Campsites near the trailheads of Mt. Jefferson

[packdan]

Hello everyone!

I'm planning to hike Jefferson soon and like to know if someone

know if there are some camping spots near the trailheads like castle ridge or ridge of the caps.

Thank you.Danny

 

[David Metsky]

According to Forest Service rules you are not allowed to camp within 1/4 mile of any trailhead. If you go up 1/4 mile you should be able to find spots up from Ridge of the Caps.

The bottom of Castle Trail is private land, make sure you are beyond that before camping. But there would be some good spots once you clear that.

-dave-

 

[peakbagger]

There are some unofficial car camping spots north of caps ridge trail. They are about half way down the road. There is an old gravel pit on the right and a spot where a side road makes a loop off the main road that seems to be popular. There is also an area on the left almost to the end of the road that is used by a group infrequently, last time I drove by there was a sign

 

[Michelle]

On Caps Ridge trail near the big rock with the outlook, (it's about a mile up the trail) there seems to be a herd path of some sort to a campsite of some sort...............

 

[Jim W]

It sure looks like a human path to me. And a nice campsite it is. But, I don't think it's legal because it's only a few feet from the trail. I've been tempted, but it just doesn't seem right.

 

[David Metsky]

If you are not in a Wilderness Area (and this trail isn't) and it's not on the list, you don't need to go 200' from the trail to camp legally.

From the rules:

Camp at designated sites; sites which have already been heavily impacted, (but be sure it’s a legal site); or 200’ from trails and water sources. Avoid moderately impacted sites where your visit could create more damage.

Is this site already heavily impacted? IIRC, it was pretty well used already. So it's legal, but perhaps not ideal.

-dave-

 

[Jim W]

Thanks, Dave. With that information, then clearly it's a legal site. And, when I mentioned "a few feet from the trail", what I really meant was 20 or 30. So, it is an ideal spot because it's so close to the outlook. It's the outlook with the boulders that the book describes as having pot holes formed by the glaciers.

 

[packdan]

Thank you everybody for the infos.With that I'll know where to go.

 

[REK]

Danny,
Just a suggestion, call the ranger district. They're the ones who will be telling you to move in the middle of the night. In the past their interpretation of the rules have differed from other non- official sources. Ultimately it's their on-site decision.

In any case, good for you for researching. So many folks just blast out there and do whatever they want. It only spoils it for the rest of us.

Ammonoosic RD 603-869-2626
Androscoggin RD 603-466-2713
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"It doesn't matter what the rule book says, it doesn't matter what the other players say, if the ump calls you out, you're out."

Bob

 

[Quietman]

I have used the site mentioned above when hiking with my kids 3 years ago and it is heavily impacted(packed dirt and little underbrush but clean) and fairly level. By all the rules, it is legal unless recently posted with a no camping sign. A 1 hour search by 5 people turned up no viable sites further from the trail.

Have fun!