Reddington Falls, AT Access

[whans]

Has anyone been to Reddington Falls, near the Appalacian Trail between Saddleback and Sugarloaf? My Delorme atlas says it is a spectacular falls, with "difficult access, no marked trails." How is the road in to there? Is there a safe place to leave a car? I'll be in the area soon, and I'm considering an exploratory trip with my family, who would not be amused by a wild goose chase....

Also, how is access to the AT from here? It looks fairly straightforward from the topos-- anyone been on the old RR bed to get to the AT from Reddington pond?


I'm planning a 2-3 night trip, possibly from here over Saddleback with my 9 yr old. One other question is whether there are any reasonable campsites between Poplar Ridge and the top of Saddleback? I'm wondering if there is any water to be had along this stretch, perhaps a bit down off of the ridge, and any decent and prefferably legal places to set up camp. Maybe in the col between Saddleback Jr. and the Horn? I'd like this to be a leisurely trip, and the 8+ miles from Poplar Ridge to Piazza Rock would be an awfully long day.

Thanks

Whit

 

[woodstrider]

OK, I don't have a map in front of me, but...

if you are talking about Caribou Valley Road, which is off of Me highway 16/27, I was there last week. Here is there skinny;

Access the start of this old logging road- which is not maintained, from the highway. I saw a sign, leaning against a tree as you turn into this road, that called it Caribou Pond Road.
Driving a compact car, at about 5-10 mph, I was able to drive approximately 3 to 3.25 miles to the only metal bridge. Beyond this the road was too eroded for my car to handle, though jeeps and SUVs and other high clearance vehicles could go to the AT crossing (anyway- the AT crossing is only another .25 miles from the metal bridge).
Before the metal bridge is a pullover where 4-5 judiciously arranged cars could park. I do not think that one should drive beyond the AT crossing as the wooden bridges are collapsing. At least one was almost too hinky to even walk over.
Hope this is the info you wanted.

 

[Papa Bear]

The old RR grade is in fine shape where it crosses the AT at Oberton Stream (which drains Redington Pond). It has been known to be used (from the south) for AT access for those hiking the area as day hikes. I don't know about going northwest to Redington Pond but there is no reason to suspect that it would suddenly dissapear. I would bet there are folks here who know for sure.

There is also a logging road that crosses the AT at Perham Stream (about a mile further east) that I know also provides access from the south and heads into the Redington Valley as well.

So where is this Redington Falls? If I look at DeLorme and then look at the topo map, it should be about here.

Looks like if you went along that old RR grade (from either end), you'd have a pretty boggy area to cross and then a steep tributary to climb. It would be nice to find someone who knows. Especially since you might end up on the wrong tributary. DeLorme isn't too precise. You really want to get around to the north side of the pond before you hit that area.

 

[Michelle]

Is that the Reddington Falls in the middle of the military area with restricted acess??!

 

[whans]

The Topozone link is exactly where I thought the falls are.

I had been assuming access from the west, leaving the highway about three miles north of Rangely. It looks like you might be able to drive all the way to Redington Pond this way, albeit to the south side, opposite the falls. It looks like a mile or a little more to the AT from what Delorme shows as a little hamlet called Redington, directly across the stream from the tributary that the falls are on.

But maybe this would be like parking in someone's yard?

So, Papa, are you saying that the better access is from the south, from Madrid? Perhaps the AT access is better from here, but maybe the Redington Falls access might be best from the west?

Any parking area advice for either direction?

And what is the deal with the restricted access military area?

Anyway, thanks! Maybe I'll find out more here soon...

Whit

 

[Gamehiker]

If you drive in from the West there is a gate at the navy base - you will be stopped. Better to try from the south, Orbeton Stream. But you will still be on navy property. However, a friend of a friend in the navy tells me that if you go on a weekend you probably will not run in to anyone. There busiest training days are Thursday and Friday. They also told me not to be totally suprised to see someone out there in the nude, part of their training. You would not be the only person stealth accessing the area as some of the Maine 3K's are there as well. Gamehiker

 

[Papa Bear]

...

It looks like a mile or a little more to the AT from what Delorme shows as a little hamlet called Redington, directly across the stream from the tributary that the falls are on. maybe this would be like parking in someone's yard?

Rest assured, there's nobody's yard in there.

So, Papa, are you saying that the better access is from the south, from Madrid? Perhaps the AT access is better from here, but maybe the Redington Falls access might be best from the west?
Whit

I know you can get in from the south, and possibly with a high clearance vehicle, you can get a car in all the way to the AT or beyond.

RR r-of-w above Oberton Stream

You park when you can't drive any farther, that's the general rule.

The road into Perham Stream may be more passable, then you'd have to park around the AT crossing and hike down to Oberton Stream and on to the pond - or take the chance of going down into the valley and finding your way to the pond.

AT crossing of Perham Stream logging road

Gamehiker has answered the question about access from the west - a gate at the Navy's land.

If you go, let us know how you got there and what it was like.

 

[RoySwkr]

You would not be the only person stealth accessing the area as some of the Maine 3K's are there as well. Gamehiker

Navy boundary on 1:100,000 map
http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=19&n=4982957&e=387290&datum=nad83

I have been to the 3200+- peak from Caribou Pond and the boundary isn't marked, maybe all the summits are outside

I know people who have met up with Navy types with various degrees of friendliness but at worst they were asked to leave

One of the primary uses for this facility was winter survival training, not wise to do that nude