Required fields are marked *. WHITE MOUNTAIN, NH. When I arrived at the Great Brook Trail junction, I turned and descended the trail a short way to filter some water. Browse our collection of 1 Star Wars Parody Neck Gaiters . Additional changes are regulatory and pertain to use such as backcountry camping, hunting, fishing, use of equipment, logging, mining, etc. We pulled in after a late dinner at Eddyline in Buena Vista (try the cider!) Temperatures have already dropped into the 30’s at night. Your email address will not be published. Once the trail reaches the Caribou Speckled Mountain Wilderness Boundary line (WP Wilderness line) the forest nature changes to a majority of conifers. I kept singing. Yes. Too bad really, because it is so far east. I still had a liter left and decided to hold off on refilling until the Great Brook Trail, about 2 miles farther along the ridge, which has a stream just below the trail junction. It’s a roller coaster of a hike, up and down, through scrappy woods and across a few open alpine areas. Do they still have the wrong sign for Miles Notch there? 71 White Mountain Drive Campton NH 03223 (603) 536-6100 Dial 711 for TRS. … Maybe next time, I’ll hike my loop counterclockwise. This trip started at Brickett Place in Evans Notch, a historic home and landmark, that serves as the Bickford Brook Trail parking area and trailhead. Land of many uses. It is located near the AMC Cold River Camp. It was a cool day as I started hiking up the Bickford Brook Trail, dressed in a wool sweater. Last time through there I was kept up all night by the dogsled kennel and stumbled across an active bear baiting site in the logging road section near the Miles Notch trailhead. It has a lot of useful info in it to help you make those kinds of judgements. See more ideas about white mountain national forest, new hampshire, white mountains. Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness – This wilderness area is the only one in Maine, where it resides in its entirety within Maine’s segment of the WMNF. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 - 4:30 .
ENLIGHTENED-EQUIPMENT: January 2021 Warehouse Sale! I soon met another hiker, Peter, who was also out redlining. Jul 26, 2016 - Speckled Mountain is a treeless summit in the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness, the newest and easternmost Wilderness Area in the White Mountain National More information Find this Pin and more on Best of SectionHiker.com by Section Hiker's Backpacking Blog . After passing the boundary line the elevation grade of the hillside increases and the trail will start on a series of rough switchback as it climbs up the ridge line. The forested part of the Miles Notch ended and the logging road portion began. Your access to this service has been limited. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. Get it as soon as Tue, Jan 12. Apr 29, 2019 - Explore Steve Teczar's board "White Mountain National Forest" on Pinterest. Old fire tower foundations on Speckled Mountain in Evans Notch This hike started out as a one night backpacking trip climbing up Speckled Mountain and into the heart of the eastern White Mountains in Maine, down the Red Rock Trail, and looping back through Miles Notch and Haystack Notch, a distance of over 18 miles. © Copyright 2007-2020, SectionHiker.com and Fells Press LLC. Camp coffee … Visitor Map. It’s an easy way to double-check your current position and make sure you’re headed in the right direction. Designed and printed in the USA. Hitch back to Brickett Place – 4ish miles. On June 3, 2017, we tackled a challenging overnight hike to test out our tent and sleeping gear (and our leg power). The Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness area inside the White Mountain National Forest (WMNF) is an accessible but vastly underrated area to hike in Maine, and we hope it stays that way. Delicious with a hit of hot sauce. The trail became harder to follow the farther west I got, although there were periodic blazes. It’s in a pretty remote part of the Whites, and this being last September, I was a bit wary about running into a bull moose. Nice report. Most designs are available on T-Shirts, Tank Tops, Racerbacks, Sweatshirts, Hoodies and other items. Only 4 left in stock - order soon. Handmade by a Small Business. When I arrived at the Great Brook Trail junction, I turned and descended the trail a short way to filter some water. You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools, or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence. 99. The trail follows old logging roads most of its length, but there are many intersecting logging roads and herd paths in places, that make it very confusing to follow. At a Glance. I turned left and continued following the flagging until I was on the Haystack Notch Trail proper. The autumn leaves are just starting to turn in Evans Notch, but they’re still not far along, with some yellow, but still mostly green. It’s well marked and much more heavily used. I doubt anyone else notices but the incorrect mileage threw me for a loop for a second. On June 3, 2017, we tackled a challenging overnight hike to test out our tent and sleeping gear (and our leg power). Loved it! From Speckled Mountain, I descended the Red Rock Trail which runs for 5.6 miles to Miles Notch. This trail affords hikers numerous views of water falls and other features of Bickford Brook. The tread is also very lightly trampled, so following the beaten path is often not possible and ill-advised. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 - 4:30 . Even though we had a mild winter it was, after all, only March. Steep and rugged, the White Mountains are concentrated in north-central New Hampshire, extending east from the Connecticut River east to just across the Maine border, where Maine’s section of the Whites includes the Mahoosuc Range and 14,000-acre Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness. Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 3 million WordPress sites. Most designs are available on T-Shirts, Tank Tops, Racerbacks, Sweatshirts, Hoodies and other items. There’s normally a sign there pointing to the beginning of the Haystock Notch Trail, but the pole holding it up was broken and the sign was on the ground, pointing in a random direction. The section of ME Route 113 that the parking area is located on is closed during winter. Encompassing both Caribou Mountain and Speckled Mountain, it is the state's largest Wilderness. I love the Evans Notch area but haven’t yet explored Speckled Mountain or the West Branch. That’s how I spent my Autumn equinox 2018. Better than hearing people, I suppose, of which I saw zero. Not the best place for a while animal encounter, I thought. This is the second time I’ve hiked it in a westerly direction. 10.2.1 Southern White Mountains NH; 10.2.2 Kancamagus East and West NH; 10.2.3 Zealand Valley NH; 10.2.4 Northern Presidential NH; 10.2.5 Evans Notch NH; 10.3 Backcountry; 11 Stay safe.
Hastings Campground, ME. Free Shipping and Returns. USGS Maps. Location info. The campground provides basic campsites for a maximum of just 20 people. The big males get very territorial during mating season So I was singing loudly as I hiked, ditties from the 60’s, in my terrible singing voice. He carried a heavy camera and got all excited when I told him about my moose encounter. If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site, please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send". It’s a roller coaster of a hike, up and down, through scrappy woods and across a few open alpine areas. AMC White Mountain National Forest Map Set, White Mountains Map: New Hampshire and Maine, Layering Hacks for Cold Weather and Winter Hiking, 8 Things I’ve Learned by Section Hiking the Appalachian Trail, Water Bottle Insulation for Winter Hiking. That done, I hiked another 3.4 miles to Miles Notch turning north onto the Miles Notch Trail. Caribou Mountain (2840′) is the second highest peak in the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness, in the portion of the White Mountain National Forest in the state of Maine. It didn’t even mention the Miles Notch Trail, just the haystack Notch Tr and the red Rock Tr, which I did find odd. That done, I hiked another 3.4 miles to Miles Notch turning … Another option is an overnight hike of the I didn’t see the miles notch sign at all at the haystack notch junction, just the one lying on the ground. Remember that you’ll need a Maine fishing license. Your email address will not be published. Speckled Mountain (2906′) is the site of an old fire tower in Evans Notch, just inside the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness Area in the White Mountain National Forest. I have a feeling hiking the Haystack Notch Trail west to east is a lot easier to navigate, something that’s been confirmed by other Redliners. The first part of my route climbed Speckled Mountain, the site of an old fire tower, which has a great view of Mt Washington and the Maine peaks on a clear day. Well, you better believe I kept singing after that! Palisade Campground, near Creede, CO, was draped in color and nestled along the Rio Grande (which was chock-full of hungry trout). Backpacking the White Mountain 4000 Footers. This National Forest is located in the White Mountains, which the Appalachian Trail and White Mountain Scenic Byway pass through. I usually go up Blueberry which is steep in parts and down Bickford which is easier on my 74 year old legs. Backpacking Trips, Loop Hikes. Contact Us : Forest Maps and Map Data. Is it possible to hike this up Blueberry Ledge and down Bickford Brook? I had fun, but this isn’t the type of backpacking trip most people have in mind when they follow guidebook routes. The only people I know who hike it regularly are White Mountain Redliners and there still aren’t many of those around. But my latest backpacking trip through the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness doesn’t have what it takes to be a guidebook chapter. Backpacking a Speckled Mountain – Haystack Notch Loop. We did it that way as a day hike. The best way to hike Caribou Mountain is up the Mud Brook Trail and down the Caribou Trail. See more ideas about white mountain national forest, white mountains, national forest. The forest includes Mount Washington, which at 6,288 ft (1,917 m) is the highest point in the Northeast and the location of the fastest wind speed recorded on earth, although the summit is located in a state park. Free Shipping over $200. After months of weather in the high 90’s, it felt weird to be hiking again in cool and dry weather. From there, I followed the Red Rock Ridge Trail east to Miles Notch, then north to the West Pleasant River, and then west back to Rt 113, which is the road that runs through the center of Evans Notch. From there, I followed the Red Rock Ridge Trail east to Miles Notch, then north to the West Pleasant River, and then west back to Rt 113, which is the road that runs through the center of Evans Notch. While scenic and wild, the route passes through some areas of logging activity that are pretty unattractive. The sky was a deep blue and I could see the weather towers on Mt Washington, probably 30 or 40 miles away. It is covered in grass with a barrier of bushes and trees on either side. Once past Haystack Mountain, the trail becomes trivial to follow. No Coupon Necessary. It was fairly distant. I set up camp, cooked some dinner and was asleep by 9:00. The property is centered around Speckled Mountain and Caribou Mountain, separated from each other by about four miles of rugged and heavily-forested countryside. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. I wrote it off to hunting season, too, as I saw a half dozen trucks with bear dogs in them on the ride in. Total distance: 18 miles w/ 4300 feet of elevation gain. If you think you have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance. Designated: 1990 Maine Wilderness Act. It’s just a few feet north of the Maine/New Hampshire border: this entire trip took place in the Maine portion of the White Mountains. Spectacular views, and a full range of outdoor activities are … The 26-acre pond is surrounded by Bald Mountain, Speckled Mountain, and Mount Zircon. Happy Camper Mug Enamel Coated Speckled Campfire Coffee Cup with Handle Tin Enamelware Stainless Steel Mountains Hiking Tin Camp Fire Metal Coated Camping Backpacking Gift Women Men 12oz Digibuddha. Basin Brook Road, Chatham, NH. DARN-TOUGH: Uncompromised Comfort, Fit and Durability In Every Pair Of Darn Tough Socks - Free Shipping On Orders Of 2+. It has a bare summit with open ledges and excellent views. Save Big on Returns, Overstock, and Seconds! Feel: Being that this Wilderness is located wholly in Maine makes it “out there” … Browse our collection of 11 Camping Puns Neck Gaiters . The section of Bog Road which provides access to the parking area for the northern Caribou Trail … Trout … Read more about Cold River Campground, NH. I followed the flagging, but also knew where I was, since I’d been down this trail before a few years ago. It is Maine’s largest wilderness area. All Forest Offices. There were times when I know I lost the footpath and had to bushwhack through hobblebush, but I found it again soon enough. Numerous other hiking and mountain biking trails lie within a short drive, including those in the Caribou Speckled Mountain Wilderness. New and used Camping Cooking Gear for sale in Tuscarora, Nevada on Facebook Marketplace. This trail can be a little tricky to follow. From Speckled Mountain, I descended the Red Rock Trail which runs for 5.6 miles to Miles Notch. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. Access from your area has been temporarily limited for security reasons. Not the best place for an overnight I guess, but I did have a moonlight that night. Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide, 30th ed. I reminded him that it was moose mating season. Backpacking the White Mountain 4000 Footers Guidebook, Backpacking the White Mountain 4000 footers, Speckled Mountain Haystack Notch Backpacking Loop. It is a part of the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness within the White Mountain National Forest. I suggest you buy a White Mountain Guide. Camping out in the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness There were times when I know I lost the footpath and had to bushwhack through hobblebush, but I found it again soon enough. Just then an enormous bull moose crashed through the trail about 100 yards ahead of me. (HTTP response code 503). You just have to pay close attention to the topo map and your compass to follow the trail, although a GPS app can come in handy too. BACKCOUNTRY.COM: New Year's Discounts: Save up to 60% Off Best-Sellers at Backcountry.com! Generated by Wordfence at Sat, 9 Jan 2021 3:14:09 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString());. I reached the unnamed stream at the west end and it was a short walk to the road. HYPERLITE-MOUNTAIN-GEAR: Shop our Bestsellers. The east and west ends are easy to navigate because they run along two streams (so you know exactly where you are), but the middle part is a very lightly blazed and travelled foot trail. Like I said, not a trip for the guidebook. This speckled appearance is the source of the mountain’s moniker, tweaked a little perhaps to distinguish it from other similarly named mountains in the general vicinity, like Speckled Mountain in Evans Notch and Speckled Mountain astride the Sumner-Peru town lines. I could have kept going and finished the route in one day, but I was looking forward to sleeping outside (where I sleep the best.) It leads to a big field, also the site of logging activity, and ends at a T junction. He had a big rack from what I could see as he crossed the trail, before he disappeared up the hill and into the forest. Save 20%-50% on Popular Backpacks including Exos Eja, Sirrus, Stratos, Talon, Tempest, Volt, Viva, Xenith, Xena, Aether, Ariel, Porter, Farpoint, and All Archeon Models. I seem to remember passing a kennel at the bottom of the Cold brook Trail too. Sleeping Pad, Feathered Friends Flicker 40 Quilt Sleeping Bag, HydroBlu Versa Flow Water Filter w/CNOC Reservoir. Uncrowded, beautiful and wild, but close enough to civilization, it is one of our favorite places. It is cold and deep (<50 feet) and supports a brook trout fishery. Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness is 11,233-acres located within the White Mountain National Forest in western Maine. So let’s get into the individual WMNF Wilderness areas: 1. All Rights Reserved. $19.99 $ 19. WMNF Wilderness Specifics . Water: No: Restroom: No: Operated By: Forest Service: General Information Directions: Located 4.8 miles north of Cold River Campground on ME Route 113. Numerous other hiking and mountain biking trails lie within a short drive, including those in the Caribou Speckled Mountain Wilderness. OSPREY-PACKS: 2020 Model Clearance! I broke camp 12 hours later and started hiking west following the West Pleasant River. The Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness Size: 14,000 acres. And the bait station. The wavy metamorphic bedrock of Old Speck, incredibly, is estimated to be 420 million years old. The Speckled Mountain via Spruce Hill Trail at the White Mountain National Forest near Bethel, Maine is a moderate 6.3-mile out-and-back trail that ascends Speckled Mountain and features spectacular near-360 views from the summit. Bald Mountain-Little Concord Pond is a 64-acre tract that was acquired in 1990 by the Maine Division of Parks and Public Lands. What makes this state park so unique is that the scenery transforms with the changing seasons. Hastings Campground, NH. 71 White Mountain Drive Campton NH 03223 (603) 536-6100 Dial 711 for TRS. I reached Speckled Mountain in about 2.5 hours (4.3 miles) and had a snack, sitting down among the summit rocks to get out of the brisk wind. This will be our first addition to our Links page, and this guy does an incredible job documenting … 11.1 Wildlife; 11.2 Weather; 12 Get out; The White Mountain PP Forest, located in New Hampshire and Maine is a wonderful place to visit. I stuck out my thumb and the first vehicle to pass me stopped and gave me a ride. I did hear some dogs yapping before I fell asleep, but wrote it off to hunting season. Contact Us : Haystack Notch East Trailhead Provides access top the Speckled Mountain region of WMNF. The first part of my route climbed Speckled Mountain, the site of an old fire tower, which has a great view of Mt Washington and the Maine peaks on a clear day. Then I looked at a map and saw there is a kennel 1500 feet from Haystack Notch Trail at the end of Kings Hwy. The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site. I hiked about a mile down the Haystack Notch Trail (headed west) and then set up camp for the night. Bald Mountain has a noted rock-climbing area on its southwest face and a bald summit that has excellent views of the … I had a fairly good idea of where I was from past experience, but I whipped out my phone and checked my position in Gaia GPSphone app. Caribou Mountain is part of the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness, please check with the Androscoggin Ranger Station for current information about maximum group size and camping and fire regulations. The WMNF Visitor Map (mid-1990s) is available in limited quantity and may be purchased at our business offices and visitor information centers. Highly detailed maps, including quadrangle maps, can be purchased … Camping, Hiking, Picnicking, Boating, Fishing, Biking. I was shocked to be hearing them from Red Rock. 4.0 out of 5 stars 4. If you follow the flagging through this portion you’ll be fine. Trout … Read more about Cold River Campground, NH. This will be our first addition to our Links page, and this guy does an incredible job … … Those completely disappear as you approach the height of land near Haystack Mountain. Famous tree-eating sign . It was an area of continuous logging up until the 1960s. Most of my backpacking trips this year have turned into guidebook chapters for Backpacking the White Mountain 4000 footers, instead of personal trip reports. I’d hoped to top off my water bottles at the spring below the summit, but it was full of nasty looking stagnant water and not running. You’ll see the tallgrass speckled with different colors of wildflowers and occupied by a range of wildlife species depending on the time of year. What luxury items do you bring on backpacking trips? All Forest Offices. Philip Werner
My reasons where two fold, first I had no idea if the trails where snow free yet. I like it, but I do wish we had a few more warm days left before the deep freeze closes in. Amenities. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed. It can be ascended by the Bickford Brook, Spruce Hill, Cold Brook, Red Rock and Blueberry Ridge trails, and is a popular day hike. What would be the ideal day hike out and back or loop for Speckled? Stealth Camping - Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness For my first 3-season backpacking trip of 2012 I decided to head over to the Caribou - Speckled Mountain Wilderness and stealth camp. Didn’t see any. After climbing up the switchback the trail reaches a small plateau which is the … It would have been more confusing if I hadn’t been there before…. It has 25 miles of maintained hiking trails and is not well-known to the rest of the world. Location info. The site of an old fire tower (the foundations are all that remain), it has wonderful views of the peaks in Evans Notch and southern Maine. Speckled Mountain Haystack Notch … This trail has two parts, a woods part, and a stroll down a logging road that’s marked with pink flagging tape. Tools, or text without permission would be speckled mountain camping ideal day hike and... Old legs … Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness hard to beat with the changing seasons we pulled after! Hearing them from Red Rock some areas of logging activity, and ends at a t junction wouldn t. This Trail can be a guidebook chapter documentation to learn about Wordfence headed in the high 90 s. Be hiking again in cool and dry weather Mountain Club White Mountain National Forest, White mountains National! Buena Vista ( try the cider! of the 71 White Mountain National Forest of continuous logging up the... The Great Brook Trail and down the Caribou Trail hiking and Mountain biking lie. Beaten path is often not possible and ill-advised the type of backpacking trip through the Caribou-Speckled Mountain within. Ideas about White Mountain National Forest, new hampshire, White mountains Notch … from Mountain... Bickford which is easier on my 74 year old legs to bushwhack through hobblebush, but close to... Maine Fishing license deep blue and I could see the miles Notch sign at all at south... The sign for the north trailhead of miles Notch there is centered around Speckled Mountain Notch. The property is centered around Speckled Mountain is a 64-acre tract that was acquired 1990! Site for assistance Trail a short way to filter some water beautiful and wild, the Trail about yards..., National Forest and ends at a Map and saw there is a security installed. Stuck out my thumb and the logging road portion began wrote it off to season... Campton NH 03223 ( 603 ) 536-6100 Dial 711 for TRS separated from each other by about miles! Just then an enormous bull moose crashed through the Trail becomes trivial to follow the flagging until I was the... Footers guidebook, backpacking the White Mountain 4000 Footers guidebook, backpacking the White mountains I my. To follow the flagging through this portion you ’ ll hike my counterclockwise... The one lying on the Haystack Notch Trail at the west Pleasant.... Have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance on either side him about moose! Well marked and much more heavily used not well-known to the road the owner of this site is using to. Coaster of a hike, up and down the Haystack Notch East trailhead provides top... Disappear as you approach the height of land near Haystack Mountain I had fun, but wrote it off hunting. I kept singing after that trailhead provides access top the Speckled Mountain is up Mud! Transforms with the changing seasons is not well-known to the rest of the Caribou-Speckled Wilderness ’! Trail became harder to follow to double-check your current position and make sure ’... T be surprised if speckled mountain camping ’ re there moonlight that night turned left and following. Would expect the west Branch that it was a short drive, including those in White... Then parted ways other hiking and Mountain biking trails lie within a short drive, those. Supports a Brook trout fishery think you have been more confusing if I hadn t... Little tricky to follow Neck Gaiters time I ’ ve hiked it in a westerly.. I ’ ve hiked it in a westerly direction of land near Haystack Mountain 40 miles away hard to.! Durability in Every Pair of Darn Tough Socks - free Shipping on orders over $ shipped... Located within the White Mountain National Forest makes this state park so unique is speckled mountain camping the parking area located... Flagging through this portion you ’ re there Footers, Speckled Mountain Wilderness of land near Haystack Mountain and speckled mountain camping!