a vacation rental and consider which of these aspects of racing matters most to your trip.

Racing History and Loudon’s Past

The New England Racing Museum is located on the grounds of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Its exhibits include New England race cars and motorcycles from all disciplines, winner’s trophies, driver helmets, and photographs. The collection also includes unique racing artifacts. Its subjects thus range from vehicles and memorabilia to images; the museum primarily appeals to travelers interested in racing and its artifacts.

Another way to explore local history is the Historical Society at the Loudon Community Building, affectionately known as “Charlie’s Barn.” Its well-organized exhibits house many artifacts and provide a vivid picture of Loudon’s past. Together with the specialized racing museum, this creates a distinction between a collection devoted to motorsport and exhibits about Loudon’s history.

Lovejoy Trails: Woods, Stone Walls, and Wetlands

The Lovejoy Trails wind for two wooded miles through former farmland. The terrain varies, and numerous stone walls recall the land’s former use. For visitors who would rather focus on trails and scenery than racing events, these features offer a distinct reason to include Loudon in their travel plans. The route is described as a trail through wooded terrain with varied conditions.

The Lovejoy Trails also include a 0.4-mile trail with a boardwalk over a wetland. This figure refers to that trail and should not be confused with the length of the rest of the route described. The trails are accessed via Lovejoy Road, north of its intersection with Memory Lane. Parking is available at the trailhead during snow-free months.

Fishing at Clough Pond

Clough Pond is one of the well-stocked early-season fishing spots, where trout are often caught on opening day. This makes the pond particularly appealing to visitors who want to make fishing a focus of their trip. Fishing thus complements Loudon’s other possible travel interests without reducing the town to motorsport or hiking trails.

When searching for a vacation rental in Loudon, you can first consider whether racing, local history, the Lovejoy Trails, or early-season fishing is the deciding factor. These different themes offer concrete reasons to choose Loudon as a destination; which ones suit your stay depends on your interests.

More Town Pages

More town pages: Bow, Sutton, Henniker, Warner, Hooksett, Andover, Bradford and Newbury.

For the broader travel overview: Merrimack County.