| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Miles Notch, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Miles Notch Trail, Caribou Trail, Mud Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, October 21, 2018 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The FS roads to both the Miles & Haystack Notch and Caribout trailheads were narrow but in pretty good shape although the last bit of Tyler Rd to the gate could be tricky for a regular car. I got my Corolla up it fine though but one can park just below that last short climb. For some reason the 30th ed. AMC Guide Map has the Tyler Rd. section labelled Morrill Rd. but I only saw a sign for Tyler. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Rock steps |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trail sign at the intersection of the Haystack Notch and Miles Notch trail in the old clearing just up from the gate on Tyler Rd/FR 5 has fallen over. It was fine Saturday the prior weekend when we did Haystack Notch out and back. The base of the pole is rotted; it's possible a shovel, a saw and some stone work could get it back up albeit at a bit lower height. I placed it so the sign is up off the ground on the rocks. It is an important sign for first timers. Future hikers can keep an eye out for FS type flat "poles" with pink flagging although the first of those for Miles Notch is a ways up the "road". The one for Haystack Notch veering of to the right is visible much sooner. There is what looks like a snowmobile loop off Miles Notch which can be ignored. Another one goes right just before and roughly parallel with the Haystack Trail before crossing it before the woods. Going up Caribou the road splits, with one road section continuing in the same direction and then crossing on a bridge, while the Caribou trail takes a bit less obvious road to the left. One can see a yellow paint blaze up a bit if one looks for it. For some one descending for the first time from the Notch, the choice is not obvious. An arrow sign high up on a tree is broken in half and even so it didn't point right or left, just ahead. There are no paint blazes either. The small arrow sign where the trails break off from the old road are in place on both trails. All other signs are in place. Although the heavy leaf fall in places made it hard to judge, it appeared the waterbars on both trails were working. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Pepper likes these trails; nice pawpaths, water, no steep sections or scrambles, and lots of solitude. He met 3 dogs just below Caribou who were most likely doing a loop with their 2 humans from 113. |
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 | Bugs: |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This is our first time hiking these two trails from the East; usually we do these as spurs to bigger loop hikes from 113 or 5. I wanted to see how the access roads were and they were easy to get to. The trails are pleasant walking, and there's still some color, mostly in the undergrowth which is now open to the sunlight (of course there was no "sun" today), and mostly in beech in various stages of color. The winds on Caribou were nasty. I hadn't planned on going up from the notch since we had been up there a while ago and I didn't expect any views, but Pepper shot up after our snack stop so I followed. He got to the North peak, got blown around by a series of strong gusts shortly after we arrived, and "said": "I'm outta here" and back down he went. I followed in agreement. |
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 | Name: |
Pepper and Me |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2018-10-21 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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