Rainbow Springs Campsite

[B Thrash]

Does anyone know why the Rainbow Springs Campsite in Maine is not listed in the AT Thru-Hikers' Companion and is shown on the Map that come with the guide?.

[max patch]

oops, never mind. at first reading i thot you asked about rainbow springs campground. hey troll, how come we can't delete posts?

[Lone Wolf]

It's in the Data book. 26 miles south of Katahdin. Plus the Companion hasn't been all that accurate lately.

[Askus3]

My friends that did the 100 Mile Wilderness camped there and said the location is great - right on the pond. Saw moose and loons. The spring was also delicious and flowing good. Note that there is no shelter there, so maybe this thread should be in the campsite forum.

[attroll]

Campsites are not listed in any of the Maine's listings in the Companion. For that matter not all the campsites are listing from Georgia to Maine. I think that they are just trying to stick to lean-to's.

[weary]

It's in the Data book. 26 miles south of Katahdin. Plus the Companion hasn't been all that accurate lately.

And it's in the only "official" guide to the trail in Maine, "The official Map and Guide to the Appalachian Trail in Maine, 2004 edition," published by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club.

And it's even in Wingfoot's, "The Thru-Hikers Handbook, 2003 edition" (I don't have any later than that.)

Are we perhaps being confused with the unofficial campsite that fishermen and float plane guides, use at the Rainbow Lake dam. The campsite is there. It's used. It's usually trashed unless folks like me stop by and clean it up. I think its legal to camp there. But it is not an official AT site. It is illegal to leave trash.

The offical campsite is located to the north, a third of the distance, or so, around the Rainbow Lake shoreline. The site is to the east 150 feet or so. The spring is to the west on the shore of the pond.

As a long time maintainer, among the mysteries I have observed is why sites commonly used by fishermen are almost always trashed. Hunter sites during hunting season are almost as bad. Hiker sites tend to be the cleanest -- but still dirty at times.

As a good liberal, I'm opposed to the death penalty -- except for litterers.

Weary

[B Thrash]

Thanks to everyone's reply, will stay there in September 2005.

[bronzie5]

read title

[walkin' wally]

I am the trail maintainer for both the Rainbow Spring tentsite and Rainbow Dam area. Like Weary says the dam site is used a lot in the spring while the water is still cold so the fishing is good. I have never had to haul litter from there. I have never found the site trashed including this year, but it is cluttered in the spring with tents and gear from the fishermen. The side trail has a sign but it is not blue blazed.

The site is now part of the Nature Conservancy purcahase. They might have someone in there checking the site too. Later in the season this is a great site for northbpunders to camp on their way to Baxter. There is a great view of Katadin fron this site as well as swimming. Plenty of open areas for tents.

We are trying very hard to get a crew in the Rainbow Spring tensite area to do a lot of badly needed work to the north and south of the tentsite. There are some major drainage problems there.

I am glad people enjoy this area.