Stealth Camping in the 100 mile wilderness

[Papa Bear]

We am currently planning on doing the 100 Mile Wilderness section of Maine in September. What are the rules for camping at places other than designated campgrounds? Can we camp anywhere?

One specific question is that we may be leaving White House Landing Camps in the late mporning and Wadleigh Stream looks too close (8.7miles plus boat ride) but Rainbow Stream Lean-to may be too far (16.8 miles plus boat ride) if we get a late start. On another thread someone said "if you stay at White House, relax, don't be in a hurry". Any good camping spots in that area? How about at Crescent Pond?

Thanks
Pb

[Lone Wolf]

No need to "stealth" camp. You can camp just about anywhere.

[The Old Fhart]

Papa Bear,
The Thru-Hiker's Handbook and other sources have info on this section. Lone Wolf is right, you can camp just about anywhere. There are restrictions around Gulf Hagas and no fires at Crawford Pond (nice beach!) but most places are ok. As far as Crescent Pond, I remember that area as scenic but having sloping ledges going down to the pond and no acceptable camping spots in the woods around. There was a spot we camped about 2 miles north of Crescent Pond, just on the other side of Polywog Stream, on an old woods road next to the stream.

[weary]

Papa Bear,
The Thru-Hiker's Handbook and other sources have info on this section. Lone Wolf is right, you can camp just about anywhere. There are restrictions around Gulf Hagas and no fires at Crawford Pond (nice beach!) but most places are ok. As far as Crescent Pond, I remember that area as scenic but having sloping ledges going down to the pond and no acceptable camping spots in the woods around. There was a spot we camped about 2 miles north of Crescent Pond, just on the other side of Polywog Stream, on an old woods road next to the stream.

No camp fires are allowed anywhere in Maine except at a Maine Forest Service designated campsite, or except where a forest warden has issued a permit. Along the trail that basically means that fires are only allowed at shelters and officially designated AT campsites. The latter are very few.

But camping is allowed almost everywhere, though MATC urges people to stick to designated campsites to avoid "wilderness" sprawl. Camp where you want. But don't build fires at other than shelters and campsites listed in the trail guides.

In the real world, what does this mean? I can be arrested for building a fire on my lawn to boil some lobsters without a permit from the town fire chief. The same is true along the trail. But in my town, where I'm a recognized "radical" environmentalist, a lot of people watch my every move.

In the 100-mile-wilderness, your chances of meeting a forest warden is pretty slim. Anything is possible. I once got a warning for filing for a fire permit request for Mountain View Pond, when no warden was available to deny it. But I've yet to see a forest warden actually in the woods of the so called "wilderness," though 30-years-ago I heard rumors of a warden making nightly loops of Gulf Hagas to catch illegal fires and campers.

Weary

[oruoja]

Just take a hammock and camp away from the "enforcememt" zones. As long as you are smart and not some careless fool with fire you can LNT well off the trail almost anywhere and enjoy solitude.

[The Old Fhart]

Weary, The problem with being terse is that sometimes you lose some meaning. In my previous post when I said: "but most places are ok", I meant "but most places are ok to camp", not for fires. I don't do campfires and I don't think they are a good idea anywhere except for those people who feel they really need one at a hardened approved site like a shelter. The Thru-hiker's Handbook emphasizes Gulf Hagas and Crawford Pond because these are special areas and I have copied their warnings even though, as you note, the "no fire" warning seems redundant.

To Oruoja, I really don't think LNT and campfires off trail are compatible. I have found countless old fire rings in the woods, or the charred impression on some rocky outlooks. However, hammocks are certainly popular and cut down on the impact on off trail camping areas.

[oruoja]

Have to agree that there are quite a few fire rings out there. Just to clarify, I only use fires when necessary (cold and wet or out of cooking fuel), not just for the sake of burning up wood. If one should find themselves in a situation of needing to have a fire it would be best to build it well off the trail in a safe area. The established camping/shelter areas are already stripped bare in most cases which just creates an ever widening impact zone of wood foraging.

[The Old Fhart]

Agreed. Like I say, sometimes trying to keep it short doesn't explain it properly. I have no problems with what you say. Thanks for the added explanation.

[Lone Wolf]

10 years ago Maineak and I did a lobster and pig feed just off the beach on Nahmakanta Lake. Had a big ass fire. Best hiker feed ever. We had a coupla gallons of cider we pressed ourselves, warmed on the fire and added a half gallon of rum and a coupla sticks of butter. What a time!

[northface702000]

Earlier this year, I went about 20 miles up the "100" from Monson. I didn't notice many places to camp other than the shelters. Not even much room around the shelters.

There were also so many fallen trees (old and new), that blocked possible tent sites. Kinda scary too!(which one is falling next?)

[walkin' wally]

If Crescent Pond is needed to camp near as your day wanes, I would suggest looking on the opposite side of the trail from the pond. Seems there were some flat spots just away from the trail and slightly uphill.

[Footslogger]

About the only rule that I know of is "common sense" as far as camping in the 100 miles wilderness goes. I would suggest that you check your map and read whatever trail handbook you are carrying and plan accordingly. I generally laid out my day to day hiking based on available water sources.

To me ...that's the one of the true beauties of the 100 mile wilderness. Having said that, I would also tell you that if I had it to do all over again I would bite the bullet on the number of days of food I was carrying and just look for memorable places to camp (where water was relatively close) rather than always trying to make it to established campsites/shelters.

Just my .02

'Slogger
AT 2003