Hiking at Pawtuckaway

Hiking at Pawtuckaway State Park centers on three places: the fire tower on 908-foot South Mountain, the Fundy Trail along Burnham's Marsh, and the boulder field of giant glacial erratics. The quickest summit is the walk from trailhead #6 to the tower, about 0.4 mile; the route NH State Parks' hiking sheet describes is the 2.4-mile Mountain Trail to the same summit. The trails cover a 5,500-acre park, are shared with mountain bikers and horseback riders, and welcome leashed dogs.

South Mountain and the Fire Tower

The park's best-known hike. Two ways up: about 0.4 mile from trailhead #6 at the small South Mountain lot off Reservation Road, or 2.4 miles on the Mountain Trail, which starts at a sign on the left just past Mountain Pond. The state fire lookout on top looks out over the surrounding hills to Pawtuckaway Lake. Directions and what to expect: South Mountain fire tower.

The Fundy Trail and Burnham's Marsh

NH State Parks recommends the Fundy Trail for wildlife. It borders Burnham's Marsh, where beavers, deer and great blue herons are most active early in the morning and in the evening. The trail begins across the road from the entrance to the group picnic and camping areas, and NH State Parks' video tour suggests packing binoculars.

The marsh is changing. In April 2025 the NHDES Dam Bureau began lowering the water and removing Burnhams Dike, a late-1960s NH Fish and Game dam at the marsh's northern outlet that beavers had built on top of and whose outlet pipe was failing. Heavy equipment worked over the Fundy Trail during the job, which NHDES expected to finish by early May 2025. NHDES said removing the dike lets the marsh return to its natural shape.

The Boulder Field

On the back side of the park, the Boulder Trail leads among huge glacial erratics that climbers use for bouldering. The South Mountain trailhead is just down the road, so the boulders and the tower make a natural pair. Geology, history and climbing: boulder field.

North and Middle Mountains

The Pawtuckaway Mountains are a small ring of rocky hills. North Mountain, also called Mount Pawtuckaway, is the park's high point at 1011 feet on the NH State Parks map. Middle Mountain, 800 feet, sits inside the ring, and the state's ecological inventory includes a photo of the view to the southeast from a ledge at its summit. Round Pond lies between the mountains. Plan routes on these peaks with the official map; NH State Parks does not publish mileages for them.

These hills are also why the park matters to botanists. The NH Natural Heritage Bureau found 29 rare plant populations in the park, most of them on the ring of mountains, including four species found nowhere else in New Hampshire. Stay on the trail.

Mountain Biking and Horseback Riding

NH State Parks lists mountain biking and horseback riding among the park's activities. Its video tour describes miles of trail, plenty of easy double track, and harder single track such as the Warren OCO Trail, which it says was designed by mountain bikers. The Southern N.H. Mountain Bike Association helps maintain the trails.

Winter on the Trails

The park is open for recreation all year unless a closure is posted, and NH State Parks lists snowshoeing and snowmobiling among its activities. In 2026, hiking is unstaffed from November 12. Off-season there are no staff, restrooms are closed and gates may be shut, and NH State Parks says users need their own knowledge, skill and gear and assume all risk. The parking lot at park headquarters stays open year round.

Trail Rules

• Leashed pets are allowed on the hiking trails.
• Carry out everything. There are no trash cans on the mountains.
• Don't cut trees, limbs or plants.
• Respect private roads and land next to the park and its access trails.
• Camping only in the campground, in season.
• Day-use fees apply. A hiking pass can be reserved ahead.

Good For

• A short summit with kids: the fire tower from trailhead #6.
• Wildlife watchers on the Fundy Trail at dawn or dusk.
• Dog owners. Leashed dogs are welcome on the trails, unlike the beach.

Maybe Skip If

• You want marked mileage for every peak. Only the South Mountain routes have published distances.
• You came to swim with the dog. Dogs can't go on the beach.