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Trail Description - Blue Job Mountain

Blue Job Mountain is a small fire tower peak in Farmington although it is usually approached from Strafford. There are a number of blueberry bushes on the mountain and the upper part of the mountain is state forest where you are allowed to pick berries. The state has built a new parking lot which hikers should use, and a new loop hiking trail to replace the private jeep road through the blueberry fields which is now closed to hiking. There are also a number of paths used by berry pickers and others that may cause temporary confusion. Hikers should look for and obey signs in the area. The hiking trail is shown in orange on the posted maps and seems to fade in the sun, while another path not starting at the lot is shown in black dashes and much more visible.

Distance: About .6 miles one-way by R fork, .8 miles by L fork

Elevation gain: About 400 feet

Hiking Time Estimator

Maps: USGS Baxter Lake

Location: Lakes Region
NH 2003-2004 map M-9
DeLorme NHA&G 29-A10 to 37-K10 - Strafford/Farmington
Strafford is NE of Concord and W of Rochester

Trailhead: Parking lot on E side of First Crown Point Road about 4.8 miles from US Route 202A, marked by sign for Blue Job State Forest although the lot itself is on private land, elevation about 990 feet
N 43.329, -71.123 W (WGS84)
From I-93 exit 15 in Concord, go E on I-393 to its end and continue on US Routes 4/202 until they split about 21 miles from I-93. Go L on US Route 202 and in .4 miles turn L again on NH Route 202A. Follow NH Route 202A for 9.8 miles and turn L on First Crown Point Road. Go L at stop sign at 1.2 miles and continue to parking area on R about 4.7 miles from NH Route 202A.
Note that there is also a Second Crown Point Road which is a shorter approach from the W and a Crown Point Road which is a shorter approach from the E

Far End: Summit of Blue Job Mountain, elevation about 1357 feet

Owner: private and state

Maintainer: unknown

Special regulations: unknown

Description

From the kiosk opposite the middle of the parking lot, there are two trails:

• The R fork runs in the woods parallel to the main road, crossing a jeep road on which hiking is forbidden. At about .1 miles, it turns L on a wide trail (former route from old parking lot), which ascends steadily in woods with occasional blueberry patches. Near the top, the trail turns L and climbs a short steep pitch before coming out in the summit clearing near the warden's cabin.
• The new trail L runs at a gentle grade in the woods until it reaches a jeep road on which it turns L, hiking R on this road is forbidden. The road crosses a small brook and begins to climb moderately to the R. Just after the road crosses a stone wall the trail leaves R, crossing a small brook on a bridge and then climbing more steeply parallel to the wall. At about .5 miles, the trail reaches a jeep road within the state forest boundary. Turn L on this road and follow it to the summit. Many of the steep sections are paved. The road leads by a radio tower to the base of the fire tower at .8 miles.

There are some small blueberry patches at the summit, and grassy areas for a picnic. You can climb to a platform on the fire tower for views, and if the observer isn't busy, they may invite you into the cab and explain how to detect fires.

Off Season

Parking lot plowed

Map Notes: Most of the hiking trail is not shown on the USGS map

Topozone.com live map

Blue Job fire tower

Blue Job warden's cabin

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