Bigelow campsite/gravel pit concerns

[attroll]

There is a campsite on Bigelow preserve that Walkin Home holds Trail magic at every year. This year they are proposing closing down that campsite to make an extended parking lot for boat trailer parking for Flagstaff Lake. Flagstaff Lake is not even part of the Bigelow preserve. We would like to here how may thru hikers have camped in the small gravel pit right off the road after coming down off the Bigelows. I would like to see this remain a campsite and not something used for boat trailer parking. Please let us here your opinions on this if you have or have not used this area. Better yet you could send you opinions to [email protected] ([email protected]) before 29 May at which time they will be making a decision on this.

Maybe our friend Hydromagnt here on WhiteBlaze can explain more about this if I am relaying bad information on this. I am only going by what I have heard.

Hydromagnt do not be afraid to speak up please.

[Hydromagnt]

The real issue here is that this camp site is being closed because the Forest ranger for the Bigelow Preserve doesn't like Trail magic. He has told ray Walking Home this for the last two years we have been at the gravel pit, camping. In his opinion, we are detracting from the "Wilderness Experience" of the hiker. Walking on a gravel road isn't my idea of a wilderness experience. The gravel pit, as you might imagine, is directly off of a dirt road. The AT follows this dirt road for some 100 yards. The gravel pit camp site is being closed under the update of the Bigelow Preserve management Plan. One man's opinion is doing away w/ a nice site for TM. We could use some e-mails to Katherine. Hydro

[attroll]

If the gravel pit is being close one question is will parking still be permitted for the section hikers to park there vehicles there that start a section or end a section there. Also what about the section hikers that come in early the night before. Will that be able able to set up a tent there like in the past and start out early the next morning. This is what I have done in the past. I have come up on Friday with a friend and park a car either in Stratton or Carartunk and then we have drove to the Gravel pit in the Bigelow preserve and then stayed the night next to the car in the gravel pit and started out early the next morning. If camping is not allowed then we will not be able to do this in the future. So in a sense he would spoil the wilderness experience for those that can not afford or have the time to do a thru hike.

This seems kind of childish for a grown man to try and take away a camp site just because he does not agree with Trail Magic. He is going to spoil the hiking experience for everyone else because of a opinion he holds. Maybe this guy is in the wrong position if he can not understand the idea behind Trail Magic. If I had hiked over 2,000 miles I sure would appreciate a good hamburger and hot dog as a gift. Maybe this guy needs to go out and do a long hike to see what it is like.

This may not help but this is how I feel.

[Hydromagnt]

As written, camping will no longer be allowed. Parking will still be OK. If you go to the web attachemnt, you can find the whole draft plan. The change occurs on Pages 125/126

9. Winter Parking
a. Continue to plow area at Range Trail
b. Construct new area off Route 27 at new trail head to interpretive trail into old
growth.
c. Close campsite at Little Bigelow Trailhead and redesign for year round parking
for AT and overnight use for people who launch for extended boat trips from the
day use car top boat launch at end of Bog Brook Road

I would appreciate an e-mail to the State of Maine.

http://www.state.me.us/doc/parks/programs/planning/flagstaff/index.html

Hydro

[Hydromagnt]

Hiking community. There has been 96 hits on the subject, but I haven't seen any posts. Is there no interest? Am I the one who's all wet, worrying about this. If poeple don't want or like trail magic in the Maine woods, I'd like to hear your concerns.

Hydro

[woodsy]

Being familiar with the area, I will say this: A new boat launch area has been established just north of Stratton, on RT27 in recent years.. Plenty of parking for boat trailers and the masses of people who want to motorboat on Flagstaff Lake.
It would be great if the southeast end of the lake(Bigelow Preserve Area) were left to the hiking and paddling crowd , let the motorboat crowd put in in Stratton.

[attroll]

Hiking community. There has been 96 hits on the subject, but I haven't seen any posts. Is there no interest? Am I the one who's all wet, worrying about this. If people don't want or like trail magic in the Maine woods, I'd like to hear your concerns.

Hydro
I have already sent and email to Kathy about my response to this and I also sent you a copy of the email. It looks like not to many people are worried about it or want Trail Magic in Maine to continue in that area.

[mudhead]

Not trying to yank your chain.

I feel that area is overrun already. Have no opinion what people do with that pit, as to me, it is already part of Mass.