Winter parking updates ?

[Sherby]

Hi, it's been a while since I hiked regularly in NH during winter, trying to see what changed on the parking situation. Is parking at the Seven dwarves still an option? What about Garfield, if I recall correctly there is limited space there. Is the Rocky Branch TH usually plowed? I have no recollection of this one. I assume it's still very limited at the Pine Bend Brook TH.

 

[peakbagger]

The upper Rocky Branch parking is definitely plowed. Not sure of Pine Bend Brook trail. The usual recomendation for Pine Bend Brook is park down the road at Sabathday Falls parking lot which is normally plowed (but I can not confirm it is this year.) Appalachia was definitely plowed yesterday and they opened it up quite a bit. 19 Mile Brook is also plowed, as well as Great Gulf and the two Imp trail heads. The only really big add to plowed parking for many years in the whites that I am aware of is the USFS Ammonusuc Ravine lot plowed as an alternative to paying a day use fee to park at the Cog lot. Parking at Seven Dwarfs is of no value as the owner of the land at the end of the road including both sides of the river (including the winter route) had been actively posting their land no Trespassing in past years. The folks who own the bridge do not own the land along the river north of the bridge and were diverting people off their property onto the neighboring posted property. Haystack Road (FR 304) the summer access route is gated but for several years it has been plowed. There is room for a few vehicles but unless its a group and someone blocks someone in, its limited. The no parking at this sign was covered over by the FS one year but it was not last year but given that they presumably plowed it, it is probably a legit place. Garfield lot has also been consistently plowed for at least 10 years since the bridges were washed out and rebuilt.

As recently noted, The Lowes Store parking for Lowes Path is not going to be plowed this winter and parking along the south side of RT2 is not advisable. Bowman up the road was plowed last winter by the resident whose driveway passes through it. Lowes can be accessed by walking south on the rail trail which is groomed for snowmobiles. They go at a high rate of speed (tickets on occasion are written for over 70 MPH) so be careful.

Kearsage North parking in winter is problematical, the North side of the road is in Bartlett. and they actively towed cars on their side of the road in past winters except for those in the actual defined parking spaces. The south side of the road in in North Conway. There are no parking signs along the North Conway side but only in selected spots.

 

[Sherby]

Thanks ! Great news for USFS Ammonusuc Ravine lot. Now that Little River rd. is out, any idea for a plan B if Haystack rd. entrance is full?

Can you tell me more about Bowman, not familiar with this one (seems to bear near Castle Trail TH).

 

[peakbagger]

No real options for North Twin other than the Haystack road parking, just get there real early. It comes down to timing, once the plows are done with the clean up after a storm usually one to two days , they tend to ignore cars parked along the road near the plowed parking. Bowman is the trailhead for Castle trail. Its not a great option for Adams as the actual Castle section above the line is prone to cornicing out over Castle Ravine and is very exposed.

 

[dailey7779]

From a recent report on New England Trail Conditions about parking at Seven Dwarfs "Parked at SEVEN DWARFS MOTEL on Little River Road. Put $10 in envelope and places it in the small black metal mailbox (just to the left of the main office front door). We were the 2nd car there... empty lot. Then road walked down Little River Road to nearly the end, turning right onto the private drive...walked over the 2 small driveway wooden bridges -> careful NOT to take 1st left, but to continue walking about 1 minute to turn left onto "TRAIL" which is marked by a green (white letters) sign Came out on Haystack Road, turned left onto Haystack Road to get to the NORTH TWIN TRAILHEAD. Very lovely walk to the trailhead Then proceeded on the trail"

You can click here to take you to NETC to read this report and others to help you out on parking situations throughout the winter

I have parked at Seven Dwarfs the past two winters and their lot was plowed, hopefully that will continue through this winter too.

 

[Sherby]

The fish hatchery rd. from Cabot is still reliably plowed?

 

[Ken MacGray]

As an FYI, the new AMC White Mountain Guide has updated winter parking info for trailheads where those details are known. We contacted Seven Dwarfs regarding hiker parking there but never heard back, so that didn't make it in.

 

[JoshandBaron]

The fish hatchery rd. from Cabot is still reliably plowed?

Yes. The hatchery guys are really nice. They plowed our group out of unknown pond s after a dumping one weekend a few years back.

 

[Sherby]

As an FYI, the new AMC White Mountain Guide has updated winter parking info for trailheads where those details are known. We contacted Seven Dwarfs regarding hiker parking there but never heard back, so that didn't make it in.

My copy is more than 10 years old, should probably make a stop in Lincoln, need to tease someone again with his new "neighbor".

 

[bikehikeskifish]

For the Twins and/or Galehead, there is always Beaver Brook along route 3 - out and back is roughly 16 miles and 4500' (depending on your recording device(s) and service(s)).

Tim

 

[Mike P.]

As an FYI, the new AMC White Mountain Guide has updated winter parking info for trailheads where those details are known. We contacted Seven Dwarfs regarding hiker parking there but never heard back, so that didn't make it in.

Seven Dwarfs is still $10 on the windshield, I asked over on the FB Group and somebody there checked.