East Branch Trail?

[miehoff]

Did a search for relevant posts about this trail, but I came up with nothing, so...

What is the deal with the East Branch Trail? I tried to hike it Friday from Slippery Brook Road, but I ended up slogging around in a marsh, looking for a trail. To make matters worse, my blood supply was being drained as I desperately looked for a sign of human travel (lots of moose paths). I would say that I made it easily halfway to Perkins Notch shelter before everything went to hell.

So is the East Branch Trail no longer maintained? Anyone hike it within the past few years? I have never been that confused looking for a trail. I mean, I have hiked a ton of miles in the Whites with very little problem.

So I ended up turning around and camped along the Saco.

 

[forestgnome]

Tantilizing! I have not hiked this trail beyond a half mile or so. I do know a hiker who hiked it to the shelter last summer and described it as you have, but he's the type who likes it this way. That's all I can report.

happy trails

 

[DougPaul]

I've only skied it, most recently several years ago.

IIRC, the first part (from the Kanc) is a road up to a gate. Beyond, the trail is straight for part of the way and wanders around in the woods for part of the way. Finally it angles uphill for a bit to the junction with the Cedar Brook Tr.

Don't remember any real difficulties (but warm weather difficulties might have been covered by snow).

Doug

 

[Mattl]

Doug, the East Branch Trail they are speaking of is located just northeast of Jackson and near Black Mountain. I have always been interested in that because of that branch of the Saco you travel along. Nice to know its wild and unused right now, like Forestgnome, I may be inclined to visit it now because of that.

-Mattl

 

[RoySwkr]

I hiked it maybe 20 years ago to NK Pd and it wasn't much used, even hikers used a parallel snowmobile trail.

I walked a couple short sections lower down last summer and they evinced little use but were nothing like you describe. I believe it used to be marked by blue diamonds for skiers but these were probably removed now it is a Wilderness at the Perkins Notch end.

With FS cutbacks and Wilderness rules, it probably won't get better, so maybe I'll head up there after bug season.

 

[DougPaul]

Doug, the East Branch Trail they are speaking of is located just northeast of Jackson and near Black Mountain.

Oops! That might account for the differences in the trails...

Thanks,

Doug

 

[miehoff]

Love it if someone tried it...

...and i do wish you luck. It was fun for a while, and I really get into trails that are not frequently used, but the grasses were so high that I kept tripping over stuff or stepping into some deep hole full of mud. If I had more time, and a better map with some detail, I might have enjoyed it more. Just be ready for it, because it really isn't a trail at all.

 

[J&J]

A friend who is not on views just did a whack up West Baldface and approached it from the East Branch trail. He saw this post and had this to say about the trail, "we came across the same wet spot on the trail that they found heading towards West Baldface. After the blowdown wet spot the trail gets much drier and better for hiking."

So there you go. First hand recent experience. Life is good.

 

[miehoff]

Cool. I just want to be clear, that it wasn't a "wet spot," it was the east fork of the Saco and the surrounding marsh; many runoff mini-creeks that were 2-3ft deep. I can deal with a blowdown and a wet spot, but this was take your boots off and cross the river kind of wet.

It is nice to know that after you pass this "spot," that the trail gets better.

 

[kltilton]

I ran on the trail about a month ago and got within about a mile of Perkins Notch. I parked at the end of the East Branch Road (the left fork of the Slippery Brook Rd. There were quite a few blowdowns in one boggy area, but I found the trail easy to follow. Much of the trail is an old railroad grade. I have never been on the section from Slippery Brook Rd. to the end of East Branch Rd. though.

 

[MarkJ]

Back in 9/06 4 of us used the trail to access Sable,Chand,Black.Off of Town hall rd we took the gated forest rd to the end where a nice campsite is on the stream.The trail was well worn,tho muddy in some spots.Wondering if that's where you started? On the way back at the gate a Bear hunter had a bear in his pick up.He said they've bagged one every yr for 5yrs up there,where they gorge on the berries .(we did the same half way up Black in a field)

 

[miehoff]

I entered the trail on Slippery Brook Rd, which is the beginning. I passed the campsite (mentioned in this thread) on the river a few miles later (a very grubby group of scary people had set up their compound there. lame.).

I probably went about a mile or less after crossing the road. The trail literally disappears at a river crossing. We sort of found it again, and then we were sure we were on it and then lost it at another crossing. The AMC guide mentions the crossings as potential show-stoppers. Once again, the blowdowns were nothing, but the extensive marsh area is something. We could have somehow gotten off the trail, but we backtracked, searched and went all over looking. I just wondered if anyone has done the WHOLE trail.

I might be missing something here, but I have never been so confused. My friend, who also has been hiking in that area for years, also had a tough time. I think in a 10 or so mile radius, I have hiked every trail in that area with no problem.

Ahhh, life.