Editing Alton, New Hampshire (section)

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|215.4|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|165.0|sqkm|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|50.5|sqkm|order=flip}} are water, comprising 23.4% of the town.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020"/> Alton is located at the southern end of [[Lake Winnipesaukee]], around the {{convert|4|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} inlet known as Alton Bay. The village of [[Alton Bay, New Hampshire|Alton Bay]] is located at the southern tip of the bay, while the main village of [[Alton (CDP), New Hampshire|Alton]] is located {{convert|1|mi}} farther south. The town is drained by the [[Merrymeeting River]], the main inlet to Alton Bay. [[Mount Major]], in Mount Major State Forest, has an elevation of {{convert|1780|ft|m}} above [[sea level]].  Popular with hikers, the summit offers unsurpassed views of Lake Winnipesaukee. The highest point in Alton is the north peak of Straightback Mountain, at {{convert|1910|ft|m|abbr=on}}, just west of Mount Major. Both mountains are part of the [[Belknap Mountains]] range. Alton lies almost fully within the [[Merrimack River]] [[Drainage basin|watershed]], though a tiny corner is in the [[Piscataqua River]] (coastal) watershed.<ref name=watershed>{{cite book |title=Water Use in New Hampshire: An Activities Guide for Teachers |url=http://nh.water.usgs.gov/Publications/nh.intro.html |last=Foster |first=Debra H. |author2=Batorfalvy, Tatianna N.|author3= Medalie, Laura |publisher=U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey |year=1995}}</ref>

The town is served by five state highways. [[New Hampshire Route 11]] passes through the center of town, leading northwest along the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee to [[Gilford, New Hampshire|Gilford]] and thence to [[Laconia, New Hampshire|Laconia]], and southeast to [[Rochester, New Hampshire|Rochester]]. [[New Hampshire Route 28]] also passes through the center of town, leading north to [[Wolfeboro, New Hampshire|Wolfeboro]] and south to [[Pittsfield, New Hampshire|Pittsfield]] and [[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]]. [[New Hampshire Route 140]] leads from Alton west to [[Gilmanton, New Hampshire|Gilmanton]] and [[Tilton, New Hampshire|Tilton]]. [[New Hampshire Route 11A]] leaves NH 11 in West Alton and goes west into Gilford, and [[New Hampshire Route 28A]] forms an alternate route north from [[Alton Bay, New Hampshire|Alton Bay]] to NH 28.

=== Adjacent municipalities ===
* [[Wolfeboro, New Hampshire|Wolfeboro]] (north)
* [[New Durham, New Hampshire|New Durham]] (east)
* [[Barnstead, New Hampshire|Barnstead]] (south)
* [[Gilmanton, New Hampshire|Gilmanton]] (southeast)
* [[Gilford, New Hampshire|Gilford]] (west)
* [[Tuftonboro, New Hampshire|Tuftonboro]] (northwest)