Bald Knob Trail No Trespassing Signs

[RickB.]

Today, as I drove past the Bald Knob Trail trailhead in the Ossipees (Rte. 171), I noticed some new "No Trespassing" signs, new at least since my last hike there last fall. In the past, signs apparently were not meant to apply to hikers but these appear to mean business.
Anyone have any info on these?

 

[RoySwkr]

The posted photo isn't legible enough to shows the owner's name and address, why not contact them?

 

[w7xman]

Any further info on this? Was hoping to go up there this weekend...this is a bit of a buzzkill...

 

[Amicus]

Any further info on this? Was hoping to go up there this weekend...this is a bit of a buzzkill...

I haven't been on the Bald Knob Trail from NH 171 since the Summer of 2008, but it was badly eroded in several sections then and nobody seemed to be maintaining it, so I am not surprised if it has been closed. If your objective is Bald Knob and its fine views, you can get there by the LRCT trail system, which includes a "Bald Knob Trail", as I recall.

 

[RickB.]

Actually, it's steep and rocky but eroded in only a couple of sections, no worse than many Whites trails, and, otherwise, has been well maintained for the last few years.
I don't think the signs have anything to do with the trail's condition as they mark the eastern end of a stretch of frontage heavily posted by the same owner.
I agree that the approach by LRCT is a nice, though longer, route to Bald Knob but I don't think that's Jim's primary objective.

 

[w7xman]

I agree that the approach by LRCT is a nice, though longer, route to Bald Knob but I don't think that's Jim's primary objective.

It's tough to appreciate nice in the dark

 

[MichaelJ]

One thing to think about: are they posting the trail, or are they posting the land to the sides of the trail?

 

[RoySwkr]

Here's a close-up of one of the signs; these are indeed new/different from the ones posted this time last year:

I still can't read the name, and wonder why someone who has actually seen the sign hasn't contacted them - you might get permission even if the trail is closed to others

 

[Jason Berard]

One thing to think about: are they posting the trail, or are they posting the land to the sides of the trail?

You might be on to something
There are few trails in my area that are posted like this, but it is the land on either side of the trail that is posted. The trail is still open to the general public.
Not sure in the case, but it is a possibility.

 

[MichaelJ]

You might be on to something
There are few trails in my area that are posted like this, but it is the land on either side of the trail that is posted. The trail is still open to the general public.
Not sure in the case, but it is a possibility.

In the photo, the way the signs are oriented on the trees on the two sides gives me that impression, but sometimes people do things without realizing it, and the owner may or may not have intended that.

 

[RickB.]

I walked east on Rte. 171 from the signs and the one to the right of the driveway is the easternmost sign. The signs do continue along the road west of the driveway so I conclude that the posting owner's land ends at the right margin of the driveway, at or near the town line.
There is an alternate start to the trail a few yards to the right of the driveway, up the rise into the field, that merges with the trail a bit further in. There are no signs anywhere along that route, from the road to the merge point. I think this land is the property of the homeowners (Xmas tree farm?) a few hundred yards east of the trail. I will stop in and ask next time I'm there but that could be a while.

 

[RoySwkr]

I spoke to the owner, whose first name starts with C-O.

He said the signs have read the same since his grandfather owned the property many years ago, they have just replaced faded signs with new ones. The family's complaint is with motorized use and people who leave trash, hikers may still use the property at their own risk.

 

[w7xman]

Thanks Fantastic! Thanks for doing the legwork!

 

[RickB.]

Thanks, Roy!