RoySwkr
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Back in 1979 I used the Mowglis trail up Wise Brook to climb Bald Knob and Mt Crosby with a side trip to Tenney Mtn. Having heard a lot about the new trail from the W, I decided check it out. The SPNHF website does not describe this property and there was no kiosk with maps at the trailhead so I had to make do with the 2005 AMC guide and some vague comments I remembered about the route. [The below outdated map http://hebronnh.org/Cockermouth_WebMap.pdf courtesy grouseking and the FranklinSites report I read after my return.]
The trailhead is down a woods road that was muddy even now and probably isn't plowed, and there were enough "No Parking" signs on the main road to discourage that option. Given the number of briars on the trail, summer probably isn't wise either so try this hike in late fall.
I parked by the gate at the bridge and walked up a good gravel logging road maybe .2 miles to where an older road with yellow blazes turned R. There was no sign at this junction nor were there SPNHF signs at any junction but it was obvious if you know to look for it. This was an old road between stone walls which climbed moderately and was somewhat wet underfoot, and growing in with grass and brush. A couple unsigned yellow-blazed trails went off to the L. At about "1365" on the USGS map, a wetter and more overgrown road leaves L and climbs to the obvious col S of Bald Knob. Shortly before reaching the height-of-land, another yellow trail leaves L.
The trail leaves the old road before the crest, and is a steeper and drier footpath to the summit of Bald Knob. There are plenty of open ledges, with enough trees mixed in that you need to wander for all-around views. Just down the far side are boundaries of the little-known Crosby Mtn State Park, which has no rangers or picnic tables. In the col, the old Mowglis trail goes E and a yellow trail goes W but the most obvious route is straight ahead up Mt Crosby. The trail zags E to the foot of a rock pinnacle which was too wet for me to want to climb alone. There is a brook crossing right at the foot of this pinnacle. This zag is not shown on the track log on FranklinSites so maybe this is a new relocation. The summit is a couple more bumps up the main ridge, once again ledges but no 360 view.
I continued ahead on the yellow trail which swung sharp L and soon began a very steep descent over thin soil which no doubt will erode quickly with use - see it now while you can. Eventually a cutover area is reached and one yellow trail leads L presumably connecting to the up route somewhere. I chose a yellow trail to the right which seemed to head more directly down, and there was yet another yellow blaze which might connect to the first route or might be an entirely different trail - as usual, no signs.
The next section of trail is ideal for those who think that trails in Wilderness areas are too well marked. The route doesn't follow the current series of skid roads but rather an older set which cross the newer ones diagonally. Unfortunately animals have made obvious herd paths on the new ones while the trail receives so little use that there is hardly any footway. The blazes are spaced too far apart to see between - you don't see the next one until long after you're sure you made a wrong turn. There's little danger of getting lost as by walking downhill on the next skid road you will eventually reach the up route, but with no footway the walking is slow not to mention the time looking for the route. I managed to follow the blazes somewhat farther than the track log on FranklinSites across another brook or two before they seemed to end at a major new skid road. I'll bet they went on somewhere, but I was in a hurry and just followed the skid road down to a monster log yard which was located farther up the main gravel road I'd started on.
This area really needs some help from the Trail Bandit. It would be nice to have a map which shows the trails so you know where to look for them, and a lot of weed-whacking is in order on the lower trails. The number of blowdowns isn't excessive yet but they need to be dealt with eventually. And how about some junction signs?
The trailhead is down a woods road that was muddy even now and probably isn't plowed, and there were enough "No Parking" signs on the main road to discourage that option. Given the number of briars on the trail, summer probably isn't wise either so try this hike in late fall.
I parked by the gate at the bridge and walked up a good gravel logging road maybe .2 miles to where an older road with yellow blazes turned R. There was no sign at this junction nor were there SPNHF signs at any junction but it was obvious if you know to look for it. This was an old road between stone walls which climbed moderately and was somewhat wet underfoot, and growing in with grass and brush. A couple unsigned yellow-blazed trails went off to the L. At about "1365" on the USGS map, a wetter and more overgrown road leaves L and climbs to the obvious col S of Bald Knob. Shortly before reaching the height-of-land, another yellow trail leaves L.
The trail leaves the old road before the crest, and is a steeper and drier footpath to the summit of Bald Knob. There are plenty of open ledges, with enough trees mixed in that you need to wander for all-around views. Just down the far side are boundaries of the little-known Crosby Mtn State Park, which has no rangers or picnic tables. In the col, the old Mowglis trail goes E and a yellow trail goes W but the most obvious route is straight ahead up Mt Crosby. The trail zags E to the foot of a rock pinnacle which was too wet for me to want to climb alone. There is a brook crossing right at the foot of this pinnacle. This zag is not shown on the track log on FranklinSites so maybe this is a new relocation. The summit is a couple more bumps up the main ridge, once again ledges but no 360 view.
I continued ahead on the yellow trail which swung sharp L and soon began a very steep descent over thin soil which no doubt will erode quickly with use - see it now while you can. Eventually a cutover area is reached and one yellow trail leads L presumably connecting to the up route somewhere. I chose a yellow trail to the right which seemed to head more directly down, and there was yet another yellow blaze which might connect to the first route or might be an entirely different trail - as usual, no signs.
The next section of trail is ideal for those who think that trails in Wilderness areas are too well marked. The route doesn't follow the current series of skid roads but rather an older set which cross the newer ones diagonally. Unfortunately animals have made obvious herd paths on the new ones while the trail receives so little use that there is hardly any footway. The blazes are spaced too far apart to see between - you don't see the next one until long after you're sure you made a wrong turn. There's little danger of getting lost as by walking downhill on the next skid road you will eventually reach the up route, but with no footway the walking is slow not to mention the time looking for the route. I managed to follow the blazes somewhat farther than the track log on FranklinSites across another brook or two before they seemed to end at a major new skid road. I'll bet they went on somewhere, but I was in a hurry and just followed the skid road down to a monster log yard which was located farther up the main gravel road I'd started on.
This area really needs some help from the Trail Bandit. It would be nice to have a map which shows the trails so you know where to look for them, and a lot of weed-whacking is in order on the lower trails. The number of blowdowns isn't excessive yet but they need to be dealt with eventually. And how about some junction signs?
