Moultonboro: Hiking, Lake Views and Local History

In Moultonboro, you can explore hiking trails with different highlights and learn about the region’s history. At Red Hill, elevation gain and lake views take center stage; other trails pass historical sites or lead to viewpoints overlooking the Squam Range. Museums and historical collections add to these experiences with topics such as boating and local history. You can plan your trip around whether outdoor activity or cultural discoveries are most important to you.

Hiking Trails on Red Hill

The Red Hill (Fire Tower) Trail is a moderately difficult hike covering 1.75 miles with 1,286 feet of elevation gain. It offers views of Squam Lake and Lake Winnipesaukee. If you’re looking for a route with substantial elevation gain and lake views, you’ll find different highlights here than on trails distinguished by historic buildings or remains.

The parking lot for the Red Hill Trail is on Red Hill Road in Moultonborough. It is open from sunrise to sunset and free for the public to use. This information helps you plan the timing and practical details of your outing; for the trail itself, distance and elevation gain are important factors in planning your day.

The Cabin Trail is 1.3 miles long and rated easy to moderate. It passes a rustic hunting cabin and the remains of the Cook family homestead. With its shorter distance and historical traces, it differs from the Red Hill (Fire Tower) Trail in both length and character. If you enjoy seeing visible evidence of earlier settlement while hiking, this trail is worth considering.

The Eagle Cliff Trail is 2.6 miles long and leads to viewpoints overlooking Squam Lake and the Squam Range. This gives it a different focus from the Cabin Trail, with its hunting cabin and homestead remains. Together, the three routes described offer options based on trail length, character, and destination views. When deciding, it’s helpful to consider each trail’s distance and listed features separately.

Mountain biking is also restricted to specific areas: it is permitted on the designated Red Hill snowmobile trail, but not at the Red Hill Fire Tower. If you’re planning a bike ride, keep this distinction in mind and stay on the designated trail rather than in the Fire Tower area.

Discover Boating and History

The expanded location of the New Hampshire Boat Museum in Moultonborough introduces visitors to New Hampshire’s boating history. This topic broadens the focus beyond the hiking trails: rather than a route through the landscape, it centers on the history of boating in the state.

The Moultonborough Historical Society owns the Lamprey House Museum, the historic Moultonboro Inn, in the town center. The house is listed on the New Hampshire State Register of Historic Places. The Historical Society also focuses on the region’s past: it regularly hosts educational programs and exhibits featuring historical artifacts, photographs, and documents from its collection.

Another historical stop is The Old Country Store and Museum. The store has been in business since 1781; upstairs, a museum explores the history of the store and its surroundings. The combination of store and museum highlights both the long history of the place and the development of the surrounding area.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Trip

If you’re considering Moultonboro as a destination, its varied attractions can help guide your choice of vacation rental: if hiking and viewpoints are your priority, the trails on Red Hill offer specific destinations. For a stronger cultural and historical focus, boating history, the Lamprey House Museum, and the museum at the Old Country Store are highlights. If you’d like to combine both, you can include outdoor and historical experiences in your travel plans without limiting your stay to a single focus.

Other places to explore include Bartlett, Wakefield, Tuftonboro, North Conway, Jackson, Center Harbor, Conway and Tamworth.

For the broader travel overview: Carroll.