Poplar Ridge Lean-to

Just North of Saddleback and it's Horn. MATC map says it accomodates 6.
Has anyone tented nearby?

There are tent worthy sites at the shelter, how many I can't be clear on. I'm sure others will. Or you could enjoy the shelter's "baseball bat" floor. ;) Durning my stay there in '99 I rememeber lots of people in and around the shelter.

If I remember correctly there were some spots up behind the shelter. I seem to remember there being room for two tents. But I would not hold me to this. I did not stay the night I only stopped for lunch and moved on.

Hey thanks, that's a help.
On my first visit to the shelter in June, I am coming in with three others, after dark, and the shelter reportedly holds six, so I am thinking about Plans B and C.

I squeezed 8 in it in a downpour....no tent platforms, water source is close to leanto. Many types of mushrooms (some edible, 1 poisionous that i saw) behind leanto 500ft.

Brian
THru Hiker Year 2013

There are tentsites between the lean-to and the privy, one or two closer to the lean-to, and some if you follow the white blazes north across the stream.

Celt has recently posted tons of great photos of Maine lean-tos.
Here's a link to his Poplar Ridge photo:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/gallery/sh...papass=&sort=1

Yea.....Poplar Ridge Lean To. When I stayed here, it was one of those many 'lonesome nights' I had on The Trail. Only myself. I always loved that. Being a 'Late Season' hiker can afford that kind of solitude. Anyway, 'bout time I got settled in for the night (there's Moose sign all-over the place up Maine) I hear hoofs clappin' down into the revine the lean to sits in, from about a mile away. So I know it's gotta' be a moose (no horses here!) So, it gets closer and closer, I slowly and quietly sit up and reach for my head light, well the Moose, comes right up , clop, clop, cloppity, clop. Right up to the side of the shelter, like right there, I can't see him, cause he's on the left side fo the 3 sided structure. I hear him breathing, like heavy breaaaaths, man. Right there, by the edge! Next thing, he sticks his Big Ole' Moosey Head with full rack, right around the corner....scarred the s*** outta' me. He barely got his head under the edge of the hut, so tall was he. I just put the light on him and waved.......He snorted, gobs o' mucus and foam at me, and tromped off towords the creek that runs in front of the lean to. And that folks is my tale of 'close encounters' of the 3d kind with the Mooses........yea! KZ@

If anyone's heading up to Poplar Ridge in the near future, it is lacking a register.

This lean-to is in a great little spot... I enjoyed listening to the brook all night. Also enjoyed the caretaker's list of frequently asked questions... which we turned into a Jeopardy! trivia game for entertainment.
- Ivy

I tented immediately behind the shelter where there was just enough space for a one-person tent because I was doubtful about the baseball bat floor. But those staying in the shelter said they slept well. There were 2 or 3 other tent sites around.

When I get to one of pur Maine "baseball bat shelters I am usually tired enough so I don't notice the floor isn't flat, With any kind of pad I am comfortable. If anyone is curious the baseball bat floor shelters were al built during the 1950's and earlier. Back then there were few hikers and alot of pine trees so the idea was the hiker would cut enough soft pine branches to make his or her bed, Thats the way we used to do it in Maine 50 years ago, it was taught to every boy scout. If we still did it today ewith the number of campers and hikers we have today there wouldn't be a pine left in Maine

The US Navy has a lot of land in the area that is used as an escape and evasion training school for their pilots.

Brunswick navel Air Station is home for the Navel Survival School near Popular Ridge and the Saddlebacks. Navy Brunswick did not survive the Base Closure list and is scheduled to close in 4-6 years, The future of that land is in doubt. Wouldn't it be wonderful if a huge chunk of the Navy Land was turned over to the National Park Service to be administered as part of The Applachian Trail. Know any Congressmen?