| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None , NH |
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 | Trails: |
Landing Camp Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, May 20, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Well, National Forest Road 15 is the very very best WMNF road that I have driven. I drove just over 5 miles of it and it was fabulous. It has less potholes than my town has. It’s the perfect drive, it really is. There is a two-car parking lot about 50’ before the trailhead. The road was the very best part of this hike. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The beavers have created two swamps, in addition to an actual water crossing. I followed the moose path that skirted way, way around the second one because it was a waist deep mud-fest at the trail crossing. I still got pretty wet and muddy. Is mud supposed to be greenish? Ugh. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Oh my starry stars. You can see where there are drainages built, and rocks for rock hopping the muddy spots, over the first 0.4 miles. After that it is a herd path. For moose and by moose. There was some brushing done, at some point, and some blowdowns were cut at some point, but it’s truly an absolute mess now. I am sorry if it is your trail - I am not trying to pick on it!! It would take an incredible amount of work to do the standard maintenance … but then you have a trail that runs through swamps, lots of really boggy spots, and some really tight forested sections that the moose have made their home. This is a standalone trail; it’s not a connection from one thing to another. Might we consider just letting the beavers and the moose have this piece of land back? :) |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None today; I would not recommend this for dogs - the ticks are outrageous. |
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 | Bugs: |
Well, this is the most ticks that I have collected on a single hike. The black flies and mosquitoes are out in force and this is their neighborhood - the swamp. My head to toe fly netting was working perfectly until I started tearing it on the blowdowns and brambles and everything else that I was walking through and around and over. I have tatters now, and lots of bug bites. :( |
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 | Lost and Found: |
My sanity. If you find it, let me know. |
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 | Comments: |
This was type 2 fun, and that’s me putting an optimistic spin on the adventure. I love Hiking the White Mountain Guide but this trail … well … a few pointers if you feel that you must take this on. Bug spray, not any sort of netting (it will get torn up by everything you struggle through). Leave pets and kids home. Waterproof socks. And some sort of GPS (Gaia worked well and I had my phone out much of the hike). I counted 4 blazes; mostly I followed the moose footprints. I kid you not. But they sometimes head off trail, and when there are blowdowns or swamps they seem to get a little distracted. It should have been a fast hike but the blowdowns and brambles and overgrown vegetation and swamps and confusion over where the trail was all slowed me down.
I am fairly certain a moose (or two) were close by in one of the really tight squeeze sections. These are forested tunnels that I would normally think are really pretty but definitely seemed like moose houses and I felt like I was trespassing. They don’t like my singing so happily they stayed off the trail and let me pass. Twice. (Out and back). Thank you, moose!
As mentioned in the Trail Maintenance section, I vote that we let the beavers and the moose have this section of forest back. The beavers are winning, anyway, and it’s best not to disturb the moose!
I am sorry if this sounds whiny; I am not sure how to paint a rosy picture, here!! :) |
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 | Name: |
Bikecamphikegirl |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-05-20 |
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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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