Pierce Pond Camps to reopen

[weary]

The Maine Appalachian Trail Land Trust, which owns a small piece of land nearby, has received the following message:

"....Maine Wilderness Watershed Trust (MWWT), a land trust that focuses its conservation efforts in and around the Pierce Pond Watershed, (l)ast month ... purchased a conservation easement and right-of-first-refusal on the Harrison's Pierce Pond Camps property, which is located adjacent to the AT corridor in Carrying Place Township. The easement was purchased from Timothy Harrison, who had recently bought out his ex-wife's interest in the property. Tim intends to re-start full operation of the sporting camp beginning this summer.

"As you probably are aware, Harrison's Camps has had a long-time affiliation with the AT most notably serving blueberry pancake breakfasts to hikers (there is an AT lean-to within a short walk from the Camps). The conservation easement restricts use of the property to a traditional Maine sporting camp and limits its expansion. The property may not be converted to private residential use. The sporting camp operation must focus on traditional non-motorized uses such as fishing and hiking. MWWT holds a similar easement on Cobbs Camps which is located on Pierce Pond across the pond from the AT."

Reported by Weary

[TJ aka Teej]

Thanks, Weary. Glad to hear Tim's back!

[warraghiyagey]

Tim never left. . . . but it'll be nice to see his cabins open again. . . haven't missed a pancake breakfast there in 4 years.. . . . :)

[Blissful]

Good = we hope to go in July. :)

[Cookerhiker]

Good news - a great win-win way to conserve both the AT corridor and the traditional sports camp(s) of the Maine woods.

[neighbor dave]

:-? will there be a sign pointing hikers in the right direction?? ;):eek::D

[warraghiyagey]

:-? will there be a sign pointing hikers in the right direction?? ;):eek::D
When you get near Peirce Pond there will be a blue-blaze trail pointing you to Harrison's Camps. . . If you are at the Peirce Pond lean-to just follow the pond and you'll see a trail with blue blazes that leads you right to it... it sits overlooking the pond outlet stream. . . . and there's always a great hummingbird show on the back porch . . . :sun:sun

[weary]

Good news - a great win-win way to conserve both the AT corridor and the traditional sports camp(s) of the Maine woods.
The role of the camps are evolving, but more and more are coming back. AMC has three or four that it is restoring. White House Landing has been around now for a decade. Harrison's has struggled with family problems, but hangs in there. Harrison's was already a trail tradition when I first stopped 19 years ago. Other traditional sporting camps are scattered about in the traditional wildlands of Maine, though the wildness tends to be compromised amidst the growing road systems, and the popularity of four-wheel drive vehicles.

Weary

[Blissful]

There was a sign in the lean to that tells you about the camp. Or there used to be.

[Tinker]

Good to know. I know of a scout troop who is planning on a hike up that way this summer. The coordinator is breaking the troop into groups of eight, to minimize impact and intrusion on other hikers, but they're starting at the Kennebec and hiking south, so they might pass by the camps without stopping.

[Appalachian Tater]

This is great news. It's a nice place with a great breakfast and watching the hummingbirds was a treat.