Tips/Advice on first 2 day "trip"

[LikeAPuma]

Happy Friday to all. Next week, I managed to get a few scheduled days off, and plan on heading up for two days of midweek hiking. Slowly crossing off peaks as a lollygag around NH lol.

I am currently thinking of driving up early Tuesday & hitting Tom, Field, & Willey before finding a campground.

The following day, I plan to get up early and doing Caps Ridge to Jefferson (possibly a trip up Washington, since I haven't done it since Scouts-15 years ago), before heading back to the car & home.

My question: Any good camp sites that allow me to pull my car up and hang my hammock? Something in the vicinity of Crawford Notch, as well as the Caps trailhead. Are most campgrounds hammock friendly?

Thanks in advance! I lurk here a good bit, but don't get many opportunities to get up to the White's much. The experience/knowledge on here is always a huge help in determining the few trips I do get!

 

[sierra]

I think Dry River campground is one of the best and its close to both your hikes. As far as hanging a hammock, there are plenty of tree's there.

 

[jfb]

If you park at the Ammo trailhead, just cross the road and walk along the Jewell Trail for greater than 1/4 mile and there should be good spots for a hammock.

 

[LikeAPuma]

Thanks for both responses! I'll be checking in with the Dry River Campground as soon as I get out of work

As much as I like the "free" aspect of setting up off the trail, I'm still a gigantic coward when it comes to camping solo in unfamiliar woods lmao (did I just admit that on a public forum?) Usually I have my dog and/or friends, but this time I'll be just me. I'd lie and say I want a big cooler full of food and cold drinks nearby, but that's just a perk of camping near the car.

 

[JustJoe]

Sugarloaf I or Sugarloaf II should work for that. Reasonably close to Crawford Notch.

1 - http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=74731&actid=29

2 - http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whitemountain/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=74733&actid=29

 

[wardsgirl]

There are free established sites on Cherry Mtn. Road, Gale River Road, and Haystack Road, if they're not too far away for you. They are free of charge as long as you have a WMNF parking sticker or daily pass.

 

[JCarter]

There are free established sites on Cherry Mtn. Road, Gale River Road, and Haystack Road, if they're not too far away for you. They are free of charge as long as you have a WMNF parking sticker or daily pass.

Note that these free sites are almost always full on weekends in the summer. They can be hard to get on Thursdays. But, if your schedule is flexible, they're pretty easy to snag on Sunday night.

For example, all 11 sites on Haystack Road were occupied this weekend, but by Sunday @ 3PM, all but 2 were empty. The impending weather Sunday may have had an effect this weekend, but the storm was predicted to hit Saturday, and that didn't seem to dissuade people Fri/Sat.

Also, you do NOT need a WMNF parking pass for these campsites -- they are completely free of charge, and of amenities (no water, no toilets, no picnic tables, etc.)

 

[Chachie]

I'll second Dry River Campground. It's right where you want to be. Nothing to be afraid of. Hot showers. Whats not to like? It's even got trees for your hammock! Just don't book P6... that one's mine! Hah! Good luck.

 

[Mike P.]

I like the Sugarloaf sites, with a full site, I'd probably bring more than the hammock. With a hammock any two trees spaced correctly will work. For your 2nd day, weather permitting, I'd rather go up Jewell, then go to Jefferson, then head south to Washington. You then can go back to Jewell or to Ammo and get back to the car. If you do Caps' Ridge, you either have to re-climb Jefferson or if you descend Jewell, take boundary and walk on the road back to your car. (I've done both) While Cap's Ridge is short and starts high, it's steep and the footing on Jewell is far better.