| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Monk's Hill, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Road walk, unnamed trails, Worthing Loop, Dad's Way, Outer Limits, Shed Pond Trail, Monk's Hill Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, September 18, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Ample parking at Case Cemetery near the south trailhead of the Monk's Hill Trail |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All bridged |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails are generally well maintained and marked with the exception of the 100 yards of the Monk's Hill Trail adjacent to Route 17. That section has blowdowns and is overgrown. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Great hike for dogs |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
Today we took a hike up Monk's Hill, which is one of the new hikes described in the new edition of the Maine Mountain Guide. However, it is one of a few hikes described in the new guide which seems to contain some misleading information. The guide only describes the north section of the trail, and states that there isn't any parking at the southern trailhead. However, as stated on Maine Trail Finder and the Kennebec Land Trust's website, there is ample parking available a few hundred yards east of the trailhead at Case Cemetery.
We decided to make it a loop hike, so we parked at Case Cemetery and started walking east on Route 17. We turned left onto Worthing Road and then left into Allen-Whitney Memorial Forest. The minor trail we started on soon connected to the more well used portion of the trail network. We followed trails through Allen-Whitney until we reached Kennebec Land Trust's Gannett Woods and the shore of Shed Pond. We followed the Shed Pond Trail along the west shore of the pond, which includes lots of big bridging and nice views across the pond.
Upon reaching the junction with Monk's Hill Trail, we started climbing up the hill. The trail made a relatively gradual ascent to the summit of the wooded hill. We then continued on Monk's Hill Trail down the south side of the hill back to our car. Everything but the last 100 yards to the trail before Route 17 were well maintained and marked, and it was not hard to follow in the last 100 yards, it was just brushy. It was a very enjoyable loop with lots of sights to see along the way, and it also seems like a nice winter hike. |
|
 | Name: |
Sam Shirley |
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 | E-Mail: |
newenglandskier13@aol.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-09-18 |
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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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