Relocated or closed trailheads

[Ed'n Lauky]

OK, I'll bet I'm not the only one who hasn't updated by purchasing a new edition of the White Mountain trail guide. My book is edition 27 and dates to 2003.

Up to this point I haven't felt the need. When it comes to the 4000 footers trailhead changes such as at the Mt. Kinsman trail and road closings etc are so well discussed that when you follow this site regularly it's almost impossible to not know what is going on.

It became obvious to me, however, that trails to lower peaks are not as often discussed and it's also possible that I haven't payed as much attention when something is mentioned about non 4000 footer trails.

Anyway this past Saturday, using my older trailguide I headed to Hammond Lane to head up the Moat trail. Since I had a car GPS I knew exactly where it was and headed in without slowing down much. Saw the parking sign as I made the turn in. After ten or fifteen minutes of walking in it was obvious something was wrong as there were logging roads everywhere but no signs of a marked trail. I headed back to the car and drove back to Dugway and then saw the small sign indicating the change in trailhead. In checking back on my GPS track after the hike I could see that the small distance I gone was in the right direction and who knows maybe I would have found my way up to the trail but I obviously made the right decision in turning around quickly and finding out what was wrong.

Anyway I was wondering if there are any other new trailheads out there that would differ from my book. I know as I mentioned about the Mt. Kinsman trail. The Mt. Cabot trail has been theoretically closed for some time. That's in my book. I wondered perhaps if there were some lesser know trailheads that had also been relocated or even closed. I'm speaking primarily of the White Mountains, but Southern NH or even Maine would be of interest also.

Thanks.

 

[MichaelJ]

Welch-Dickey was completely rebuilt since then, but is still in effectively the same place.

Piper Trail parking lot moved, didn't it?

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

The south end of the Moat Mountain Trail has been relocated since the 27th edition: it is now at a trailhead parking area about half a mile (give or take) west of the old trailhead.

 

[nartreb]

Trailhead for Dublin trail on Monadnock was relocated about 1/4 mile westward in 2007. Googling for "dublin trail relocation" brought up one of the VFTT threads about it as the second hit.

 

[Lefty E]

Mt. Crescent new trailhead on Randolph Hill Rd. was supposed to open this spring but I don't think it did yet...0.4 mile further up from the old trailhead (basically park on side of road)...and a new section of trail would need to be built to connect to the trail..hope someone can chime in with the info for you!

 

[peakbagger]

To confirms Lefty's comment the trails at the end of Randplph Hill Road are still in transition. As of two weekend ago, the new trailhead was not open although the Carlton Notch trail now seems to deadend there. The Boothman Spring Cutoff is still signed on Randolph Hill Road although its scheduled to be closed at some point.

 

[Michelle]

McCrillis Path was closed, now relocated and open - still starts at Flat Mtn. pond trailhead, so old directions will send you in the right direction, then keep eyes open for sign/blazes.
Rob Brook trail - closed..........parts of it were a swampy mess when open!!
Gleason trail that goes up Sandwich - closed............could still follow, but lots of blowdowns/erosion when I was on it yrs ago.
Church Pond Loop - only goes to the left at the junction and to the overlook by pond (doesn't go all the way around the loop anymore)
Northern branch of Wright trail - closed.

I'm sure there are more - New books/maps are nice, maybe something to put on your Christmas list! The AMC maps now have mileage on them too!

 

[NeoAkela]

The Shelburne trails have had some extensive restructuring. Many were there, gone, now back again. Not sure which editions have their original layout. I remember a few years back trying to find the Scudder trail, which was on my map. Found out later that day that it had been obliterated by logging. Today that trail has been reopened, but I am unsure if it is yet in the current guide. There's been talk of new trails to Success via the old bulldozer cut and redoing the old trail to Judson Pond. The guide editors have their work cut out for them keeping up with all the changes, especially in the smaller hills off the regular routes.

 

[Lefty E]

A few more that came to mind: Pondicherry Rail Trail is a new trailhead on Hazen Rd off of Rt. 115 in Jefferson; new trailhead on Rt. 116 in Jefferson, mighty Mud Pond! Also Owls Head Trail (same trailhead) on Rt. 115 had been closed but the RMC and others worked it out and it is open again, relocated possibly (twice?) since the 27th? In the York Pond area, West Milan Trail and Upper Ammonoosuc trails are closed...and as NeoAkela pointed out, great work by Shelburne Trails folks have reopened, relocated, and made new trails-Middle Mt and Gates Brook trails are new (old) trails really, Scudder is in the new guide and trailhead is easy to find by following guidebook, and Austin Brook Trailhead the same with the white turnstiles, but trail has been relocated in it mid section; rumor has it a small "cable car" is going to be put over Austin Brook near the gravel road... also a new trail leads to the Bald Cap Ledges off of Peabody Brook Trail near Dream Lake..don't forget the new Magalloway River Trail in far northern NH on Rt. 16 (on your way to Rangely area) and the Falls in the River Trail over near Pittsburg..plenty to do!!