Winnekenni Park & Kenoza Lake, MA

• 4-star hikes
• 4 to 5 mile options
• Easy | Gain 140 to 360 feet
• Haverhill, MA | Northeast Region
.

A stone, castle-style building features crenellated rooftops, arched windows, and small stone towers rising under a clear blue sky. Green bushes and a metal railing border the base of the structure, while lush trees vibrant with yellow, orange, and red autumn foliage flank the backdrop, contrasting with the dark grey masonry of the castle.

The 1875 castle-like summer home crowns the park.

Winnekenni Park is a scenic conservation area in Haverhill that features peaceful woodland trails, beautiful lake views, and a historic stone castle. We took a counterclockwise loop around Kenoza Lake starting from The Basin parking area. This route links the Dudley Porter Trail, the Shore Trail, and the Merrill Trail, using a safe roadside section to complete the circuit.

We classify these trails as easy, though the Shore Trail along the eastern side of the lake is primitive and uneven, with rocks and tree roots along the dirt path. All other main trails beside the lake are wide dirt paths that offer frequent views of the water. While this guide describes three hiking options totaling over four miles, you can easily choose shorter routes that still highlight the best of Winnekenni Park and Kenoza Lake.

Trail Options Expand KMZ · Google Earth ·

⬤ 4★ Lake Loop 4.3 mi loop, easy, gain 140 ft
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions GPX?

⬤ 4★ Lake Loop & Castle Trail 4.6 mi loop, easy, gain 280 ft
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions

⬤ 4★ Lake Loop, Castle & Mansion Trail 4.9 mi loop, easy, gain 360 ft
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions

P Free parking

We recommend diverting away from the lake onto the Castle Trail, which ascends a short, narrow dirt path toward Winnekenni Castle. Built in the 1870s as a summer home for Dr. James R. Nichols, a Haverhill chemist, the structure was crafted using boulders and fieldstone gathered from the surrounding land. Dr. Nichols named his estate Winnekenni, an Algonquian word meaning very beautiful. Although a fire in the late 1960s destroyed much of the interior, the stone exterior survived intact. The Winnekenni Foundation was later formed by local citizens to restore the building, and today it hosts concerts and community events.

Starting near the castle, the winding Mansion Trail turns back on itself frequently and is especially popular with mountain bikers, though it also makes for an enjoyable hike. The trail is named after a Victorian mansion that was built here, later abandoned, and eventually demolished in the 1940s.

A serene water fountain sprays upward from a calm, reflective basin framed by trees displaying yellow, orange, and red fall foliage. In the foreground, a grassy lawn slopes down toward the shoreline, where a single park bench sits on a concrete pad overlooking the water under a clear blue sky.

Most hikes begin with a view of The Basin and fountain.

Another often overlooked feature is the large, ornate cast iron Carleton Fountain, which is frequently hidden by overgrown vegetation. Dating to 1892 and donated by a former Haverhill mayor, the fountain originally stood in downtown Gale Park before being moved near the lake and apparently abandoned to time.

Free parking is available in a lot off Kenoza Avenue, which also features a playground, tennis courts, and well maintained restrooms. Additional parking options include the lot by the castle, roadside spots along Kenoza Avenue, and a medium sized lot near the intersection of Amesbury Road and Kenoza Street. Expand our map and turn on resources in the sidebar to view alternative parking spots and get links for driving directions.