AT East of Lyme, NH

[Nate]

When I was in the area last weekend, I had originally planned to climb Smarts Mountain from the south, so that I could make a loop out of using the AT and Ranger Trail. However, when I drove in the night before I wasn't able to find the trail head on Dorchester Road. Where the AT crosses the road by the Dartmouth Skiway is obvious, but according to the WMG the AT comes out at the road another 1.9 miles up before heading toward Smarts. However, having slowly driven through that stretch of road a few times, I was unable to see the second trail head. Hence, has the AT been re-routed recently so that it no longer encounters Dorchester Road a second time, or does it simply do so at a place that is not readily visible at night?

 

[Barbarossa]

I remember some confusing forks on the local roads. The trails up Smarts Mtn does have a parking lot, but it might not be obvious at night. If you run into a dirt mound blocking the road, turn around ;]

 

[Nate]

Yeah, I kind of wonder if I drove right by the parking lot, thinking it was only a driveway. If so, I'm little surprised there wasn't an obvious sign, like there is for the lower AT junction.

 

[frytz]

Smarts!

Yeah, I kind of wonder if I drove right by the parking lot, thinking it was only a driveway. If so, I'm little surprised there wasn't an obvious sign, like there is for the lower AT junction.

The parking area is near the height of land just before the Grant Brook crosses under the road!

Fred

 

[el-bagr]

It's not a huge parking lot -- it'd take care to get 10 cars in there, or at least that's how I remember it. Slight downhill (a few feet) from the Dorchester Road. I got stuck on ice in there once -- had to build a short corduroy ramp to shoot back out onto the road.

 

[RoySwkr]

As mentioned, it's right before a bridge on the L

A common error is to assume the paved road past the ski area is Dorchester Road, when it is actually the narrow road that turns L and the AT follows briefly