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| Milan Hill fire tower |
TOWN: Milan
DESTINATION: Milan Hill Fire tower
ELEVATION: 1720 Feet
SUMMIT COORDINATES: N44 34.339, W71 13.391
TRAIL: Road Walk to XC ski trails
DISTANCE: 0.41 miles one way
ELEVATION GAIN: 190 feet
HIKING TIME: 30 minutes
SEASON: early spring
DATE: April 14, 2017
WEATHER: 45 degrees, clear skies
PARKING: 72 Fire Tower Road, Milan NH 03588.
From Berlin take route 16 north approximatley 10 miles to route 110B in Milan and look for the Milan Hill State Park sign on your left. Parking can be found at the gated entrance, if the gate is open drive a short 0.13 miles to the Nansen XC ski club parking lot with warming hut.
USGS QUAD: USGS Milan Quad
MAP: (Nansen Ski Club Map) (Milan Hill USGS Map)
DESCRIPTION:
The State park and campground typically open in May and the road was gated during my visit.
I parked roadside near the gated entrance and walked the plowed tower road to the Nansen XC Ski area parking lot. There is a warming hut and trail kiosk with trail maps available. The ski area is open to the public and accessible year round. Follow Pine Alley 0.1 miles to the junction with Hilltop. Continue on Hilltop for 0.12 miles and a junction with 3 other trails. From here the tower can be seen a few hundred feet away and is accessible via a short hiking trail.
TRAIL DISTANCES:
HIKING DISTANCES | ||
|---|---|---|
DESTINATION | DISTANCE | TOTAL DIST. |
| road walk - Nansen XC ski Parking | 0.13 miles | 0.13 miles |
| Pine Alley - Hilltop | 0.10 miles | 0.23 miles |
| Hilltop - 4 way junction | 0.12 miles | 0.35 miles |
| 4 way junction - Firetower | 0.06 miles | 0.41 miles |
HIKING TIMES:
HIKING TIMES | ||
|---|---|---|
DESTINATION | TIME | TOTAL TIME |
| parking - Fire tower | 20 minutes | 20 minutes |
NOTES / COMMENTS:
Milan Hill is one of the few standing and active fire towers in the state. It's a short hike to incredible views and definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. The state park is always open for recreational use and XC ski area is maintained by the Nansen Ski club, open to the public and welcomes hikers on the property.
The tower is marked with a benchmark disk (look under the right side steps) and has 4 smaller cement pilings inside the tower mount footings. Climbing the stairs to the lookout platform offers unique and spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding area including Mt. Washington, the Mahoosuc range and into Maine, Westerly views of the Percy peaks, Nash Stream area and into Vermont as well as northerly views into Canada. The views are worth the minimal effort required to hike the summit.
More information about camping at Milan Hill State Park can be found on the NH State Parks Website
More information about the Nansen ski club can be found on the Nansen Ski Club website
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| Approaching Milan Hill |
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| Views east towards the Mahoosuc range and Maine |
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| Views south towards Mt. Washington |
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| Views north into Canada |
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| Views west towards the Percy Peaks and Vermont |
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