Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area

The Castle in the Clouds Conservation Area is located in the Ossipee Mountains of Moultonborough and Tuftonboro and is conserved and stewarded by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust (LRCT).

The conserved property encompasses 5,246 acres, over 800 of which are old-growth forests. There are 21 delimited old-growth areas that range from 1 acre to 238 acres. These are scattered across the property, although most reside in the upper elevations from 1800 feet to approximately 2600 feet. The most common old-growth forest type is Red Oak Rocky Ridge, followed by Dry Red Oak-White Pine Forest and Northern Hardwood Forest. At least two of the old-growth areas, the Rich Red Oak Rocky Woods and the Circumneutral Red Cedar Rocky Ridge are state recognized rare natural communities. The oldest known tree ages are 385 years for eastern hemlock, 315 years for white pine, and 360 years for white oak.

The property was first settled in 1790 by the Lee family. By 1861, at least eight farms occupied the area, but the agricultural era was limited to the lower, more productive slopes. Building lumber and firewood was harvested from the forests that immediately surrounded the early settlements. The upland forests were effectively protected when the land was purchased in the 1880s by Benjamin Franklin Shaw, whom Mount Shaw is named after. Shaw created Ossipee Mountain Park and a luxury hotel, which provided a place where visitors could take in the splendid views, have picnics, and take walks through the woods. Shaw created a bridle path to the summit of Mt. Shaw and laid out the scenic Brook Walk, which are still popular trails today. Two decades after Shaw’s death, Thomas Gustave Plant, one of the most successful shoe manufacturers in the country, purchased the property in 1911and acquired an additional fifty parcels until his estate included close to 6,300 acres. Over the next few years, Plant constructed Lucknow Mansion (the “Castle in the Clouds”), an 18-hole golf course, many outbuildings, extensive stone walls, and over 40 miles of carriage roads. After Plant’s significant financial troubles and death in 1941, the property was put up for auction to satisfy multiple mortgages, foreclosures, taxes, and unpaid bills.Eventually the property fell into the hands of Plant’s friend, land developer, and lumber magnate, Fred Charles Tobey, who extensively logged some sections of the property (mostly of old-growth timber) in the early 1940s for the war effort. Anything not cut was left alone and exists as untouched forest to this day. In 1956 the property was sold to Richard S. Robie, who eventually turned the property into the “Castle in the Clouds” tourist attraction, which was opened to the public in 1959.

The Lakes Region Conservation Trust purchased this property for conservation and recreation in 2002 and currently maintains 30 miles of trails, including much of the historic carriage road system, providing opportunities for hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. LRCT subsequently established the Castle Preservation Society (CPS) in 2006 to own and steward the historic buildings on the property, including Lucknow Mansion (also known as the Castle) and 135 acres of its surrounding grounds. In late 2024, Lucknow and the surrounding 5,000+ acre conservation areas were listed as a National Historic Landmark.