August at Odiorne Point State Park

/ Ellen Kolb

Odiorne Point State Park in Rye, New Hampshire never gets old for me, in any season.

I had planned a one-day “grand tour,” with a stop at Pawtuckaway for the fire tower then Odiorne Point for the beach and then Stratham Park for the observation tower. (Whew.) Eight hours, with three of them in the car. I’m glad I reconsidered. Odiorne Point was all I needed.

From the shore, visitors can see traffic going in and out of Portsmouth harbor.
Summer means Queen Anne’s Lace is blooming.
walkway to the beach
Cormorants and other water birds make themselves at home on the rocky shore.
Kayakers can launch from a parking area north of the park’s main entrance on NH Route 1-A.
stone jetty separating harbor from ocean
Jetty at Odiorne Point State Park, Rye NH. All photos by Ellen Kolb.
This structure in the park was once part of the USA’s coastal defense during WW2.