| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Gale River Road, Profile Rail Trail, snowmobile corridor 104W |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, March 26, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked @ Five Corners, as the plow driver had cleared just enough to shove my Subaru in for a few hours. No space to the north at Muchmore Road; possible parking on Trudeau Rd where FR 774 cuts in but honestly did not check. Room for 2 cars and a woman hiking Garfield parked behind me at Trudeau Rd. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Packed Powder/Loose Granular, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All bridged - even in the beaver/wetland area, thanks to this being an old railroad bed |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Few limbs tossed off the trail, thanks to a crew with a good saw, the corridor is in great shape for foot traffic, maybe not sled traffic, too slushy |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw some tracks, just be responsible, please. |
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 | Bugs: |
Not yet |
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 | Lost and Found: |
There is a mitten in a tree, I left it there. |
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 | Comments: |
After reading so much about the old Profile + Franconia Notch Railroad the other day, I wanted to get out and trek the old, abandoned right-of-way. Running in a near linear path from Muchmore Rd in the north, to Rt 3 (Daniel Webster Highway) in the south, actually the rail trail corridor meets up with the Gale River Road, which I joined from Five Corners/Trudeau Rd corner. This parking area was cleared enough to shove 2 cars in, as I found an SUV behind me with the driver prepping to hike Garfield at after 9am in the morning - with full sun, she joked, hoping the warmth would not have the snow balling on her snowshoes, good luck with that! This is why I start right at, or prior to sunrise and get off the trails before they have a chance to soften!
Ski/snowshoe trench to start was solid; choppy re-frozen chunks once past FR 774 where I joined the snowmobile track. 14-18" completely unsupportive off trail kept me on packed trail.
From Trudeau Road, followed Gale River Road 0.2-miles to the info kiosk, took a right to proceed north on the Profile Recreational Rail Trail - but honestly, no one would know a single thing about this old railroad corridor, as there is not a single piece of signage, nothing indicating P+FN RR anywhere along this trail. Not even a trail map at the mediocre info kiosk - but perhaps the trail maintainers were in the process of updating their boards - can't jump to conclusions, but I am surely glad I studied my topo maps before embarking on this path. Granted, the old railroad bed veers northward in a near-linear direction, but, there are a few private spur roads which are labeled with No Trespassing and No ATVs - only saying that the hiker info kiosk could be much improved upon what is currently offered.
If you find yourself trekking along the Profile Recreational Rail Trail, it is probably due to any number of other reasons, probably not for that corridor itself. But, if you do find yourself in these stunning balsam woods, please do enjoy the fine southerly views. From here, the mountains are lovely.
There is a brief write up at the link provided, for those looking for more info on the Profile Rail Trail. It was a short trek, but incredibly beautiful in its duration!
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|
 | Name: |
Erik Hamilton |
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 | E-Mail: |
ehamilton9481@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-03-26 |
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 | Link: |
 https://www.atalkinthewoods.com/trail-reports/profile-rail-trail |
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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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