question about Wild River crossings...

[captain]

Good day everyone. Can anyone tell me anything about the crossing from the Wild River Trail to the Highwater trail, near the Wild River Campground and the junction with Moriah Brook trail?? Is there a bridge? If no bridge is the crossing difficult with high water?? Difficult with even low water?? Anyone been on the moriah brook trail lately?? Thanks!!

 

[jfb]

There's a huge suspension bridge at that crossing. I haven't been on the trail lately, but was there in August a couple of years ago. There are numerous nice swimming holes along the Moriah Brook trail.

 

[askus3]

Just NW by about .3 from the CG is the suspension bridge. I think the loop hike to Moriah from the CG going up the Moriah Gorge and going over Shelburne Moriah and down the Shelburne Trail is one of the most scenic unheralded hikes in the Whites. If you need Moriah to approach it from the east is a great experience. I kind of like the ford of the Wild River at the end, but you do have to remove your boots and wade thru shin high water but no problem (usually). You can also avoid the ford by going back up the Highwater Trail to the bridge but that's no fun and added distance to boot. My feet find this end of hike experience refreshing. I keep my old sneakers on for the one mile road walk back to the CG. Another great hike is over to Rim Junction. Wild River CG is truly an unknown hikers originating point. Three years ago I had the CG in Sept. on a weekday all to myself for three nights! People just don't bother going up the Wild River Road that distance to the cul de sac. Several very private campsites spaced out nicely in the CG.

 

[captain]

any campsites??

Hey askus, that route (approaching Moriah from the Shelburne trail) looks intriguing...are there any decent spots to set up a tent along that route that you recall?? Thanks!

 

[askus3]

I don't recall so I will pass on that. I have always done the circle going up Moriah Gorge, where there is always water and you can find several small campsites off the trail in the gorge.

 

[MichaelJ]

A couple of comments, being someone who almost got trapped out in the Wild River Valley due to high water after 4" of overnight rain...

There are two bridges I've physically seen - the big suspension bridge way back at the start of the Highwater Trail (right at the start of Wild River Road), and Spider Bridge where the Black Angel Trail crosses the Highwater and Wild River trails. The maps and other posters here note another suspension bridge right near the campground leading to the Moriah Brook Trail.

The brooks are not bridged. Cypress Brook and Spruce Brook definitely have the size and capacity to be impassable at times of high water, the latter making the "Highwater Trail" a misnomer.

And finally, the first thing the Wild River Trail does when leaving the campground is make an unbridged stream crossing. It's a rock-step normally, a waist-deep ford at high water.

So enough of the warnings. You can read the whole story here if you want to. The plusses are:

The Wild River Valley is incredibly gorgeous.
The Wild River Campground is a fantastic location, first-come-first-served (no reservations) with a number of great sites all maintained with an on-site caretaker.
The Wild River, at low water, is a gem to go out and sit on a rock and soak your feet in.

 

[miehoff]

the loop

The loop Askus3 mentions has been in my memory every time I think of redoing a backpack. I hiked it a year ago (mostly in Chaco sandals) and it was really really super great. I think I might do it again this year.

 

[audrey]

I went a few miles up the Moriah Brook Trail on a rainy day two weeks ago. It was gorgeous and green and I was very disappointed to turn around when it was obvious my friend's dog was probably smarter than we were and insisted on turning back at one of the "brook" crossings. It's on my agenda for later.

 

[askus3]

Just for clarification, Spruce Brook & for that matter Moriah Brook are on the west side of the Wild River and can be formidable challenges if you are using that trail as an alternate to get to Spider Bridge but they are beyond where you turn up the Moriah Brook Trail for Mt. Moriah so they need not be crossed en route to Moriah on the circular I recommended. You really have no reason to use the Highwater Trail and I agree with Michael J. that the name of that trail is a misnomer as there are serious stream crossings on it.