Long Term Parking in Gorham?

[Captain Blue]

Does anyone have any suggestion for where I can park a car in or near Gorham, NH for 3-4 weeks? Besides the gravel lot at Pinkham Notch visitor center or at Rattle River Hostel for $10/night.

[Mr.Woodward43]

Try the Libby House "The Barn".

[Stepinwolfe]

Last Sept I checked in at the Gorham Police Station, and they told me to park in a designated area behind the police station and along the railroad track. No cost. No problems.

[peakbagger]

Plenty of public parking across the street from the Gorham town hall and adjacent to the library. Just stop in on the first floor of town hall and let the police dispatcher know that you will be parking long term. The police station is in the town hall and due to the traffic pattern there is police traffic going by these lots on 24/7 basis. The Barn is on the other side of the common from the Town Hall and is real tight for parking. The Carter Moriah trail connecting up with the AT on top of Mt Moriah is fairly close by if you know the shortcut. Take Railroad Street along the common and the railroad tracks, Cross RT 16 and bear right over the tracks then turn left onto Washington Street, then turn right on Mill Street. Walk down Mill Street and you will see a path leading to a pedestrian suspension bridge over a river. take a right after you have crossed the bridge and walk down the road to the trailhead (this is the original route of the AT). Rattle River Hostel and the AT crossing of RT 2 is about 2 miles down RT2 East from the common. Note that AMC is not running the hiker shuttle so you need to hike or hitch (in these days of covid its harder)

Pine Mountain Trail starts in Gorham and is little known way of connecting up with the AT on top of Mt Madison via the Pine Link. The trail head is not obvious. The Mahoosuc trail also starts in Gorham but the actual trailhead is also not obvious. Stony Brook trail that connects with the AT is a couple of miles south of Gorham on RT 16.

Trail Angels runs a commercial shuttle service out the area. With the AMC shuttle not running book well in advance.

[Slo-go'en]

While you can access the AT from downtown Gorham as Peakbagger describes, those are not real good options and result a really long, hard first day. The Pine link trail to Madison and then down to a legal campsite would be a particularly killer day.

If your driving from Ohio, your likely going to want to spend the night in Gorham anyway. Do your shopping, park at the common, call the Rattle River hostel to come get your or hitch out there and spend the night. Then your right at the trail and can go either way.

[Captain Blue]

Thank you for the suggestions! I called the Gorham Police Station and got permission to park near there. I need to check-in with them ahead of time and present my vehicle registration and drivers license.

I won't be starting my hike there. I need to make my way to the Enterprise Rental car place in Berlin. I'm renting a car one-way to Bennington and hiking back to Gorham. For some reason I am unable to book a one-way rental car reservation from Bennington to Berlin. But I could get one from Berlin to Bennington.

Any suggestions for getting a shuttle to Berlin from Gorham?

[peakbagger]

In theory Enterprise will drop off a car to you. They used to have an office on the south end of Berlin about 2.5 miles from the Gorham Town Hall. When I looked up their local office it lists an autobody place out on Jericho Road (rt 110) which is quite a long distance from Gorham. Public transport is pretty lacking in the area. Trail Angels runs a AT shuttle out of Berlin but I am unsure if they do local. Tricounty Community transit runs a local bus service file:///C:/Users/Dennis/Downloads/bg-map(1).pdf but they do not go out RT 110 (Jericho road). So if you catch the Tri county bus route you would have to walk up RT 110 from downtown Berlin to the autobody place (if that truly is the new Enterprise location).

[Slo-go'en]

There's not much demand for rentals around here.

So, you want to hike from Bennington, VT (LT) to Gorham, NH?

You'd be better off leaving your car at Williamstown in MA, and starting there. The reason being, you can get back to Williamstown via bus from Gorham. (Connects through Boston) Or you could leave your car in Gorham and take the bus to Williamstown the next morning. It gets you to Williamstown in the early evening, so your looking at a night in town there too which is $$.

[4eyedbuzzard]

There's not much demand for rentals around here.

So, you want to hike from Bennington, VT (LT) to Gorham, NH?

You'd be better off leaving your car at Williamstown in MA, and starting there. The reason being, you can get back to Williamstown via bus from Gorham. (Connects through Boston) Or you could leave your car in Gorham and take the bus to Williamstown the next morning. It gets you to Williamstown in the early evening, so your looking at a night in town there too which is $$.No bus service from Gorham to Boston right now on Concord Coach. Still suspended from what I know.

[Slo-go'en]

No bus service from Gorham to Boston right now on Concord Coach. Still suspended from what I know.

Wait until next year then.

[Astro]

Wait until next year then.
That is what I finally ended up doing. Only 167 miles to finish the AT, but it will have to wait until 2021.

[Slo-go'en]

The Concord to Berlin run was never a profitable one for Concord Bus. The times I've ridden it, maybe 5-6 people left after Concord. I hope they don't drop that route once this is all over. It makes my life easier when I want to leave town or return, but that's only once a year so I don't help their bottom line much.

[peakbagger]

I think that run is subsidized by the state

[Captain Blue]

In theory Enterprise will drop off a car to you.

Thanks for the tip! The guy at Enterprise will pick me up and take me to the car rental place. One shuttle driver charges $45 for that 7.5 mile ride. Geez!

[peakbagger]

Not a problem, I dont think there is enough business in town so they drive up from Conway so its not a big reach for them to pick you up to bring you to their local office.

Now the big challenge is getting from Gorham to Bennington. The fastest way is not the shortest distance as many of the state roads are quite slow. The fastest route is RT 2 west to RT 115 south then RT 302 west to I93. Now the weird part is take I93 north to St Johnsbury VT. Now head south on I 91 to Brattleboro. I had a 2 year project south of Brattleboro a few years back and tried every combination of back roads and kept coming to the conclusion that the fastest route was always the one described. If you have the extra time its worth driving through Franconia Notch. Take RT 2 west to RT 115 to Twin Mountain then take RT3 south until it merges onto the parkway (I93). Now go south to Plymouth and take Rt 25 west to Rumney Then RT 118 south to RT4 west. Follow RT 4 to I 89 north and then get on RT 91 south. RT 118 is decidedly rural and RT4 heading into Hanover can be slow with commuter traffic. It can add an hour to the drive. It you extra time take RT 16 south to Conway (tourist town) and take RT 112 the Kancamangus Highway which is national scenic highway to Lincoln NH then get on I 91 south. If you have the time take I93 northbound through Franconia Parkway. The AT runs over the mountain on the left, crosses the Parkway and then runs on the mountain on the right. When you get to the Ski area exit switch to the southbound lane and head to Plymouth . It adds about 40 minutes to the trip.

[Slo-go'en]

I always use 116/10/302 and cross over from Woodsville. It's the shortest route and time wise isn't significantly longer then 115/302/93/91. RT 2 direct to I91 is the slowest route.

[peakbagger]

Its shorter but it was routinely 20 to 30 minutes longer

[Slo-go'en]

Its shorter but it was routinely 20 to 30 minutes longer

I guess it depends on how much over the speed limit you go on the Interstate.

[peakbagger]

I just go with the flow, drive a cheap car and stay in the travel lane ;) Troopers are looking for SUVs and sports cars running in the passing lanes.

[Slo-go'en]

I just go with the flow, drive a cheap car and stay in the travel lane ;) Troopers are looking for SUVs and sports cars running in the passing lanes.

I don't think I've ever seen a trouper on 91, but then I don't drive it very often and when I did, the speed limits were lower. Anyway, everyone I've known crosses at Woodsville. Maybe it does take a tad longer, but it doesn't seem it. It's definitely a more scenic drive.

[Captain Blue]

Google Maps says RT-2/RT-115/RT-302/I-93 is the quickest. I have to drive it twice. Maybe one of the times I'll take another route.

[Slo-go'en]

Google Maps says RT-2/RT-115/RT-302/I-93 is the quickest. I have to drive it twice. Maybe one of the times I'll take another route.

Well, what do they know :) Look out for log trucks, those guys are maniacs.