Parking prohibited along Ferncroft Road

[psmart]

Posting on behalf of the Wonalancet Out Door Club:

!! Important Notice about Parking on Ferncroft Road !!
We have received notice from the town of Albany (NH) that next week, sometime AFTER October 12 they will post No Parking on the entirety of Ferncroft Road. This will be enforced with tickets and towing and will dramatically reduce the available parking. The only legal parking will be in the parking lot and a section of the access road to the parking lot.
We are working, along with local landowners, to improve parking options. For now, please plan on arriving early, plan your trip for a mid-week day if possible and carpool if you can do it safely.
Any help in spreading the word about this would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Ken MacGray]

Or choose another hike if the lot is full. Always have a Plan B.

 

[Alex_NH]

Or choose another hike if the lot is full. Always have a Plan B.

But if I'm going hiking it HAS to be a 4K!!!

 

[peakbagger]

Since I am from up north I have only been to Ferncroft once to do the traditional loop in winter. All my other Whiteface and Passaconaway runs have been from Downes Brook Trail using the Kate Sleeper trail to the Rollins trail and then the abandoned Downes Brook Slide trail from the North outlook and back to Downes Brook trail. Driving to Ferncroft adds an hour plus to my drive both ways. My friend from down south who come up the I93 corridor also dont mind the starting point, it may be longer but far less stop and go traffic up through the lakes region.

 

[TEO]

But if I'm going hiking it HAS to be a 4K!!!

There are a number of nice hikes from Ferncroft that don't include a 4k'er. For example earlier this summer I did a loop on the Wonalancet Range Trail, with an over and back on the Lawrence Trail to Paugus, and down the Kell(e)y Brook Trail. It's a fantastic hike. Not only that, but it includes two 3k'ers, a NH300 peak, and two 52WAVers. Yes, the cars were stretched far down the road, but it seemed that everyone was respectful of the no-parking signs, and had parked in a safe and non-destructive way.

 

[miehoff]

If we're coming in from the south, and feel the need to head up Whiteface, we avoid Ferncroft pretty much at all costs, preferring instead to use the McCrillis Trail and McCrillis Path as access routes. Barring that, we'll even use the Red Path and Tilton Spring Trail from Intervale. Ferncroft is more often than not a zoo, and we just don't like the idea of adding to the mix of people walking by/through locals' yards, especially the access to the Diceys Mill Trail.

I wonder how some of those residents feel now, with the increased hiking traffic there in the past few years.

I remember using Ferncroft a decade ago and hardly ever seeing more than one or two cars in the lot.

Yup. I have hiked a large amount of the trails in that area, and years ago, Ferncroft was barely used. Even on weekends. I am glad I was able to enjoy it then.

 

[Mike P.]

Yup. I have hiked a large amount of the trails in that area, and years ago, Ferncroft was barely used. Even on weekends. I am glad I was able to enjoy it then.

Ditto, back in the 90's you could get there on a Saturday at 9:30 with many choices on where to park.