All . The side trail is called Ripley or Ripley Falls or something like that. Clinton Trail outside the FPA you should be able to find some possibilities. Within 200 feet of trails and water bodies. Recreational opportunities seem limitless: hiking, camping, hiking, biking, fishing, skiing (alpine, cross country, and backcountry), snowmobiling, snowshoeing and much more. At the summit you will see herd paths that lead to some hardened sites. Camping regulations vary considerably along the A.T. A table showing regulations pertaining to camping (and fires) along the A.T. listed from north to south can be found by clicking on the button below. Post War Hike - Combat Vet and Mom on the Trail of Life. I walk in the Spanish Sierra Nevada (see youtube Mulhacen in Winter), and I can tell you, things are much simpler, though as I say, we do have fewer people.. A really nice site, Im enjoying reading your articles. The Alternate Site is a hideous, highly impacted stealth site that was overused by many campers who saw that others had camped there previously. GARAGE-GROWN-GEAR: Take 30% Off the Gossamer Gear Silverback 65 backpack at Garage Grown Gear. If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. Dial 711 for TRS. Zeta Pass - .25m -.5m past Zeta Pass junction, cross stream, on right. This is about a mile before the trail junction for Zeacliff Trail, about 2-3 miles before Zealand Hut. Either choose an area where the ground is already completely bare from use by previous campers (an established site) or choose a site with no sign of previous use. Once the fire is completely out, use the remaining water to rinse your hand. Free Shipping and Returns. Education like this is remarkably effective and I hope youll join me in getting the word out to your friends and families. An official website of the 97% Recommended +76 Official website (603) 536-6100 Park hours: Mon to Fri: 8:00am - 4:30pm Sat to Sun: Closed Camping types: It is prohibited in many areas, so its important to know local regulations. Go towards the west side of the trail and there are some hardened spots. With that being said, bringing drinking water that can be used for cooking is a good idea. I was shocked to see several high-impact stealth sites along the Franconia Ridge Trail last weekend that were literally 10ft-20ft from the trail!! I think the way to mitigate and eventually curtail such behavior is through education. All three of these sites are shown on the NH-VT AT Maps. Recreational opportunities abound: hiking, camping, hiking, biking, fishing, skiing (alpine, cross country, and backcountry), snowmobiling, snowshoeing and much more. Pinkham Notch Follow creek downstream, when trail merges away look hard not heavily used. Spacious pull-thru sites. Terrible thing. We use cookies to provide you with a great experience and to help our website run effectively. Even if there is no visible sign of burning (smoke, glowing embers, etc. Check the. to the Pond from the AT. In 1936 the AT used this section of trail and then led past the pond to rejoin the present-day AT just before Eliza Brook shelter. It is bounded on the south and west by the Androscoggin River and on the north-east by Grafton Notch. The current shelter is over Garfield at Garfield Ridge Campsite, another 2 miles N on the AT. Water is available nearby. Dispersed camping opportunities are most abundant on the the A.T. in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia on US Forest Service lands. Other options in this area are Gray Knob and Crag Camp (both Randolph Mountain Club enclosed facilities run on a caretaker basis). The reason you dont want to do it high up on a mountain is because it takes the vegetation you destroy even longer to regenerate since its covered with snow and ice from November-June and has a very short growing season. What is the Difference Between a Single-Wall Tent and a Double-Wall Tent? OSPREY-PACKS: Backpacking Pack Sale! No camping within 1/4 mile of any hut, shelter, or tentsite. Guidebooks and apps may also list overnight sites. Here are the red flags you should avoid when picking the perfect stealth camping spot. Why do Waterproof/Breathable Rain Jackets Wet Out? All recordings are now online! Up to 60% Off. Near Imp Campsite .5m before camp, when water pools appear, look left. Set up a dispersed or low-impact stealth campsite only where allowed (the most abundant opportunities are on US Forest Service lands in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia; in many other areas dispersed camping is prohibited or there may be restrictions. For me, the LNT aspect is more important than the camp site and camp style. There are options if you choose not to stay at the huts, but you will lose elevation gain. You can still use the flat area, but today you have to move a bit further into the woods. Anywhere near train tracks. All reservations require a minimum of 7-day advance reservation. Wilmington, New York Wilmington/North Pole KOA Kampground The terrain makes it hard to find a spot that is legal. Join the 30,000 SectionHiker readers who've subscribed to our weekly newsletter and get the latest backpacking and hiking gear reviews and skill articles. A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook. Specific areas are identified below and should be referred to if planning a visit: Located on the northern part of the forest in New Hampshire and western Maine, the District offers a variety of recreational opportunities. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This means packing pots and pans that can be used over the fire as well as packing enough water to use while cooking. Home Forums Campfire Trip Planning AT Stealth Camping in the Whites. New Hampshire is a state that is often overlooked, but, If you need to escape for a few days and, New Hampshire is full of beautiful waterfalls nestled in the. Food Storage: Storing your food properly to keep your food and you safe from bears and other wildlife is a critical component to best camping practices. Doing this removes the need to scour the forest looking for downed wood, trampling more vegetation and burying the post-fire ashes. Philip Werner June 1, 2012 Leave No Trace. Places to Avoid When Looking for Stealth Camping . It can be hiked in 2-4 days. Designated campsites are generally available on a first-come, first-served basis, except in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Zeta Pass .25m -.5m past Zeta Pass junction, cross stream, on right. When we hike off-trail, we will walk along parallel routes to avoid creating a trail or the mere suggestion of one that others might follow. We will cook 200 feet away from our shelters at a separate clearing in the woods. Webster/Top of Webster Cliff obvious sites available (2-5?) As an Alternative to Mizpah Hut or Nauman Tent site Head down Mt. Share sensitive information only Fishing and swimming opportunities are also located nearby. That its better to camp at a highly impacted site, than creating a new stealth site in a busy, high use area. Don't miss the latest news and discussion. It climbs eight 4000-footers with 14 miles of above-treeline hiking. .25m past Carter Hut on right a cave of boulders creates 2-4 sites open top, not really a cave. Most campers mean well but dont understand how fragile the sites they camp at are. BACKCOUNTRY.COM: Shop the Semi-Annual Sale! See below for more information. You can still use the flat area, but today you have to move a bit further into the woods. A Membership is required to post in the forums. As a practical example, Ill illustrate the planning process with a loop hike in the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Login or become a member to post in the member forums! Region: New England (White Mountain National Forest, New Hampshire) Length: 31 miles (2-4 days) See More In The App Click to sign in or create a free account. website belongs to an official government organization in the White Mountain National Forest - Camping & Cabins:Dispersed Camping Dispersed Camping Backpackers seeking a Wilderness or backcountry experience should consult one of the many trail guides available, and should be familiar with the Forest's Backcountry Camping Rules. Stealthing the White Mountains AMC Backcountry Camping Rules * No camping or fires within .25 (1/4) mile from any hut, shelter, tent platform, cabin, picnic area or campground except at designated sites any trailhead above tree line (except on 2' of snow) within 200' of trail Monadnock to Mt. * If you encounter hot spots, douse the ashes with additional water. Choose from the following to find a site: The White Mountain National Forest offers a variety of camping experiences: from family-friendly developed campgrounds, to popular backcountry sites, to the solitude of a Wilderness setting. This is not often a large tank, so it may not be much, especially if you are traveling with a few people. Clinton Trail outside the FPA you should be able to find some possibilities. Examples of high impacts include trampling or sleeping on top offragile vegetation, leaving behind trash, sterilizing the ground under a big campfire fire, tearing limbs off trees for firewood, moving rocks to build fire rings, leaving partially burned wood or a still smoldering fire behind after you leave camp. Information It is a very tough stretch between Mt. Ideally, wed like to find a pristine campsite to stealth camp at, but if there arent any good sites available where we camp in a low impact way, well keep going to the Alternate Campsite or to the Ethan Pond shelter/campsite. Ghost Mountain Ranch - RV Camping near Pollock Pines, CA. Madison. Just to the W along the Carter-Moriah Trail. No duplication of photos, maps, or text without permission. As an Alternative to Carter Notch Hut Head down the Wildcat River Trail. We have six cabins to choose from Green Valley Lake. However, in the more typical scenario of a designated shelter site or campsite, it may actually be harder to find a spot where suitable trees are spaced the right distance apart. Green Valley Lake is a hidden gem for all seasons. We will hang a bear bag 200 feet away from our cooking and sleeping area. As an Alternative to Mizpah Hut or Nauman Tent site Head down Mt. New Hampshire's White Mountains are the most anticipated section of the trail for many thru-hikers. That probably applies to the area in questions. This is about a mile before the trail junction for Zeacliff Trail, about 2-3 miles before Zealand Hut. Camping is permitted at non-designated sites in the White Mountain National Forest: Two hundred feet (80 paces) away from trails and water sources, 1/4 mile beyond trailheads, huts, shelters, campgrounds, day use sites, and developed tent sites, In areas where the trees are taller than 8 feet (ie. When preparing for your boondocking trip, there are a lot of considerations that you will need to make. Within 1/4 mile of backcountry facilities (shelters, huts). The Pemigewasset Loop (pemi loop) is a 31 mile loop hike in New Hampshire's White Mountains. The sites at this location are relatively small but easily large enough for someone with a smaller RV to enjoy. This is now a compilation of a few hikers approach to Stealthing/Bootlegging the Whites. Madison Hut area - Just to the East is a small lake on side trail descending into Madison Gulf. Keep campfires small, and burn only small pieces of dead and downed wood gathered from the surrounding environment (leave the hatchets and axes at home). Flat areas are just past the lake, protected from winds but still above tree line and not recommended. Located in Randolph, New Hampshire, there are up to 15 campsites at this location that are situated around a gravel road. Again, you will lose some serious elevation gain there. Moosilauke, before descending Beaver Brook - I've camped nearby the junction of the AT with the trail to Mt. If not, its better to stay put instead of illegally camping farther down the Ethan Pond trail, breaking local regulations, andpotentially starting another impacted site in this high use area. I would still reccomend dispersing your baking soda toothpaste as it is a salt and too much of it can harm plant life but Im sure it would be less harmfull than the tubed toothpaste. Washington) and find a spot. Webster/Top of Webster Cliff obvious sites available (2-5?) Copyright 2007-2023, SectionHiker.com and Fells Press LLC. Ive come across plenty of highly impacted campsites like this, and they take a lot more time and effort to restore than they did to deface. Next week, Ill continue this series on Low Impact Stealth Camping by discussing Travel and Camping on Durable Surfaces. Log cabins & Kottages. Lakes of the Clouds is kind in bad weather, but the Presidential Range is catch as catch can for stealth sites.]. With so much forested land, the idea of boondocking in New Hampshire can open up options to explore areas like White Mountain National Forest or explore one of the other mountains in the state. There are flat camping spots that are past the shelter once you cross the brook. whereabouts? I was wondering if any of you have any good stealth spots along the way of this loop to camp in, it would be nice to avoid the regular spots and go for something more wild. Alternative to Lakes of the Clouds Hut You could head down the Dry River Trail (south of Mt. Can you give me opinions? ( In a few areas, especially in New England on steep terrain or where soil is thin, wooden platforms may be provided. Mount Washington is the most well-known option, but you can climb all of the Presidential Ranges, including Jefferson, Adams, Monroe, Piece, Madison, Jackson, and Eisenhower. The only suggestion I can give you there is that it would be easier to travel with a hammock there. It would provide you with more camping options and you would lose less elevation gain when trying to find a spot, because you cannot camp above tree line. This is great moose habitat. (Various sites.) This is a great White Mountains campground if you want to camp but don't want to be in the woods all day since there's plenty to see and do in the surrounding towns. The hut crew will instruct you to descend to the Valley Way tent site about 1 mile down to the North of the hut. Edmands Col between Jefferson and Adams. Free Shipping and Returns. Backpacking Light helps hikers and other backcountry enthusiasts overcome their barriers to living a life outside in Wild Places. White Mountain National Forest - Hiking Hiking Choose from the following to find a site: Backpacking Day Hiking Discover A Rich History of Hiking Hiking opportunities abound on the Forest from easy strolls into the wooded environment to challenging climbs above treeline. Deciding to pack out used toilet paper on a trip and bringing two ziploc bags to store it in until it can be disposed of properly in town. Several rusting camping sites are scattered along the road. New Hampshire is a great place to enjoy boondocking, especially if you enjoy hiking in the mountains or around the lakes in the state. It is primarily above tree line and UNLESS you stay at Lakes of the Clouds hut, (sort of halfway), you have a kind of big push with lots of hiking above tree line, (which is NICE in GOOD weather) and some fairly decent elevation gain. Decide what you want to enjoy on your trip, and find a location that offers it. The side trail is called Gordon Pond Trail. Fishin' Jimmy Trail - This is on the AT about a mile before the Lonesome Lake Hut. Challenge yourself in the Presidential Range including Tuckerman Ravine or the Great Gulf Wilderness; enjoy the beauty of the area at places like Glen Ellis Falls; get away from it all along Scenic Route 113 or in the Wild River and Caribou-Speckled Wildernesses. You will lose some elevation gain, but it might be your only option if you hit some bad weather. Copyright 2022 RVshare.com Copyright 2007-2023, SectionHiker.com and Fells Press LLC. In 1936 this was the shelter location for AT hikers. Journey across the Kancamagus Scenic Byway; experience the famous Mt Chocorua area; find solitude in the Presidential Range-Dry River or Sandwich Wildernesses; or discover the beauty along Scenic Route 113. This will provide us with plenty of water for drinking and cooking until the following morning when we get back on the A-Z trail and can resupply again. 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