Fort Stark State Historic Site
4.5(504)google
OutdoorOcean ViewFreeEducationalMilitaryCoast
Overview
Fort Stark is a former military fortification in New Castle, New Hampshire, United States. Located at Jerry's Point (also called Jaffrey's Point) on the southeastern tip of New Castle Island, most of the surviving fort was developed in the early 20th century, following the Spanish–American War, although there were several earlier fortifications on the site, portions of which survive. The fort was named for John Stark, a New Hampshire officer who distinguished himself at the Battle of Bennington in the American Revolution.
Practical Info
Every day10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Suggested Duration1-2 hours
Best TimeSummer (June to September) mid-afternoon from 3:00 PM to 5:30 PM is perfect. Perched on the rocky cliffs of New Castle island facing the wild Atlantic ocean entrance, the afternoon sun strikes the massive, weathered gray concrete gun battery ramparts beautifully, casting dramatic industrial shadows onto the crashing waves and dark jagged reefs below, providing a hard-boiled maritime photography backdrop.
Getting ThereSituated at the southern dead end of Wild Rose Lane on New Castle Island. Driving is the only choice: from Portsmouth, follow the scenic coastal highway NH-1A south, merge left onto NH-1B N across the drawbridges into New Castle, and turn right following the state park signs down the narrow residential lane to the fort entrance gravel lot. Admission is completely free.
Travel Tips
- The site features abandoned WWI/WWII coastal concrete bunkers with zero safety railings; crossing security chain-links into dark powder mags is illegal.
- The shoreline consists of sharp volcanic rock and seaweed-slick reefs prone to rogue ocean swells; standing past concrete seawalls is highly fatal.
- This is an unstaffed historic reservation; modern public restrooms and drinking water infrastructure do not exist, requiring stocking up beforehand.
Reviews
Positive
- The site holds unique scenic value, with the old coastal defense fort standing on a rocky shore, offering powerful views of crashing waves and the open ocean.
- There is almost no commercialization, fully preserving the raw, rugged look of abandoned concrete military bunkers, perfect for ruins exploration and military buffs.
- Completely free to the public, it features a small but highly educational visitor center managed by passionate volunteers who love to share its history.
- An excellent getaway to escape downtown crowds; tourist density is low, allowing visitors to enjoy absolute peace while picnicking in the sea breeze.
Heads up
- Facilities and maintenance are bare-bones; the concrete fort features a lot of graffiti, and certain areas are chained off with chain-link fences for safety.
- There are no permanent public restrooms on-site, only a limited number of temporary porta-potties with basic sanitary conditions.
- The rocky waterfront areas are very slippery and steep, lacking continuous safety railings, requiring extra caution for young kids or unstable walkers.
- The free public parking lot is extremely small, holding only a dozen cars, meaning it fills up instantly on sunny summer weekends.