Stratham Hill Park & Town Forest, NH

• 4-star hike
• 1 to 5 mile options
• Easy | Gain 50 to 450 feet
• Stratham, NH | Seacoast Region
. NH Fire Towers

The image shows a scenic view from a high vantage point, likely a tower or platform, with metal railings that have various colors and patterns painted on them. The landscape consists of a mix of open fields, clusters of trees, and a body of water visible in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.

Panoramic New Hampshire from Stratham Hill Fire Tower.

Stratham Hill Park combines with the Gordon Barker Town Forest, centered around one of the highest points in this relatively flat seacoast region. The fire tower atop the hill is a focal point for the park, providing distant scenic panoramas in all directions.

The park offers many miles of interconnecting trails most popular with hikers, dog walkers and mountain bikers. Well signposted, the quantity of trails and junctions can get confusing at times, though it makes it easier to find some solitude among the trees. Though not technical, mountain bikers can find some challenging terrain here and we're happy to report that cyclists we encountered were very respectful of hikers' safety. We've plotted a couple of perimeter hikes on our map, though there are many more routes to choose from.
Expand ↓ Map

4★ Park Perimeter 2.0 mi loop, easy, gain 200 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

4★ Park & Town Forest Perimeter 4.8 mi loop, easy, gain 450 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

We've mapped both the perimeter of Stratham Hill Park and a larger perimeter hike that combines both Stratham Hill Park and Gordon Barker Town Forest. The busiest part of the park is Stratham Hill and fire tower, which is located close to the large main parking lot. Built in 1931, the top level of the 53 foot steel tower is accessible at all times and is a great place from which to get a lay of the land. We have the New Hampshire Fire Tower Map & List linked at the foot of this article for those interested in exploring similar structures in the area, of if you're interested in completing the state's Fire Tower Quest.

Gordon Barker Town Forest is comprised exclusively under tree cover, tackles some undulating and mildly hilly terrain and offers some of the quieter trails in the park.

The image shows a tall metal observation tower located on a grassy hilltop with clear blue skies in the background. The tower has multiple levels of cross-bracing and a staircase winding up to an enclosed viewing platform at the top.

The 1931 Stratham Hill Fire Tower.

The image shows a person from behind, wearing a red jacket and grey pants, walking on a dirt path through a forest. The trees are tall with thin trunks and there are no leaves on the ground, suggesting it might be autumn or winter. The sky is clear and blue, indicating good weather.

Hiking the Eagle Trail on Stratham Hill Park's perimeter.

Tangents:
• Trail Links: Official, Public Map at AllTrails
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article

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