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The Marion Davis Trail leads from the Miller State Park lower parking lot just off NH Route 101 to an upper parking lot near the summit of Pack Monadnock Mountain. Marion Davis was one of the pioneers of the Wapack Trail, a 21-mile path from Mount Watatic in Massachusetts to North Pack Monadnock Mountain, and much of the Marion Davis Trail was once part of the route of the Wapack Trail. The Marion Davis Trail is an easier route up Pack Monadnock than the present Wapack Trail which does some scenic ledge scrambling near the bottom, and a harder route than walking (or driving!) up the park road.
Pack Monadnock is thought to be the Indian name for "little Monadnock" to compare with and distinguish it from its more famous neighbor to the west. In 1891, Charles F. Melendy and Austin A. Spofford donated a three-acre tract of land on the summit of Pack Monadnock which became New Hampshire's first state park. It was named for General James Miller, a hero in the Battle of Lundy's Lane and later at Fort Erie during the War of 1812.
Distance: Trailhead to summit, about 1.4 miles one-way
Elevation gain: About 900 feet, 100 feet on return
Maps:
USGS Peterborough South
Pack Monadnock hiking trail map
Location: Monadnock Region
NH 2004-2005 map P-5
DeLorme NHA&G 20-F7 - Temple/Peterborough
Peterborough is on NH Route 101 between Keene and Manchester
Lower Trailhead: Miller State Park lower parking lot just off NH Route 101, elevation about 1490 feet
N 42.8498, -71.8864 W (WGS84)
A state park fee is required to enter the park during the official season of roughly May to October, longer on weekends
From I-293 exit 3, go W on NH Route 101 about 30.6 miles to park entrance on R, limited visibility at top of hill
Upper Trailhead: Miller State Park upper parking lot, elevation about 2290 feet
N 42.862, -71.878 W (WGS84)
A state park fee is required to enter the park during the official season of roughly May to October, longer on weekends
Follow the narrow twisty paved road 1.3 miles from the lower parking lot to the summit
Owner: Miller State Park and private
Maintainer: Wapack Trail Club.
Special regulations: No fires or camping
From the E end of the parking lot, a trail runs into the woods and almost immediately reaches a junction; the Marion Davis Trail (blazed in blue triangles) goes straight ahead while the yellow-blazed Wapack Trail goes L to the summit of Pack Monadnock (similar length as Marion Davis Trail but more difficult with some ledge scrambling near the beginning) and R to Temple Mountain and eventually Mount Watatic. The Marion Davis Trail descends slightly to cross a brook and then angles up a ridge, descending slightly on the far side. After more up and down sidehill including a section past some cliffs, it heads uphill more steeply to end at the summit road at about 1.4 miles, next to the air quality monitoring station and across the street from the fire tower. Views can be obtained from the fire tower and from ledges around the summit. Pack Monadnock view description online version
Other trails leaving the summit area:
Summit road gated in the off season, frequently snowmobiled. Some of the lower parking lot is plowed.
Map Notes: The USGS map does not show this trail
Pack Monadnock hiking trail map online version
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