Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area
Managed by Lakes Region Conservation Trust
4,353 acres29.3 mi of trail
High Ridge TrailTurtleback Mountain TrailFaraway Mountain TrailMount Roberts Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the trailhead
Photo: Magicpiano · CC BY-SA 3.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Moultonborough
38% of Moultonborough’s land is conserved: 14,706 acres
81 miles of mapped trail cross Moultonborough, 1.4 per square mile of land. 390 acres are parks and preserves, 76 per 1,000 residents. The biggest trail networks: Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area (29.3 mi), Red Hill Conservation Area (9.3 mi), Ossipee Mountains Forest Legacy Tract (2.6 mi).
Ahead of 86% of U.S. towns · #42 of 126 in New Hampshire. What drives it
Conserved land
38%
14,706 acres · of 59.7 sq mi of land
Trails
81 mi
1.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
390 ac
76 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
30%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
2,989 ft
Mount Shaw
Lakes & rivers
11
4 beaches · 5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Moultonborough?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Moultonborough have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Moultonborough is ahead of 86% of U.S. towns, #42 of 126 in New Hampshire. Conserved land holds the grade up; the share of residents near a park pulls it down.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Moultonborough’s overall grade.
Conserved land38% of the land · typical NH town 19% · U.S. 4%A+Trails1.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (81 mi) · NH 1.2 · U.S. 0.4APark land76 acres of park per 1,000 residents (390 acres) · NH 44 · U.S. 13A−Parks close to home30% of residents within a half mile of a park · NH 40% · U.S. 72%C
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 86%
LessMore
New Hampshire towns of 2,500+ (126)Ahead of 67%
New Hampshire towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 19%; the U.S., 4%), so Moultonborough’s 38% is ahead of 94% of New Hampshire towns, while its trails per square mile lead 61% of them.
Water is 21% of Moultonborough’s area (15 of 75 square miles), so every share here is of land; over land and water together, the conserved share would read 31%.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A− to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area, with 29.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Red Hill Conservation Area
Managed by Lakes Region Conservation Trust
2,794 acres9.3 mi of trail
Sheridan Woods TrailRed Hill TrailEagle Cliff TrailCabin Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Ossipee Mountains Forest Legacy Tract
Nature preserve
336 acres2.6 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Pine Hill Conservation Area
Managed by Lakes Region Conservation Trust
119 acres2.6 mi of trail
Blue TrailOrange TrailLight Orange Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Castle in the Clouds
Park
128 acres1.5 mi of trail
Brook WalkPond TrailMount Roberts TrailTurtleback Mountain Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Hiker Parking
Marcus Wildlife Sanctuary
Managed by Paula Anna Marcus Foundation
175 acres1.2 mi of trail
Loon Nest TrailForest Trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Moultonborough Falls Conservation Area
Managed by Moultonborough Conservation Commission
37 acres1.1 mi of trail
Blue TrailYellow Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Langdon Cove Preserve
Managed by Lakes Region Conservation Trust
45 acres0.4 mi of trail
Cowles-Given Loop
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 20 parks & preserves
Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area4,353 acres · 29.3 mi of trail · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
DirectionsRed Hill Conservation Area2,794 acres · 9.3 mi of trail · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
DirectionsOssipee Mountains Forest Legacy Tract336 acres · 2.6 mi of trail
Pine Hill Conservation Area119 acres · 2.6 mi of trail · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
Castle in the Clouds128 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsMarcus Wildlife Sanctuary175 acres · 1.2 mi of trail · Paula Anna Marcus Foundation
Moultonborough Falls Conservation Area37 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · Moultonborough Conservation Commission
DirectionsLangdon Cove Preserve45 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
Wingate Shores Preserve at Garland Pond177 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · The Nature Conservancy
DirectionsThe Point at Long Island4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · Town of Moultonborough
James D. Sutherland Memorial Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Five Mile Island Conservation Area3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
DirectionsKona Wildlife Management Area314 acres · New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
Unsworth Preserve159 acres · Squam Lakes Conservation Society
Ledgy Pond Preserve43 acres · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
Kraine Meadow Park28 acres
DirectionsStates Landing7 acres
Evergreen Preserve6 acres · Audubon Society of NH
Blanchard Island Conservation Area2 acres · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
Garnet Point Conservation Area1 acres · Lakes Region Conservation Trust
Who protects it
14,706 conserved acres
38% of Moultonborough’s land. Water is left out: Moultonborough has 59.7 square miles of land and 15.4 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Moultonborough’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Land trusts & nonprofits16,654 ac
Other state land339 ac
State natural resources338 ac
Joint11 ac
Town or city11 ac
Not recorded3,455 ac
Conservation Easement · 9,569 acPrivate Conservation · 7,964 acUnknown Easement · 1,552 acForest Stewardship Easement · 1,192 acState Conservation Area · 322 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 6,210 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 87 of 116 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retsof/Chocorua Forestlands Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 4,252 | Unknown |
| Dane (Red Hill) Private Conservation | Not recorded | 1,348 | Unknown |
| Sheridan Woods Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 538 | Unknown |
| Thompson #2 / Chocorua Forestlands Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 372 | Unknown |
| Wiggin - Red Hill Conservation Area Private Conservation | Not recorded | 325 | Unknown |
| Kona Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | Not recorded | 322 | Unknown |
| Garland Pond Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 191 | Unknown |
| Marcus Wildlife Sanctuary Private Conservation | Land trusts & nonprofits | 182 | Unknown |
| Unsworth Preserve Private Conservation | Not recorded | 160 | Unknown |
| Pine Hill / Moser Property Private Conservation | Not recorded | 118 | Unknown |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
40 places to go in Moultonborough
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Moultonborough
Multonborough Town Beach
DirectionsPlus 3 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Playgrounds in Moultonborough
5 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Moultonborough
Lees Mill
DirectionsStates Landing
DirectionsPlus 3 boat launches without a name on the map.
Waterfalls in Moultonborough
Bridal Veil FallsIn Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area
DirectionsEmerald Pool FallsIn Castle in the Clouds
DirectionsFalls of SongIn Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area
DirectionsRoaring FallsIn Castle in the Clouds
DirectionsThe CascadesIn Castle in the Clouds
DirectionsTwin FallsIn Castle in the Clouds
DirectionsWhittier FallsIn Castle in the Clouds
DirectionsScenic views in Moultonborough
Bald KnobIn Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area
DirectionsBald Knob Cut-Off ViewpointIn Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area
DirectionsPlus 4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Moultonborough
Mount Shaw2,989 ft elevation · In Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area
DirectionsFaraway Mountain2,782 ft elevation · In Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area
DirectionsMount Roberts2,566 ft elevation · In Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area
DirectionsTurtleback Mountain2,192 ft elevation · In Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area
DirectionsRed Hill2,008 ft elevation · In Red Hill Conservation Area
DirectionsPine Hill774 ft elevation
DirectionsHollingsworth Hill725 ft elevation
DirectionsRed HillIn Red Hill Conservation Area
DirectionsPicnic areas in Moultonborough
1 picnic area without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Campgrounds in Moultonborough
Community gardens in Moultonborough
Ken Kasarjian Community Garden
DirectionsTrails & water
25 named trails and 11 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 22.7 mi
High Ridge Trail5.2 mi
Turtleback Mountain Trail5.0 mi
Blue Trail3.1 mi
Faraway Mountain Trail2.9 mi
Mount Roberts Trail2.3 mi
Sheridan Woods Trail2.3 mi
Red Hill Trail1.5 mi
Eagle Cliff Trail1.5 mi
Cabin Trail1.3 mi
Cold Spring Trail1.2 mi
15 more trails
Oak Ridge Trail
1.2 miLoon Nest Trail
1.1 miBlack Snout Trail
1.1 miShannon Brook Trail
1.0 miOak Ridge Cutoff
1.0 miSettlement Trail
1.0 miBald Knob Cut-Off
0.9 miLower Bridle Path
0.9 miUpper Bridle Path
0.8 miBald Knob Trail
0.7 miBrook Walk
0.7 miOrange Trail
0.6 miMount Shaw Trail
0.4 miTurtleback Mountain Summit Trail
0.4 miScenic Trail
0.4 miBiking & sports
0.0 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Courts & fields
76Tennis
16Basketball
8Baseball
5Pickleball
5Tracks
3Softball
3Soccer
1Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 1 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
When to get out
The best walking months in Moultonborough: May, June, August and September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.3 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.7 | 15.4 | 15.1 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.6 | 8.9 |
| High (°F) | 30 | 34 | 42 | 56 | 68 | 76 | 81 | 79 | 71 | 58 | 46 | 35 |
| Rain (in) | 3.3 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 4.1 | 4.3 |
February is the driest month (3.0 in) and July the warmest (highs of 81 °F). 5.2 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Moultonborough →
Next door
Moultonborough and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Ossipee110 miSandwich94 miMoultonborough81 miTamworth66 miTuftonboro30 miCenter Harbor15 miMelvin Village2.6 mi
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moultonborough | 38% | 1.4 | 76 | 30% | A |
| Tuftonboro | 21% | 0.7 | 59 | 12% | B+ |
| Melvin Village | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Sandwich | 45% | 1.0 | 328 | 21% | A |
| Ossipee | 21% | 1.6 | 84 | 21% | A− |
| Center Harbor | 14% | 1.2 | 224 | 33% | A− |
| Tamworth | 45% | 1.1 | 341 | 32% | A |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Moultonborough
Where can I hike in Moultonborough?
The longest trail networks: Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area, 29.3 miles; Red Hill Conservation Area, 9.3 miles; Ossipee Mountains Forest Legacy Tract, 2.6 miles; Pine Hill Conservation Area, 2.6 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Moultonborough is conserved land?
38% of its land, against a typical 19% for a New Hampshire town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Moultonborough’s trails?
Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area and Red Hill Conservation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Moultonborough?
26,514 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Moultonborough or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 435 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Moultonborough have?
Ahead of 86% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #42 of 126 in New Hampshire. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Moultonborough neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →