The roads less travelled - a.k.a. "lightly used" trails

[dRitter]

I took the Mt. Clinton trail from Mizpah the other day as one leg of a loop hike. There's nothing in my copy of the AMC guidebook (27th edition) that describes it as lightly used but I have been on bushwhack herd paths that are better defined, maybe the latest edition of the guide sheds light on the trail's future status.
This one was definitely one to pay attention inorder to stay on the trail. It is in really rough shape but goes through some areas of the finest of WMNF "jungles" that made it a great trail to wander.

Other than officially abandoned trails, I'm curious what other gems are out there that people have experienced.

Damon

 

[sapblatt]

Rainbow Trail descending from Carter Dome - no one will ever find you out that way. I did it Ocotber of 2004 and it looked like it had not been blazed in a decade. All in all, I loved it!

 

[Barbarossa]

I descended on the Carr Mountain Trail to the fish hatchery. My guidebook says it is unmaintained, but someone had blazed it in the last decade. It had more soil than a lot of trails do.

 

[grog]

Northwest basin trail from russell pond to davis shelter. I spent 15 mins. once looking for the trail and the mark was in the stream going up. I can't wait to do this trail in the rain, but the first 2 times it was nice out and last fall it rained so much that nobody could cross wassataquoik stream.

grog

 

[evilhanz]

The Weeks Brook Trail on North Kearsarge is lightly used and feels very much like a trail that has been abandoned for 10 or 20 years. It's grown in and hard to follow, especially near the summit and the treadway is nice and soft. You'll have a hard time finding it from the top, but people sometimes pile small pebble cairns that point in the right direction. Blazes and other markings are faint or non-existent. Shingle Pond has a lot of beaver and moose activity and down low there is an old log yard with associated artifacts.

It's quite a contrast to the Kearsarge North Trail. I was on this trail in 2005 with two relatively inexperienced hikers who didn't want to descend by the same route. It was a lot of fun to watch them struggle to find the trail and be misled by the terrain and herd paths. They were pretty happy to have me along to point the way.

 

[walker]

Here's two little used paths

If you want an "out-of-the-way" "not well maintained" "haven't seen a blaze in a while" type trail, try Moriah Brook Trail from Wild River Campground to The Carter-Moriah Trail". I did it two year ago will great delight. Now that most of it is in the new wilderness area (thank-you Congress) I'm sure it's even harder to follow.

Farther South....Try "Smarts Brook Trail" in Waterville Valley up to Sandwich Dome. Again, most of it is in a "Wilderness Area" meaning little or no new trail blazes or markers.

Both trail can be followed without to musk trouble. And if you get off trail, then the fun starts.

Happy Hiking....Walker

 

[LarryD]

I second Evilhanz's comments about the Weeks Brook Trail. I would also nominate the Rob Brook Trail off Bear Notch Road. I've hiked it 5-6 times in the last three years and never seen another soul on the trail (Rob Brook Road itself is fairly popular). Perhaps that is because the trail features numerous blowdowns, several stream crossings requiring wading, and is often flooded out by beaver activity!

 

[JohnL]

Yo, if I told everyone on this web site about my favorite lightly used trails, they wouldn't be 'lightly used' any more now would they? Kinda defeats the purpose, dontcha think?

JohnL

 

[dr_wu002]

Yo, if I told everyone on this web site about my favorite lightly used trails, they wouldn't be 'lightly used' any more now would they? Kinda defeats the purpose, dontcha think?

JohnL

Last time I went up the Jewel Trail, it looked like people hadn't used it in over 20 years. Nice and soft. Whew, didn't see a soul either.

-Dr. Wu

 

[sapblatt]

Yo, if I told everyone on this web site about my favorite lightly used trails, they wouldn't be 'lightly used' any more now would they? Kinda defeats the purpose, dontcha think?

JohnL

Good point - but I still think most people are not looking for these kind of trails - I have been touting the Rainbow Trail for 3-4 years and still have never heard of anyone else hiking it...

 

[dr_wu002]

Good point - but I still think most people are not looking for these kind of trails - I have been touting the Rainbow Trail for 3-4 years and still have never heard of anyone else hiking it...

Jeez Mike, thanks to you I bet someone is going to drive their humvee up the freakin trail now. Thanks A Lot!

-Dr. Wu

 

[sapblatt]

Jeez Mike, thanks to you I bet someone is going to drive their humvee up the freakin trail now. Thanks A Lot!

-Dr. Wu

I was going to use a helicopter - land right in the middle of the damn thing!

 

[RoySwkr]

Good point - but I still think most people are not looking for these kind of trails - I have been touting the Rainbow Trail for 3-4 years and still have never heard of anyone else hiking it...

I agree - most people want the easiest way to some popular destination which will often turn out to be among the most heavily used

Many years ago I figured I'd hiked over 80% of the trail mileage in the White Mountain Guide, but I've never done the rest often because they sounded so uninviting. Once I hiked one that the guidebook writers hadn't hiked in over 30 years because what they called a pasture was grown up in large trees. Look for a trail that goes nowhere particular with a lot of useless up and down, that the guidebook describes as brushy and muddy and you will probably find a lightly-used trail.

I've twice hiked the Rainbow Trail, most recently a couple years ago.

 

[onrhodes]

Tripyramid lonliness

When 3 of us did the Tripyramids from the Kanc side we were the only 3 people we say until hitting the top. Park at the Sabbaday Brook picnic area and just keep heading up. Trail was hard to find in a few spots and overgrown in a few more. It was nice to do it from the side less traveled. Even though I heard we missed some "fun" by not doing the slides.

I might be wrong, but that side of the mtn after you went by the falls seemed to be traveled very little.

 

[audrey]

The Dry River Cutoff is one of those that seems to be last on the list for maintenance - very beautiful and wild.

And of course, the Attitash Trail beyond Table Mountain - remember Ted's Great Adventure?

 

[J&J]

We hiked the Rainbow trail last November as part of a big loop over Carter Dome. Beautiful views up high, soft footing beneath with fantastic birch glades. Saw some moose also. So you're not alone Mike.

Hike any of the trails in the Dry River Wilderness and you'll be mostly alone. The trails are very lightly used and also lightly maintained since they're in a wilderness. Beware of the mud though. One mud bog we passed through (or should I say skirted by) was as least three feet deep! It is a beautiful and wild area.

 

[dug]

Love the Rainbow Trail. Found a neat little open camping spot with 360 degree views not far off the trail.

I agree. Any trail that takes like a mile longer than the shortest way up a mountain will generally be less travelled.

I guess it's why I started redlining, so I can try to spread it around a bit. Now, I TRY to do a hike via a different approach than I've done in the past. Doesn't always work out, but I at least try....

Agree on an option mentioned: Anything in Dry River is always a great choice.