Mount Cabot from Millbrook rd?

[Faline]

I'm looking to hike Mt Cabot this weekend but I'm not sure the 8am-4pm parking at the fish hatchery works for me. Anyone have any information about the Millbrook rd route? Is that trailhead accessible?

thanks

 

[peakbagger]

The York Pond Fish Hatchery is rarely if ever locked, unless there is specific issue at the fish hatchery. Even if it does get locked there are residences at the gate that have the capability of getting it opened. There is also a youth camp run near the fish hatchery that is inside the gate and they keep the gate unlocked in case there is a need for an emergency response, they don't want to delay it due to the gate being locked. Over the recent years they have physically closed the gate on occasion but did not lock it.

The Mill Brook Road approach (note there are couple of Mill Brook roads in the WMNF) Fire Road 11 is not listed as closed on the WMNF list https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/whitemountain/home/?cid=stelprdb5183538. Its less busy route then from the Fish Hatchery side. If you call the Androscoggin Ranger District they can confirm that its open. Its less popular as its an out and back versus the traditional loop from the York Pond Road

 

[TJsName]

The York Pond Fish Hatchery is rarely if ever locked, unless there is specific issue at the fish hatchery. Even if it does get locked there are residences at the gate that have the capability of getting it opened. There is also a youth camp run near the fish hatchery that is inside the gate and they keep the gate unlocked in case there is a need for an emergency response, they don't want to delay it due to the gate being locked. Over the recent years they have physically closed the gate on occasion but did not lock it.

The Mill Brook Road approach (note there are couple of Mill Brook roads in the WMNF) Fire Road 11 is not listed as closed on the WMNF list https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/whitemountain/home/?cid=stelprdb5183538. Its less busy route then from the Fish Hatchery side. If you call the Androscoggin Ranger District they can confirm that its open. Its less popular as its an out and back versus the traditional loop from the York Pond Road

Are there two Mill Brook roads? I thought one was washed out.

 

[jniehof]

I did the Mill Brook Road approach the first time I did Cabot and absolutely loved it. It is much, much nicer than the direct Bunnell Notch approach; the Unknown Pond portion of the Bunnell Notch-Unknown Pond loop over the Bulge and the Horn is similarly nice. We had no problem getting a Focus up the road, but this was 2007; don't know anything about recent washouts. Note it is an extra ~30min driving each way.

 

[Ramblings]

There are trip reports for this route on NewEnglandTrailConditions.com from 6/17/17 and 5/28/17. I think it's a great route, but it's definitely a longer drive for most of us.

 

[Ken MacGray]

I went in via Mill Brook Road over Memorial Day weekend. No issues at all driving, it was a smooth dirt road. Not sure if there was any damage since then from the flooding. There's room for a couple of cars just past the last bridge, and there is a small parking area at the end of the road, which requires a short walk back to the trailhead.

I loved this route, I did Unknown Pond, The Horn, The Bulge, Cabot and on the way back, Unknown Pond Peak. Beautiful trails and very quiet on this side. I saw no one on Unknown Pond Trail.

 

[Faline]

Thanks so much for the feedback, everyone! Very helpful.