| Miller State Park | |
| Photo Width: | 280 |
| Location: | Peterborough and Temple, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States |
| Coords: | 42.8594°N -71.8831°W |
| Established: | 1891 |
| Designation: | New Hampshire state park |
| Administrator: | New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation |
| Website: | Miller State Park |
Miller State Park is the oldest state-run park in New Hampshire, a state in the New England region of the United States. It is located in the towns of Peterborough and Temple, and is centered on Pack Monadnock, a 2290feet mountain.
The 533acres park was established in 1891 when atop Pack Monadnock were donated to New Hampshire. The name Pack comes from an Indian word meaning "little" and is used in comparison to nearby Mount Monadnock. Pack Monadnock has a paved auto road to the top and is the former site of two hotels. It has a renovated fire tower at the summit which is staffed seasonally.
The park has expanded over the years with land donations and purchases. Until 1901, cattle were driven by foot from Massachusetts farms for summer grazing on open pasture extending nearly to the summit. Virtually all the pastures are now overgrown with forest, as little farming is done in the region.
The park is named for James Miller, a Peterborough native who was a brigadier general in the United States Army during the War of 1812 and became the first Governor of Arkansas Territory.[1]
The area is popular with hikers. The Wapack Trail runs through the park, crossing over Pack Monadnock.
In 2007, the state created Temple Mountain State Reservation on the south side of NH Route 101 across from the Miller State Park entrance, when it bought 325acres around the closed Temple Mountain Ski Area.
Miller State Park, New Hampshire's First State Park