| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Bigelow Mountain - Avery Peak, Bigelow Mountain - West Peak, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Safford Brook Trail, Appalachian Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, August 28, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking space on north side of East Flagstaff Road at Safford Brook trail.
Drive 17+ miles on Long Fall Dam Road from route 16 in North New Portland. The road is a two lane paved route with a 45 mph posted for most of the distance. Turn left on to gravel East Flagstaff Road (small street sign at corner). Bear left at fork in the road and drive five miles to the parking area.
Today East Flagstaff Road was being graded which made the drive in an adventure. There was a mound of dirt/rock in the median of the road. There were many loose rocks on the surface of the road in the stretch being graded. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
No significant water crossings |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails in great shape. Good signage on trails |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Good for dogs. Saw two dogs that were friendly. |
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 | Bugs: |
None on the mountain trails. A few mosquitoes on the 0.3 mile section of the Safford Brook Trail that leads down to Flagstaff Lake from the parking area. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was the first time that I hiked Bigelow from the Flagstaff Lake side of the mountain. I liked this approach as much as the usual Firewarden/Horns Pond Loop. Safford Brook Trail is easy going and ends at the AT in an area of huge rocks with some boulder caves. The AT climbs steadily to Avery Peak although there is no exceedingly steep sections. Many short side trails leading to excellent views. All outlooks were worth the slight effort. The views from Bigelow's alpine areas to Flagstaff Lake are magnificent.
Met many hikers from mid-coast Maine today. There were also hikers from MA, NY, and NJ as well as AT thru hikers. |
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 | Name: |
WAUMBEK |
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 | E-Mail: |
waumbek@roadrunner.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-08-28 |
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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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