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View Full Version : Gulf Hagus, Maine camping question



dlessard
03-13-2005, 09:33
I am wondering if tent camping is allowed along the Gulf Hagus area in Maine.
It is known as the little Grand Canyon of Maine (near Kathadin Iron Works). I have not found a decent website that mentions camping for that area. If anyone has camped there, what are decent spots? Any information appreciated.

Peaks
03-13-2005, 10:34
As far as I know, there are no established camp sites in the Gulf Hagas area. No camping is allowed in the Hermitage. So, other than in the Hermitage, you can stealth camp.

plodder
03-13-2005, 11:17
Piles of pay sites. A couple on the Hermitage side, but for truck camping I vote for High Bridge #1. Usually you can get in there during the week, weekends would be like Baxter with more booze. Some years you can get in early before they start collecting. Who knows about this tundra year.

weary
03-13-2005, 11:36
I am wondering if tent camping is allowed along the Gulf Hagus area in Maine.
It is known as the little Grand Canyon of Maine (near Kathadin Iron Works). I have not found a decent website that mentions camping for that area. If anyone has camped there, what are decent spots? Any information appreciated.
Camping was banned in the Gulf Hagas area 30 years ago, somewhat to my disappointment. I used to love to take a group of beginners, have them pack in a mile to Gulf Hagas Brook and camp. Then a day of exploring the gulf, another camp, and out. It made for a leisurely weekend.

But the environment is the better for the ban. Five thousand people visit the Gulf each summer. It would be a disaster if many of them camped along the trail.

However, North Maine Woods, a coalition of big landowners have several camping areas within a mile or so of the Gulf. You have to pass through their gates if you are driving in, and therefore you can arrange for a site easily.

The decent camping places on the AT are the Chairback Gap leanto, four miles or so to the south, and the Carl Newhall Lean-to about four miles to the North. Non AT purists can shorten the distance. A loop trail circles the Gulf and a side trail to the side trail connects to the AT an easy 2 or 3 miles south of the Newhall shelter.

The AT in the region and the Gulf Loop Trail are narrow corridors owned by the National Park Service. Land east of the AT is owned by some timber liquidators/developers, who beat out AMC in a bidding war a couple of years ago. Land adjacent to the corridor to the west and south are part of AMC's new 37,000 acres. Therefore AMC is part of the North Maine Woods coalition.

I think I read that camping at the NMW commercial sites near Gulf Hagas will jump from $8 a night to $10 this year in line with AMC's "all my cash" policy. Sorry, AMC, sometimes I can't resist.

Maine Appalachian Trail Club employs a caretaker to enforce the no camping rule. We have no enforcement powers. But compliance is virtually 100 percent.

Weary

java
03-13-2005, 11:46
We do trail magic every year near Gulf Hagas. See this site for info: http://www.northmainewoods.org/index.html they are the ones who run the checkpoint, collect fees and monitor the sites, but their website lacks specific info on the actual camp sites. Call them for more info.

The site we always stay at is just over the west branch of the Pleasant river and to the right, where the AT veers left to go towards the Gulf (it is not well marked). For these camp sites you enter at Katahdin Iron Works outside of Brownville Junction, drive 12 or so miles down a rough, but passable dirt road, park on the far side of the river, and ford the river. It's about a (easy) .6 mi walk into the site. I find this to be a great spot for magic and camping. There is even a privy. No camping is allowed in and around the Gulf, I believe these are the closest 'legal' spots. Keep in mind there is a fee to enter and a fee to camp. We do magic in September and we are always the only ones camped there.
Feel free to email or PM me if you have more questions, we've been going up there for years.

weary
03-13-2005, 12:43
We do trail magic every year near Gulf Hagas. See this site for info: http://www.northmainewoods.org/index.html they are the ones who run the checkpoint, collect fees and monitor the sites, but their website lacks specific info on the actual camp sites. Call them for more info.

The site we always stay at is just over the west branch of the Pleasant river and to the right, where the AT veers left to go towards the Gulf (it is not well marked). For these camp sites you enter at Katahdin Iron Works outside of Brownville Junction, drive 12 or so miles down a rough, but passable dirt road, park on the far side of the river, and ford the river. It's about a (easy) .6 mi walk into the site. I find this to be a great spot for magic and camping. There is even a privy. No camping is allowed in and around the Gulf, I believe these are the closest 'legal' spots. Keep in mind there is a fee to enter and a fee to camp. We do magic in September and we are always the only ones camped there.
Feel free to email or PM me if you have more questions, we've been going up there for years.
You can drive directly to the site, thus avoiding fording the West Branch of the Pleasant River, by not turning left off the dirt road towards where the sign points to Gulf Hagas. Just bear right towards "High Bridge," which crosses White Brook. Just beyond the brook turn left. The road leads to Hay Brook and what I believe is the camping site you describe.

This used to be the only entrance to the Gulf Hagas REgion. It was abandoned when the road was extended across the East Branch. A few years ago it was reopened and a small parking lot built to serve the camping spot and any hikers interested.

BTW, always wander a few hundred yards up Hay Brook. You'll see a very nice waterfall. Great in the fall. Incredibly nice in spring time.

Weary

plodder
03-13-2005, 18:05
I think he means the sites accross Hay Brook. The waterfall up Hay Brook is #1. You also can go straight at that intersection and end up wicked close to the base of Whitecap Mtn. I hope they didn't gnaw too many trees out of there. Hay Brook area I mean.

java
03-13-2005, 20:32
You can drive directly to the site, thus avoiding fording the West Branch of the Pleasant River, by not turning left off the dirt road towards where the sign points to Gulf Hagas. Just bear right towards "High Bridge," which crosses White Brook. Just beyond the brook turn left. The road leads to Hay Brook and what I believe is the camping site you describe.

Weary Just FYI this entrance was washed out and marked closed this past year. Especially for those of us without trucks. The road to the Gulf Hagas sites was passable, but rough since we drive a Honda Civic.