Hiking North Mountain & Devil's Den
Trail name(s)
Boulder Trail, Lower Slab Loop, North Mountain Bypass, North Mountain Trail
Location
Pawtuckaway State Park, Round Pond Road, Nottingham NH
Permitted uses
Canoeing, Kayaking, Wildlife watching, Fishing,Hiking, Rock climbing, Dog walking, Horseback riding with restrictions, Bouldering, Mountain Biking. Hunting and Target shooting are permitted with restrictions, Use of metal detectors and digging is restricted and users must obtain permission from the NH State Park in order to do so.
Prohibited uses
No camping in this area of the State Park. No fires. No ATV, Trailbike or Snowmobile use. No drone use. Visitors are prohibited from removing any natural or cultural resources.
Hours
Dawn to dusk
The official NH State Park website reports that for the 2026 season, the park will only be open on Saturdays and Sundays from April 18 to May 2. From May 3 to November 12 the park is open full time. After November 12, 2026 the park will not be staffed. This is mostly for the areas such as the beach, camping and boat ramp where services such as restrooms are provided. Other areas of the Park are accessible year round, although plowing of roads and parking areas can not be guaranteed. The site also mentions that during “off season”, use of the Park is done so at the risk of the user.
Fees and Parking
The official State Park website shows that there is a fee schedule :
Day Use Fees
Adults: 12+yrs: $5.00
Children: 6-11yrs: $2.00
Children under 5yrs: $0.00
NH Residents 65+yrs with valid NH license: $0.00
I called the telephone number listed at the NH State Park website and was informed by a Ranger that the enforcement of fees is primarily done at the beach area where the admittance is monitored and limited. The other unmanned trailheads are supposed to have “iron rangers” which are secured depositories for payment or donations. The Ranger explained that these are not enforced, but donations are much appreciated. There were no staff nor was there a fee collection box at the trailhead we used. Visitors wishing to make a donation to the State can mail payment into the headquarters listed on the NH State Park Website. There are several parking areas scattered around the park. The trailhead where we parked had ample parking and when we started our hike there were 6 vehicles parked with room for more.
Pets
Dogs are allowed in the park and owners are encouraged to keep the dogs on a leash and to properly dispose of any waste.
Accessibility
This hike was not wheelchair accessible.
Hiker amenities
There were no restrooms or trash bins at the trailhead we accessed. There are other parking areas around the Park that do have restrooms and access to the trail system. Hikers are encouraged to pack out whatever waste they create.There was a small information kiosk at the trail head that had a post of State Park Rules. There was a small black mailbox fastened to a tree not far from the kiosk, at the beginning of the trail and hikers were encouraged to take one with them during the hike. There is also a downloadable map on the NH State Park Website:
https://www.nhstateparks.org/find-parks-trails/pawtuckaway-state-park/
Length and Trail information
This hike was done as a “loop” hike and was approximately 7.44 miles in duration. The trail is blazed by white markers. Boundary markers along the trail are blue. Trails are well marked at junctions with brown and yellow engraved signs. Due to the length of the hike and changes in elevation we would rate this as a moderate hike that is best suited for hikers with some experience, perhaps not for beginners.
Pawtuckaway State Park was established in 1955 and is very large, covering some 5,500 acres with over 32 miles of hiking trails. It’s also reported to be the premier bouldering destination in New England. Another major draw to this park is the enormous amount of and size of the glacial erratics that can be found all throughout the park.
Our goal for this hike was to reach the summit of North Mountain and to see the massive glacial erratics and stone ledge called Devils Den. We wanted to get up to the summit before the summer heat and before the trees leafed out that would obscure the views. It was a very warm day and the sun was shining brightly through the trees. We weren't the only ones enjoying the sunshine. Along the rocky trail we came upon a very large snake warming up in the middle of the trail. New Hampshire does have timber rattlesnakes, and although rare, this would have been an ideal habitat. We kept our distance and after snapping a photo, we gave it a wide berth. We later identified the snake to be a water snake, which is often confused with the rattlesnake in this area. We hiked over all types of substrate ranging from a gravely wide road to pine needle cushioned paths to rock scrambles and pretty much everything in between. There were several sections where Hiking poles would have been helpful, but for the most part the terrain was varied and enjoyable.
The best views were actually along the trail approaching the summit and not necessarily at the summit itself. The summit sits at 996 feet atop a large rocky mass with several survey markers installed in the rock face. There is a sign along the trail informing hikers that they have reached the summit. Sadly, the views from the summit are observed by the surrounding trees with or without leaves. A short distance from the summit we took a small detour to see if we could get a better view, as we made our way into the forest, we were surprised to see what looked like a coyote a few yards away from us. We stopped and watched it make its way over the ridge and down the gentle slope back into the wild.
We took a short break to explore part of Devils Den and to see what might be in the natural caves. We saw signs of porcupine habitation and caught a glimpse of the porcupine deep inside one of the grottos. We also located what appeared to be the nest of a Bald Eagle. The large nest of sticks was situated high up and in-between a crack in the face of the rocks. We also noted evidence of past rock climbers clips and loops that were installed in several places up the steep rocky face.
Our hike continued downward toward the pond and back through the bouldering field where we were able to see several climbers practicing their sport.
This hike was a great start to our 2026 season. With 32 miles of trails, we hope to come back to Pawtuckaway State Park and explore some more.
