Does anyone know of any hikes that include a ghost town?

[DougPaul]

There are some buildings from the town of Livermore beside Sawyer River Rd. Someone posted a link to some pics a while ago--perhaps a search might turn up the report.

Doug

 

[NewHampshire]

Ok, I may be losing it, or my memory is shot, but I think one of Dan Doans "50 Hikes" books mentions that the Quintown Trail to Mt. Cube passes through the abandoned "town" of Quintown. But I would not necessarily trust my memory if I were you .

Brian

 

[Sheomet]

There is a number of cellar holes and other remnants in Pisgah Park.

 

[bcskier]

Ghost Farm and Ghost Ski Area

I was surprised to learn on New England Chronicle recently that Vermont has ghost towns. Sure Enough, http://www.ghosttowns.com/ lists ghost towns in New Hampshire and Vermont. At least one of them says you can't get there on a 4-wheeled vehicle, which makes me think some of them might be part of a nice hike. Does anyone know of any hikes that include a ghost town?

New England is not the best place to go looking for ghost towns with standing buildings. The climate definitely doesn't favor abandoned wood dwellings in the long term.

There is a state-owned abandoned farm (farmhouse, barn and outbuildings) at the junction of Schoolhouse and Windigo Rd. in Windsor State Forest in W. Mass. No hike is required to get there, but plenty of walking or mountain biking exist in the immediate vicinity. Windsor State Forest

Just down the road the state-owned Berkshire Snow Basin on Rt. 9 in W. Cummington MA still has many of the old buildings and towers. In fact ski areas are probably the best sort of "ghost" areas to explore in N.E. Visit the New England Lost Ski Areas Project website for a comprehensive list. NELSAP.org And remember, every lost ski area is a hill or mountain hike (though not all have public access.) Abandoned skating rinks are another matter.

Another western MA "ghost" hike that I could recommend is the Keystone Arches Bridge Trail in Chester, MA. KAB trail It's an abandoned stretch of rail line with some of the most impressive stone arch bridges you'll see anywhere in the world. The chief engineer was Whistler's "father."

bcskier

 

[roadtripper]

Another western MA "ghost" hike that I could recommend is the Keystone Arches Bridge Trail in Chester, MA. KAB trail It's an abandoned stretch of rail line with some of the most impressive stone arch bridges you'll see anywhere in the world. The chief engineer was Whistler's "father."

bcskier

Those arches look very impressive. Thanks for the link!

 

[TDawg]

Change my earlier post mentioning Peeling to the Mt Cilley trail. The trail from 118 is gone, but it can be followed from the other side. It was a pretty neat place 20 years ago; all that's left is cellar holes and stone culverts.

Good info, thanks Dave. I love old cellar holes. Now that Im thinking about it more, there are a number off the Smarts Brook trail if you explore some of the X-country ski trails in the area, some old cemetaries as well.

 

[marchowes]

Wow very good point on the ski areas! That never even crossed my mind. Those places are also great for treasure hunts if you consider old rusting junk treasure

And those Keystone arches are amazing. They'll stand for a long time too, no mortar, its all rock on rock. Amazing stuff. Also one of the rock cuts for the abandoned grade over there was hand cut - picks and shovels! (and you can tell)

 

[kltilton]

Not much of a town or a hike, but the Redstone Quarries in North Conway still have standing buildings and a lot of rusting equipment from the booming quarrying operation of the early 20th century. Much of the granite in the Lincoln Memorial came from Redstone.

It's pretty easy to get to if you park at Wal-Mart and follow the Corridor 19 snowmobile trail south.

 

[Raymond]

Years ago in a Yankee magazine I read of a ghost town in Evans Notch — Stow, Maine? I haven’t seen it, but I thought it appeared on an old road map.

There are always those old buildings at Adirondac/Upper Works, at the end of Route 25 in New York. My 1977/1980 map shows 11 buildings there, but I can recall actually seeing only three. Maybe four. Anyway, I wouldn’t dare set foot in any of them.

 

[RoySwkr]

Change my earlier post mentioning Peeling to the Mt Cilley trail. The trail from 118 is gone, but it can be followed from the other side. It was a pretty neat place 20 years ago; all that's left is cellar holes and stone culverts.

I have hiked this from both ends, but over 20 years ago. Once there were cardboard signs identifying the various cellar holes etc. There is also a side trail off the main road leading to the footings of the Grandview Mtn fire tower (on the far bump).

As to Hill village, you used to be able to drive through but it is now gated, it would be an easy hike as level paved road.

 

[evilhanz]

There are some buildings from the town of Livermore beside Sawyer River Rd. Someone posted a link to some pics a while ago--perhaps a search might turn up the report.

I thought that might have been me, but I can't find the post unless I put it on another board. Anyway, here are a handful of low-res shots from a few years ago. If anyone wants a high-res copy or wants to see other shots, send me an email.

Main street, Livermore, NH
Cellar holes from homes above the Sawyer RR
Foundation of Livermore's mill
Busted safe from the general store
Foundation of the general store
Footings for the pipes carrying Livermore's fresh water supply
Inside the old mill building
Bread oven in the foundation of a French-Canadian boarding house
Fireplace from the CCC camp, not part of the original town

 

[MichaelJ]

Hey, while we're on the subject of Livermore and Sawyer River Road, I'm curious what the story is with the cabin there that looks still inhabited? PM me if you feel it's off-topic...

 

[RoySwkr]

Privately-owned seasonal cottage, that part of Livermore was not sold to the NF

 

[JOD]

Peeling - Cilley

I walked to the cellar holes 2 summers ago from both ends. There isn't public parking on the Rt. 3 side. We did it the first time from rt. 118 through to rt. 3. The second time we went from rt. 3 to the summit of Grandview and had lunch. Here's an interesting article Peeling-Cilley-Woodstock from the Lincoln Woodstock Chamber of Commerce. We had fun both times. So much fun we went 2 days in a row.

We kept wondering why would anybody want to live so far from the river or the "main" roads? It must have been brutal living there.

 

[DrewKnight]

Peeling (I think) via Elbow Pond Rd / snowmobile trail

I've heard of one (probably on this board??) between Mt. Cilley and Grandview Mtn. SSW of North Woodstock, NH.
Anyone know details? If that Mt. Cilley trail is still discernable? Maybe the best access is via 118 and Elbow Pond, bushwack to the site?

Decided to go hunting for Peeling (nothing like a ghost-town hunt to get the kids out and rolling on a hot afternoon). Uncertain where the best trail (whack?) head might be, we stopped by the Mountain Wanderer, where Steve suggested trying to enter from Elbow Pond via a snowmobile trail (leaves Elbow Pond Road about 100 yards before the actual first pond -- found it, thanks Steve!).

Trail is marked with an orange placard for "Mt. Cilley", and runs up through a stand of hardwoods at steady but gentle grades. The trail is easy to follow and not too overgrown, with lots and lots of fresh moose-sign everywhere. We tramped to a large clearing with what I took to be over-grown cellar holes at intervals, though in shorts and with clouds of hungry blackflies swarming us, we opted out of tearing through the puckers for a better look -- will go back in the cooler fall weather for another visit.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Yesterday's Manchester Union Leader, Travel&Leisure, has a bit on "The town that used to be known as New Chester", aka "Hill". Construction of the Franklin Falls dam project forced the residents to relocate.

Tim

 

[DrewKnight]

Upon further reflection, we probably didn't make it to Peeling proper

We tramped to a large clearing with what I took to be over-grown cellar holes at intervals, though in shorts and with clouds of hungry blackflies swarming us, we opted out of tearing through the puckers for a better look -- will go back in the cooler fall weather for another visit.

I found a good description of accessing the Mt Cilley trail from the Route 3 side in "Mountain Biking the White Mountains West" -- his description does not sound like where we ended up. I suspect we didn't go far enough up the snowmobile trail to the saddle between Mt. Cilley and Grandview... we were probably seeing the remnants of a logging cut or camp instead.

Anyway -- I still think this access point would work -- just carry the bugspray and consider wearing long pants.

 

[erugs]

Should I admit that I rode my enduro motorcycle up there about 35 years ago? It was amazing to think of a village so far uphill and away from everything. It that's how it felt for me on a 250cc trailbike, how far away must it have felt on foot? I think I'll go back and find out.

 

[Papa Bear]

Valley between Breakneck Ridge and Mt. Taurus (Putnam County NY)

Yesterday a friend and I were planning on going up Breakneck Ridge and Mt. Taurus (Putnam County in NY) but we got so exhausted from the high heat and humidity that after Breakneck, we skipped Mt. Taurus and came straight down the drainage between the two mountains and out to Route 9D.

We walked through a virtual town with cellar holes, stone and terra-cotta walls, dams and even a concrete path. I never knew this area was there. It's now Hudson Highlands State Park, but I don't know what 19th century town it was. I guess Google will tell.

Anyone know what the history of this place is?

Definitely on my short list for a revisit (during cooler weather).

 

[Jay H]

Cornish Estate?
http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/219098/bull-hill-mt-taurus-.html

I've hiked it, it's somewhat in the valley in between Bull Hill and Breakneck Ridge. lots of carriage roads and various foundations in different states of ruin.

Anyway, Doodletown in Harriman State Park (NY) is kind of spooky, it's an old town that was abandoned when the park was created. there's a good book on it by one of it's residents, elizabeth Stadler and there is a cemetary there (to keep this with the haunting theme!).

Jay