Advice requested on overnight hike in New Hampshire / Maine area

Hi Everyone,
The forum has been very helpful to me in the past and i hope you help out out once more!

I am planning an overnight hike with my family (all adults) just after the 4th of July in the Southern Maine, New Hampshire area. I am looking for a hike that wont be to difficult but will allow us all to enjoy the outdoors and each others company. My thought was to drive to a trail head parking lot, hike in a few miles, camp for the night, and head back in the morning.

Any ideas for this little adventure?!!

Thanks everyone!

-Jordan

That border area is one of the toughest stretches on the AT. A good hike though from Gorham is Mahoosuc Trail north to gentian pond AT south to Mariah Trail Maria Trail to Gorham. The Mahoosuc and Mariah are both old AT. Check maps for miles. That might be more than an overnight but you could stay at Gentian Pond and then down the blue blaze to RT 2. That's all in NH.

Here's a suggestion: google "Thirteen Falls, NH". It is on the Kangamangus Highway east of Lincoln, N.H. Sixteen miles, round trip, very level walking. Pretty at the brook about 3 miles in, and at the falls (at 8 miles in).

Cold River Campground in Evans Notch, it is a USFS campground http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/white...a/?recid=74821. Its north or Fryeburg. There are lots of close by trails in Evan Notch.

b.c.s suggestion is a good one. Lots of nice camping all through the Pemigiwasset area. One downside is Thirteen Falls had persistent bear issues for the last few years. I think they now have a bear box The FS has canisters to lend for free. The major trails are old railroad beds so its easy walking. There are some camping restriction but generally they boil down to camping away from the trail.

On the north end of Evan notch is the Wild river wilderness. Its main trail is an old logging road, lot of nice woods, group sizes limited to 10

Another nice area is the area at the end of Sawyer river Road south of Crawfords Notch. Lots of open mature hardwoods and old logging roads to head up and set up a camp. There isn't much for trails except for Mt Carrigan and the Sawyer River trail. Sawyer Pond tends to be a zoo.

Up Nineteen Mile Brook Trail, over the Carters, awesome views of the Presidential Range. Spent the night at Imp Shelter, with its own awesome view. 2nd day all flat or downhill -- over to Moriah and down the Rattle River trail, easy sleazy. The Carters will give you a good taste of the best of the AT in the Whites. Allow plenty of time for the descent off North Carter, it's steep. The rest of the hike is easy by comparison. Nineteen Mile Brook is one of my favorite trails in the Whites -- nicely graded, and you're never far from a rushing stream.

I did a solo trip last year starting in Lincoln, NH and headed north... i planned for 2 weeks.. i only made it 3 days. man, was I in over my head. We aren't looking to do anything to strenuous, just relaxing and fun. Some of my cousins aren't very outdoorsy so... yea hahaha

If we're talking about the difficulty rating of the AT, southern Maine is just like New Hampshire, if not worse. Maine has the advantage of being less crowded.

Sawyer Pond in the Whites is nice, and an easy hike in. There are two ways in, on is very short, the other a few miles.

An overnight in the Hancocks is a trip well-suited for novice hikers, at least among those trips with a summit. Set up camp on the way up and summit with lighter loads. Just be sure to hang or canister your food if you are going to leave it to summit.

Ethan Pond is a nice spot. About a 3 mile hike in. Set up base camp & hike to Theroux Falls or climb Mt Willey (Great views of Webster Cliffs & southern presidentials)

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Originally Posted by Mountain Mike

Ethan Pond is a nice spot. About a 3 mile hike in. Set up base camp & hike to Theroux Falls or climb Mt Willey (Great views of Webster Cliffs & southern presidentials)

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Yes, nice spot, easy hike but it's also one of the wettest trails in the Whites. Any precipitation at all and that trail turns into a stream, particularly the flat stretches near the shelter.

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Originally Posted by Mountain Mike

Ethan Pond is a nice spot. About a 3 mile hike in. Set up base camp & hike to Theroux Falls or climb Mt Willey (Great views of Webster Cliffs & southern presidentials)

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Ha! That was our exact itinerary the weekend before last. The white throated sparrows were singing up a storm and no bugs out yet. A bit wimpy but perfect all the same.

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Originally Posted by rafe

Yes, nice spot, easy hike but it's also one of the wettest trails in the Whites. Any precipitation at all and that trail turns into a stream, particularly the flat stretches near the shelter.

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I took some newbies there many years ago. Started raining when we left the Cape on friday evening & didn't stop till Sunday afternoon. Rock hop across the stream was a waist deep ford. Trail was a stream. Waterfalls were awesome though!

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Originally Posted by rickb

Ha! That was our exact itinerary the weekend before last. The white throated sparrows were singing up a storm and no bugs out yet. A bit wimpy but perfect all the same.

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I think I met you! I was the solo hiker at Ethan pond. We talked about the white throated sparrow and I am guessing you are the folks who went down to the pond to look for the one that was singing. I might have been wearing a kilt.

Anyhow, cheers!
~Merry Eric

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Originally Posted by Meriadoc

I think I met you! I was the solo hiker at Ethan pond. We talked about the white throated sparrow and I am guessing you are the folks who went down to the pond to look for the one that was singing. I might have been wearing a kilt.

Anyhow, cheers!
~Merry Eric

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How about that!

And yes, you were wearing a kilt. Between that, and your ULA Camo pack and tarp tent (I think) I sort of figured you might be a Whiteblazer -- and definitely had the Trail in your blood. I should have taken the opportunity to better introduce ourselves. My wife and I met that shelter in 1990, so it is an extra special place for us. Dang, I should have been more outgoing in conversation.

What an awesome place to meet. Ha, I just realized that is ambiguous. I'm referring to you and your wife, but it was an awesome place for me to meet you folks too :).

I was less than fully outgoing too; I wasn't fully wilderness rejuvenated yet. Next time! :)

I think it is pretty cool that I logged into WB for the first time in ten days and this is the first thread I saw. And only. Tough to top connecting with you.

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Originally Posted by Mountain Mike

I took some newbies there many years ago. Started raining when we left the Cape on friday evening & didn't stop till Sunday afternoon. Rock hop across the stream was a waist deep ford. Trail was a stream. Waterfalls were awesome though!

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A number of years ago... I left home (Boston burbs) Friday AM, weatherman had predicted lots of rain over the weekend. I hiked up and over Hale form Zealand Rd. on Friday, spent the night at Zealand Falls hut. (Reading ancient registers, finding hikers I knew.) Rain started soon after leaving hut on Saturday AM, hiked through a day-long downpour over Mt. Field. When I turned onto Ethan Pond Trail, the trail was ankle or shin-deep, I was just sloshing through it happily. Spent the night at the shelter. Rain petered out overnight and it was clear and cold the next morning. Sloshed back to my car the next morning, past the hut... trail finally gets passable once it rounds the corner and heads north under Whitehall Cliff toward the hut.

Another time I did that trail coming up from where Ethan Pond Trail crosses 302; it had rained the the prior day and overnight. Same story almost. The trail is dead flat for about three miles, and has terrible drainage.

All that said -- the views are magnificent on that stretch of trail under Whitehall Cliff.

Attachment 27255

Hike 20 miles.


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