Mt Prospect Tower, Lancaster NH


• 4-star hikes
• 0 to 4 mile options
• Easy | Gain 0 to 780 feet
• Lancaster, NH | Great North Woods
.   NHFT   A tall, cylindrical stone fire tower stands on a rocky rise surrounded by trees. Its rugged exterior is built from irregularly shaped gray stones, giving it a weathered, historic look. Near the top, an octagonal red-roofed structure caps the tower, likely serving as the observation deck. Small arched windows punctuate the tower’s height, and a single doorway opens at the base. A stone bench sits beneath a nearby tree, offering a shaded resting spot for visitors. The sky is mostly clear with soft clouds, and the lighting suggests a bright, calm day—ideal for hiking or sightseeing.
Built in 1912, but used as a fire tower since 1941.

Weeks State Park encompasses the former Mount Prospect estate of John Wingate Weeks, a U.S. congressman, senator, and Secretary of War under Presidents Harding and Coolidge. Built in 1912, the estate was donated to the state by Weeks’ children and remains one of New Hampshire’s best-preserved early 20th-century country estates.

Standing an additional 58 feet above Mount Prospect’s 2,059-foot summit, the crenelated stone observation tower and former water tank is an impressive sight. In 1941, the structure was converted into a fire tower with the removal of the water tank and the addition of a lookout cabin. It still remains active today.

 ⚠  The tower is open Wednesdays through Sundays, from Memorial Day to mid-October. Outside of these dates, the main gate is locked, but hikers are still welcome to explore the park.
⬤ 4★ Clockwise Loop & Nature Trail   3.4 mi loop, easy, gain 780 ft
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions GPX?
⬤ 3★ Park Road & Nature Trail   3.5 mi out & back, easy, gain 580 ft
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions
 P  State park donation requested.

Whether the tower is open or closed, Mount Prospect offers plenty to see. A northern overlook provides sweeping views across New Hampshire’s landscape, while a second viewpoint halfway up the park road offers a striking vantage of the Presidential Range in the White Mountains.

When the park is open, both the summit and tower are accessible without hiking. For a more immersive outdoor experience, we recommend a clockwise loop beginning at the main entrance gate on Route 3. Head north along a wide snowmobile trail, which leads to an alternate trailhead. From there, continue east on a single-track trail. This path offers a longer perimeter tour of the park if desired, but to reach the summit, turn right at the crossroads onto the Old Carriage Road. The final stretch of the ascent follows the paved park road, which also leads you back to your starting point after visiting the summit.

A person in a red shirt and dark pants walks away along a narrow forest trail, surrounded by dense green foliage. The path is uneven and covered with dry leaves and twigs, winding gently through tall trees whose canopy filters soft sunlight onto the forest floor.
Enjoying the natural surface on the clockwise loop.

At the summit, you’ll find the John Wingate Weeks Historic Museum alongside the tower. A half-mile loop combining the Ken Jordan Nature Trail and Pat Nelson Trail is also available. While the nature trail is mostly uneventful aside from a few moderately challenging sections, be sure to visit the northern overlook at the end of the Pat Nelson Trail.

The Mount Prospect Fire Tower is one of over twenty standing fire towers in New Hampshire, all of which are mapped and linked on our Trailspotting Fire Tower List. See the link at the bottom of the page for more details, and for information about the New Hampshire Fire Tower Quest Patch that can be earned.

A person in a red shirt and dark pants stands on a wooden observation deck, facing away and gazing out over a sweeping landscape of forested hills and distant blue-gray mountains. The deck is bordered by a simple wooden railing and features two angled informational display boards—one on each side of the person—likely describing the geography or history of the region. The sky above is mostly clear with a few scattered clouds, and soft daylight bathes the scene in a calm, contemplative glow.
Distant vistas from the Northern Overlook.

A scenic landscape unfolds from a shaded vantage point beneath a large tree. In the foreground, the tree’s thick trunk and leafy branches frame the top of the image, casting dappled shadows over dense green shrubs and undergrowth. Beyond the shade, a sunlit valley stretches into the distance, blanketed in forested hills that gradually rise toward a range of soft blue mountains. The sky is bright and expansive, dotted with scattered white clouds. The contrast between the cool, shadowed foreground and the luminous, open vista creates a sense of depth, tranquility, and quiet immersion in nature.
Presidential Range views from the park road.

Tangents:
• Official: Weeks State Park
• AllTrails Public: Prospect Mountain Trail
• Facebook Group: Comment, Follow Us


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