Manchester, NH: Mountain Trail

This gentle 4.8-mile climb strings through the thick woods of Pawtuckaway State Park to a fire tower lookout with four-star mountaintop views.

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-Mapped by Paul Ouellette

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Trail Facts

  • Distance: 3.9

Waypoints

MTT001

Location: 43.0840187072754, -71.1740798950195

Head NW on Mountain Trail through shaded forest

MTT002

Location: 43.0839309692383, -71.1753311157226

Pass by Mountain Pond, a quiet, wooded pond covered with lily pads

MTT003

Location: 43.0872192382812, -71.1802673339844

Continue NW

MTT004

Location: 43.0882797241211, -71.1811828613281

Stay on Mountain Trail as it veers R

MTT005

Location: 43.092529296875, -71.1799697875976

Cross a shallow, bubbling stream on large rocks; on L, small waterfall splashes

MTT006

Location: 43.0973815917969, -71.1817016601562

Pass a lone, giant lone boulder nestled among the trees; trail curves NW on dirt trail

MTT007

Location: 43.0975112915039, -71.1840209960938

Cross a soggy marsh on a narrow split log bridge

MTT008

Location: 43.0996589660644, -71.1893005371094

Turn R @ trail marker 5 jct.; trail swings NE. In .1 mi., climb over a short rock wall; begin moderate ascent of South Mountain on large, flat rock slabs

MTT009

Location: 43.1006317138672, -71.1853866577148

Follow white blazes through trees for final push to summit; large, moss-speckled boulders stand in the path

MTT010

Location: 43.1019706726074, -71.1811904907226

Climb the fire tower or peer over rock ledges for unobstructed views of rolling, wooded hills; on clear days, look for Boston’s skyline to the S. Retrace steps to car

Mountain Pond

Location: 43.0840225219727, -71.1755599975586

©Paul Ouellette

Crooked Tree

Location: 43.087574005127, -71.1807022094726

©Paul Ouellette

Rocky Stream

Location: 43.0927467346191, -71.1798400878906

©Paul Ouellette

Lone Boulder

Location: 43.0971603393555, -71.1829071044922

©Paul Ouellette

Split Log Bridge

Location: 43.097541809082, -71.1843566894531

©Paul Ouellette

Rocky Terrain

Location: 43.0994720458984, -71.1882553100586

©Paul Ouellette

Small Rock Wall

Location: 43.0995750427246, -71.1888732910156

©Paul Ouellette

Rocky Passage

Location: 43.1010589599609, -71.1832885742188

©Paul Ouellette

Fire Tower

Location: 43.101749420166, -71.1811141967774

©Paul Ouellette

Summit Views

Location: 43.1019554138184, -71.1807708740234

©Paul Ouellette