| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, NH |
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 | Trails: |
East Branch Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, June 29, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Large area at the end of East Branch Road. Much to my surprise there were two other vehicle when we arrived. Forest Service truck came by as we were preparing, nice guy. Told me the Bald Land Trail may be decommissioned in the future. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Numerous, but not difficult on the ascent. Afternoon rain made a few of them slightly more challenging. Didn't care, because I was soaked anyway and I needed to wash the mud off my boots. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I don't think this is maintained. If I am wrong, I apologize. Numerous blow downs (evidence of a few being dealt with in the past). The upper portion is in the Wild River Wilderness, so it is what it is. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Lots of mud to roll in, water for play and drinking. |
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 | Bugs: |
Rain chased away the few skeeters we had at the beginning. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
staying for the weekend and rain was coming, so we picked something that would have been a bit far for a drive up and drive down the same day. Hadn't done this yet. Figured we would take it up to the Wild River Trail.
The drive in was good - both East Branch Road and the gravel part of Slippery Brook road appear to have had work done. Right before you get to the trailhead there is an area where the road dips and is filled with many stones (wetlands on either side). No problems for the Corolla!
Met a few people on the way out; I was quite surprised, I did not think ANYONE came back here. Bottom portion is relatively flat and easy to follow, but has sections that should have bog boards. These and much more reminded me of the quicksand scene from "Blazing Saddles." Well, not quite that bad. Trail was lush and green, beautiful fern glades, very overgrown in some places. I have read earlier reports that folks have had a hard time following the trail, but I could always see the ground (despite being among ferns taller than me). Then the skies opened up right before we came to the wilderness sign. Kept debating when we should turn around. Drenched, we made the height of land. I began to reminisce about a rainy day many years ago when we did the Sawyer River Trail and hit an area where I wasn't sure where the trail continued. A year or two later we were at the big lot for Sawyer Pond/Carrigan and realized we had been less than a tenth of a mile from the end. It was my turn around time and we came to a bog with no definite trail. Soaking wet and cold, I said to Prema "I bet we are so close." I had forgotten the map (l-o-o-o-ng story) so we turned around and headed down.
Saw the map and read the description later. We WERE that close. We can get it when we return to do Wild River Trail in that area. Lessons learned: There is beauty in misery (sometimes). Waterproof is a high probability, not a guarantee set in stone. You CAN follow an obscure trail others may have had trouble with. And at 4.1 miles it is not much shorter than the Haystack Notch Trail. So after college (the East Branch Saco Car Wash) there will be grad school in Evans Notch! And I'm so grateful my house has a porch, because that's where everything is drying. |
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 | Name: |
Beckie and Prema |
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 | E-Mail: |
beckiejani@yahoo.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-06-30 |
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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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