Winslow State Park

Winslow State Park is located on the northwest slope of Mt. Kearsarge in Wilmot, New Hampshire. The picnic area is on an 1,820-foot plateau with outstanding views of the White Mountains to the north and the taller of the southern and central Vermont peaks. Mt. Sunapee, Ragged Mountain, and Pleasant Lake dominate the closer landscape. A one-mile foot trail leads from the picnic area to the summit of Mt.Kearsarge. A 1- 3/4 mile trail offers a loop possibility.

Location: Off Route 11, Kearsarge Mountain Road, Wilmot
Phone: 603-526-6168
Activities: Hiking, picnicking
Amenities: Picnic tables, fire tower

Operation Schedule:
Weekends: Early-May to Mid-June
Daily: Mid-June to Early November

Acreage: Part of Kearsarge Mountain State Forest, 4,965 acres

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History
Winslow State Park is named for a nineteenth century hotel, the Winslow House. The hotel was located in what is now the park's picnic area. A cellar hole is all that remains of the hotel that was named in honor of Admiral John Winslow who was commander of the USS Kearsarge during the Civil War. The Kearsarge was built in Portsmouth and constructed of lumber milled from trees cut on Mt. Kearsarge. The USS Kearsarge sank the confederate ship Alabama in a decisive battle off the French coast. The victory helped to keep European countries from entering the war on the side of the confederates. Admiral Winslow became a national hero and the USS Kearsarge was known throughout the country.

The hotel burned once and was rebuilt. By the end of the century it proved unprofitable, was abandoned, and burned to the ground. In 1933, William B. Douglas gave 20 acres, including the cellar hole, to the State as a memorial to the actress Katherine Raynor. The property abutted lands already in state ownership, and the site became a State Park in 1935.