| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Woodland Trail, Clark Brook campsite spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, October 21, 2024 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
There was plenty of parking at the AMC Cardingan Lodge. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
None were an issue -- everything is quite dry. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Nothing earth-shattering -- almost all of it on the initial section of trail from the lodge before it intersects the Clark Trail and runs concurrent with it. Blazes are quite faded on most of this section. In addition, about 0.1 miles from the lodge, there's a 3.5-inch stepover beech (Silky Saw); ~ 0.2 miles further, there's a massive (20-24 inches? chainsaw) old hardwood, easy stepover; 0.1 miles from the intersection with Clark Trail, there's the brushy top of a hardwood blocking the trail, easy to get through, but a pair of loppers and a small Silky Saw could clean this very quickly. At the Clark Brook campsite, a large softwood blowdown (chainsaw) blocks the water source (Clark Brook) access trail. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
A few mosquitoes...seriously. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
We parked at the AMC Cardingan Lodge and followed the Woodland Trail for a couple of miles, stopping at the campsite on the return trip.
Having recently worked on the Woodland Trail nearer its intersection with the Skyland Trail, we wanted to take a closer look at the system of terraced beaver ponds adjacent to the section of Woodland Trail that follows the old woods road. We remember that this was an impressive, active set of ponds about 15 years ago, so much so that there was often flooding of the trail there. But, several years ago, heavy rains caused a couple of the dams to breach, and it looks like the beavers never re-built these. Some of the ponds began to dry up and grow in.
At present, out of the 4-5 ponds from our earliest interaction with these, only one remains -- not sure if its active, though. The rest appear to be marshy meadows now, with a small stream running through them and connecting them. This is worth a return visit after the leaves drop.
The upside to this, though, is that the Woodland Trail near the ponds is much drier and in better shape than we can ever recall. (Also, most mapping apps that show multiple ponds will need to be updated!)
Although the color is past peak there, it's still a very colorful route right now. And, we saw no one else today.
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 | Name: |
Pancks and Tesco Heaney |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2024-10-21 |
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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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