Designated Campsites in Great Gulf

[trailbagger]

I did a day hike on Sat. into the Great Gulf to determine for myself where the designated campsites were, and to see which had bear boxes. I found the sites up to and including the one at Clam Rock, and was happy to see that all of them had bear boxes. Unfortunately, my planned route was up Wamsutta and to my surprise I didn't find any designated sites in the area around the Wamsutta / Six Husbands junction, which is the area I'd like to camp in.

I did find a non-designated, but apparently legal site, a short distance up Wamsutta, but of course with no bear box. I'm looking for the boxes because of the warning signs posted at the Great Gulf trailheads about trouble over the past 2 years at Osgood and in the Greater Gulf backwoods.

So my question is ... are there designated sites at or beyond the Wamsutta / Six Husbands junction and do they have bear boxes?

Thanks!

 

[DayTrip]

I don't know if they are official or not but there are numerous tent clearings past Wamsutta on Great Gulf Trail, maybe 1/2 mile or so after Wamsutta trail junction. I was out there about two months ago and saw several tents set up. No idea if they had bear boxes. I didn't investigate.

 

[Rainman]

Clam Rock is the furthest established tentsite in the Great Gulf with a bear box.

 

[JCarter]

I'm actually surprised to hear of bear boxes in designated Wilderness. Seems to conflict with the principle of no man-made constructions. If you're planning to overnight in the Wilderness, get yourself a good canister. Yes, it'll add a little weight, but less than carrying an extra liter of water. And then you don't have to fret about getting to the next desi site, or finding that it's already occupied.

 

[DayTrip]

JCarter provided me with a useful link on this just recently: http://sectionhiker.com/bare-boxer-contender-a-small-2-3-day-bear-canister/

 

[trailbagger]

I don't know if they are official or not but there are numerous tent clearings past Wamsutta on Great Gulf Trail, maybe 1/2 mile or so after Wamsutta trail junction. I was out there about two months ago and saw several tents set up. No idea if they had bear boxes. I didn't investigate.

Thanks. If they were official, they would have a small wooden sign with a tent engraved on it. In that case the 200 foot rule doesn't apply. I, for one, haven't had much luck finding workable campsites > 200 feet off the path.

 

[trailbagger]

I'm actually surprised to hear of bear boxes in designated Wilderness. Seems to conflict with the principle of no man-made constructions. If you're planning to overnight in the Wilderness, get yourself a good canister. Yes, it'll add a little weight, but less than carrying an extra liter of water. And then you don't have to fret about getting to the next desi site, or finding that it's already occupied.

(One of these days I'll remember to combine two responses into one post)

A portable bear canister was Plan B ... and based on Rainman's input, Plan B it is! I've read elsewhere on vfft that the forest service will provide (loan, rent?) canisters, so I may look into that.

 

[dailey7779]

Here is the tentsite just past the Six Husbands / Wamsutta Trail that DayTrip is talking about.

Small wooden sign

Campsite

This is on the left side of the trail and there is another one with the wooden sign on the right side of the trail.

-Chris

 

[Will]

Here is the tentsite just past the Six Husbands / Wamsutta Trail that DayTrip is talking about...This is on the left side of the trail and there is another one with the wooden sign on the right side of the trail.

Is this the DayTrip post you're referring to?

I don't know if they are official or not but there are numerous tent clearings past Wamsutta on Great Gulf Trail, maybe 1/2 mile or so after Wamsutta trail junction. I was out there about two months ago and saw several tents set up. No idea if they had bear boxes. I didn't investigate.

 

[DayTrip]

I don't recall an official tent sign for it but I wasn't really scouting it either. There were spots on either side of the trail so I'd assume this is it. I don't remember any other tent clearings and it gets kind of wet shortly after those sites (sandy, run-off type flat ground) so I doubt there would be good clearings in that area.

 

[dailey7779]

Yes, the designated tent signs are located in the area DayTrip referred to. There are two wooden signs, the first designated site is on the left, which is pictured on the links I posted above. Then a few more feet past this is another wooden tent sign on the right with the designated site. Trust me, the signs are there, I was in there the past two weekends heading to the Sphinx for Trail work. Looks like a great place to camp, with a nice water source close by. No bear box, however.

Enjoy the Great Gulf!

-Chris

 

[TDawg]

The right hand one worked well for my small group 5 yrs ago, good water. I believe the one on the left is the site of the former shelter?

 

[Will]

The right hand one worked well for my small group 5 yrs ago, good water. I believe the one on the left is the site of the former shelter?

If so, these are just a bit further away from the foot of the Sphinx Trail than I had hoped. A third or half a mile is a big deal in this terrain. I'm looking for the closest legal spot to use to duck off the Gulfside for the night. Hopefully closer than the Perch which I've used in the past.

There may also be some barely 200 feet legal spots off the Sphinx itself but good to know there are definitely legal spots to continue on to if I don't find anything.

 

[dailey7779]

At the bottom of the Sphinx Trail at the Great Gulf Trail junction the terrain levels out and you might find something in there 200 feet off trail. If not, about a tenth of a mile later and just after a water crossing on the Great Gulf Trail there's another semi open woods section where I'm pretty sure you can find something 200 feet off trail. After that I can't recall anything decent until the designated tents sites near the Six Husbands / Wamsutta junction.

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

- Chris

 

[Will]

Thanks, Chris!

The references I see to spots higher on the Sphinx seem to be mostly from Winter campers, where snow cover negates the >8 foot tree height requirement. But 200 feet off-trail still applies in the Winter, no? At least to the extent that the Sphinx Trail is within the Great Gulf Wilderness. Some maps show the Wilderness boundary coinciding with the Gulfside Trail, others show it starting several hundred yards down the Sphinx Trail but probably not far enough down to reach 8 foot trees?

As I look into it now in detail, seems that unless there is something higher off the Sphinx Trail, this bop off the Gulfside may be the same/a tiny bit shorter distance than going down later to The Perch, but at nearly twice the elevation loss (and gain the next morning). I'm starting to see why The Perch is the place!

 

[RoySwkr]

I'm actually surprised to hear of bear boxes in designated Wilderness. Seems to conflict with the principle of no man-made constructions.

The WMNF recognizes that designated campsites in Wilderness are an oxymoron. Their ideal would be for each group to find a site out of view of the trail with no signs of recent use so that the whole Wilderness would remain visually untouched, and they didn't want the AMC to put campsite locations in the WMG so they can be moved or closed without notice. They pretend not to know that most Wilderness users want blazes and bridges and campsites, users just don't want logging and ATVs. The bear boxes are justified as a safety feature, but tend even more to concentrate use at certain sites which is in conflict with their theory.

 

[peakbagger]

If so, these are just a bit further away from the foot of the Sphinx Trail than I had hoped. A third or half a mile is a big deal in this terrain. I'm looking for the closest legal spot to use to duck off the Gulfside for the night. Hopefully closer than the Perch which I've used in the past.

There may also be some barely 200 feet legal spots off the Sphinx itself but good to know there are definitely legal spots to continue on to if I don't find anything.

The closest legal option to camp off of Gulfside is about 2 miles south down about a mile on the Jewell trail. It has less elevation loss but still is quite a way off the ridge crest. Some folks "cut the corner" when they hike back to the trail rather than following Jewell back to Gulfside if they are northbound

The grassy areas just off Gulfside on the Sphinx trail are reportedly a stealth site for some AT folks, in theory they arrive late and leave early so unless someone is watching I expect it would be difficult to enforce. I definitely wouldn't recommend it as if a front is coming in, that spot must be a very scary place to spend in thunderstorm.

 

[Will]

The closest legal option to camp off of Gulfside is ... down about a mile on the Jewell trail.

Thanks. That one has always seemed to be a drastic detour from the trip; not sure why, this is subjective. Of course a lot depends on timing; the Jewell Trail seems to come up nobo just a little earlier than I'm ready to stop for the day.

The Sphinx I don't think I've ever done so I will take a close look next trip; it's nice to know that if there is absolutely nothing, say, midway down the Sphinx, I can continue on to the bottom or a little ways along the Great Gulf Trail and not be totally screwed.