Tower Trail
Photo: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 1.9 mi
- one way
- 398 ft
- climb
- 939 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Tower Trail is a 1.9-mile point-to-point hike in New Hampshire's Oak Hill, managed by the State Department of Natural Resources. It's an easy route with a one-way elevation gain of 398 feet, starting at about 814 feet and reaching a high of 939 feet. The trail is rated easy, and the steepest stretch comes at about 0.5 miles in, with a grade of nearly 50 percent. The most comfortable months for a visit are late spring through early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Concord show September highs around 74°F with lows near 49°F, and May highs around 69°F. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the higher ground run cooler. Bikes are allowed on the trail. Several other hikes start close by, including Krupa Loop and Dancing Bear Trail, each about 0.1 mile away, and Bowl Trail at 0.2 mile. Climbers can find Big Quarry, also known as Tadpole Quarry, about 4.4 miles off.
- Krupa LoopHiking0.1 mi
Dancing Bear TrailHikingPhoto: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.1 mi- Bowl TrailHiking0.2 mi
- Potter Ridge TrailHikingPhoto: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)0.3 mi
- Big Quarry aka "Tadpole Quarry"Rock climbing4.4 mi
- Little Quarry aka "Fish Quarry"Rock climbing4.4 mi
- Merrimack RiverRiver fishing4.7 mi
- Contoocook RiverRiver fishing9.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Dancing Bear TrailHiking · Next doorPhoto: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Potter Ridge TrailHiking · Next doorPhoto: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Bowl TrailHiking · Next door
Upper TrailHiking · Next doorPhoto: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Knowlton TrailHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Murray TrailHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Ledges Pass TrailHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: ihamr, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Lower TrailHiking · ~1 min drive
- Ovenbird TrailHiking · ~2 min drive
- Luti TrailHiking · ~2 min drive
Best time to visit Tower Trail
Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
32° / 13°
11 wet · 8 snow
Feb
35° / 15°
10 wet · 7 snow
Mar
44° / 23°
12 wet · 5 snow
Apr
57° / 33°
11 wet · 1 snow
May
69° / 44°
12 wet
Jun
78° / 54°
12 wet
Jul
83° / 59°
11 wet
Aug
82° / 57°
10 wet
Sep
74° / 49°
9 wet
Oct
61° / 38°
11 wet
Nov
48° / 29°
11 wet · 2 snow
Dec
37° / 20°
12 wet · 6 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Concord Muni Ap, NH, 5.5 mi away at 346 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Route details
- Distance
- 1.9 mi
- Climbing
- About 398 ft
- Summit
- 940 ft
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time
- About 1 hour
Questions about this route
How long is the Tower Trail on Oak Hill?
About 1.9 mi.
How much elevation gain is on the Tower Trail?
About 398 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Tower Trail?
It is rated easy.
How long does the Tower Trail take?
About 1 hour round trip.
Conditions and forecast on Oak Hill
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
