If you don’t have time to head further north into the White Mountains of New Hampshire, Pawtuckaway State Park may fit the bill for you. I haven’t been to the campsite area, but yesterday I made my fourth visit to the park (that I can recall), in order to get out for a little trail run before watching my son’s soccer game. His team was playing Raymond, so I figured I’d use Pawtuckaway to get my afternoon exercise in.
Middle Mountain
I climbed Mount Pawtuckaway years ago, and South Mountain a couple of times, so I thought I’d try my hand at Middle Mountain to complete the Pawtuckaway trifecta. Looking up someone else’s trip report on Peakbagger.com, I obtained a GPS track indicating a central parking lot off Tower Road, and I made my way there.
The way was bumpy. Tower Road is a long dirt track that runs through a meadow and had me feeling like I was going to drop an axle more than once. I don’t think I’d come this way with a small sedan. In fact, for the first time since I’ve owned my truck, I engaged “off-road” mode to help mitigate the mounds and divots. I think it worked?
Towards the trailhead, the road smoothed out a bit. I have a feeling that if I had come from the more northerly direction, the road would have been better, but the south way was more direct for my purposes.
Parked, a 30-second walk up from the trailhead
Totally Alone
It was a little spooky at first, to tell the truth. Completely ensconced within the forest, the day grew dark. With such a bumpy entry road, I wondered how many people could be coming out this way—a surprising feeling considering this is a state park. The last time I visited Pawtuckaway was in 2017, and I didn’t remember the road being so difficult. Maybe the early spring rains made a big impact.
Regardless, I had the place to myself, which is usually the case when I’m in Pawtuckaway. And it’s that sense of isolation, and quiet in the woods, that always makes me feel like I’ve gone off someplace much farther away than a simple drive down Route 101. Far enough away that I felt the need to clap several times to make sure I didn’t surprise any bears!
Up the Trail
I’m not sure why some hills get to be called mountains, and some mountains get ridiculed into hills, but Middle Pawtuckaway is really more of a hill. It’s a good-sized one, but a hill nonetheless. Seems to me, a peak should be 1,000 feet high to be deserving of the moniker “mountain.” Some topographical studies indicate the North Mountain of Pawtuckaway is over 1,000 feet, so maybe that’s the justification. Since one peak made the cut, it would be weird to have one of them called a mountain and the other two (South and Middle) called hills. I don’t know. I probably shouldn’t waste more time thinking about it, you’re right.
Middle Pawtuckaway Summit
At the tree-covered summit is a sign indicating that if you’re willing to go a mere .2 of a mile more, there is an outlook—which indicates a view! It’s definitely worth it. The summit view (shown at the top of this post) is very pretty. If you wanted to have lunch up here, there are plenty of clear rock slabs to have a clean seat and enjoy the sounds of nature. Of which, there were plenty.
Birds chirped about, squirrels rustled in the fallen leaves, and in the distance some larger-sounding animals were communicating in the valley below. I don’t know what they were, but my mind went towards coyotes. One would make this whimpering call from the west side of the mountain, only to be responded to from the south side a few moments later. I considered googling coyote sounds to confirm my suspicions, but then thought better of it—what if they hear my phone and think I’m one of their buddies asking to share a meal?
No, better just to let nature be nature, avoid a potential coyote attack, and enjoy the fact that there is still so much I know nothing about.
This patch of earth near the summit felt like one of those Revolutionary War battlefield meadows.
Hills or Mountains?
Anytime you find yourself on a mountain, or a large hill, is a good time. Well, usually.