This 2-3 day route is 21.4 miles in length with a cumulative elevation gain of 9,000 feet. If it has not rained recently, the chances for wildfires will be significantly higher. 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. If you are traveling with a tent you will be able to find some spots, but will lose some serious elevation gain in order to get a decent spot. Can you give me opinions? If we cant find level, vegetation free sites to sleep on cook on in the pristine areas, well continue hiking on our route. Forest Protection Area (FPA) are potentially overused or fragile areas of the Forest where use restrictions are applied. United States government. 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. You have a lot of expriences. If you are traveling with a tent you will be able to find some spots, but will lose some serious elevation gain in order to get a decent spot. Clinton Trail outside the FPA you should be able to find some possibilities. Specific areas are identified below and should be referred to if planning a visit: A couple of our campgrounds are open year-round. There will be 2 people on this hike to minimize off-trail travel and camping impacts. Hazard Trees:Due to an increasing number extreme weather events and invasive pests that damage or kill trees, be very careful in choosing places to camp, including at or in shelters. Availability is based on first-come, first-served sites where available. You're within shouting distance of the shelter so this is more like shelter overflow campsites. All Rights Reserved. As an Alternative to Mizpah Hut or Nauman Tent site Head down Mt. Once the fire is completely out, use the remaining water to rinse your hand. Either fork leads to sites, water from pond/stream. Our site relies heavily on Javascript. The current shelter is over Garfield at Garfield Ridge Campsite, another 2 miles N on the AT. Re: baking soda. 302 .25m in, cross bridge and notice gravel tent area (obvious) on your right follow stream .25 mile downstream, across from boulder field. Madison Hut area - Just to the East is a small lake on side trail descending into Madison Gulf. In fact, Im not sure there are decent sites to camp there at all which is one of the key points of this scenario. Best to add Beware of Guard Dogs.. Dry camping and lots of wind. if campfires are permitted where you are camping. Get Backpacking Light news, updates, gear info, skills, and commentary delivered into your inbox 1-2x/week. Just to the W along the Carter-Moriah Trail. This will give us plenty of time to scout the area and see if there are any good low impact sites to camp at. Official websites use .gov A .gov
Please consult the Forest's Backcountry Camping Rules . 200 Kancamagus Highway, PO Box 10
Within 200 feet of trails and water bodies. 302 - .25m in, cross bridge and notice gravel tent area (obvious) on your right follow stream .25 mile downstream, across from boulder field. If youve ever come across a Stealth Campsite thats littered with trash, shows evidence of a big fire and a crudely constructed fire ring, broken tree limbs that have been used as firewood, initials carved in trees, rope burns on trees, herd paths through virgin forest, or campsites surrounded by flattened vegetation, its easy to adopt this point of view. I just swallow it after brushing. Looking forward to the series, i have been looking for some articles on this. If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. Near Imp Campsite .5m before camp, when water pools appear, look left. Quiet time is from 10 pm to 6 am. RVshare Respectful Community Policy There are options if you choose not to stay at the huts, but you will lose elevation gain. Trains run all hours of the night. below treeline). The Pemigewasset Loop (pemi loop) is a 31 mile loop hike in New Hampshire's White Mountains. Dispersed Camping; Group Camping . Zeta Pass .25m -.5m past Zeta Pass junction, cross stream, on right. As an Alternative to Mizpah Hut or Nauman Tent site Head down Mt. Gordon Pond 3.5 miles north of Kinsman Notch (.3m off trail) there is a fork in the trail. - The remnants of the summit building have been used for years by hikers. A natural water source such as a spring or creek is usually nearby. 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. The contour lines in these areas suggest a gradual slope which may yield level camping. They have relatively flat areas where you can pitch a tent or other portable shelter. Low Impact Stealth Camping: Planning and Preparation, Smokie (that time I almost burned my tent with a canister stove), (Click TWICE for a larger version of the map. This is the first post in a series of articles about Low Impact Stealth Campingthat explains how you can to minimize your impact on pristine wilderness sites so no one will know that you ever camped there. Ready to hit the road? Obstacles arise every day that threaten the Appalachian Trail. It was clear to me that Phillip was talking about camping well out of sight of the trail but perhaps it needed to be emphasized a bit more. Take advantage of the vivid fall foliage, the warm summer air, and the cool spring temperatures by booking free camping in New Hampshire. And it helps settle the stomach, which I find is sometimes effected w/spicy food. This is not often a large tank, so it may not be much, especially if you are traveling with a few people. We will hang a bear bag 200 feet away from our cooking and sleeping area. Gale River Loop Road is located in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, and the location has about 15 campsites that can accommodate an RV that is up to 25 feet in length. Just to the W along the Carter-Moriah Trail. but carry water from streams as you climb up probably first .5m of ascent. We use cookies to provide you with a great experience and to help our website run effectively. The biggest problem area for finding a site that will not incur you lots of elevation loss is between Mt. The side trail is called Gordon Pond Trail. We know that the area north of the A-Z trail and below Mt Tom is wet and boggy due to intense beaver activity and unsuitable for camping. I'm putting together an itinerary for a section hike in the Whites and looking for info on stealth camping or any kind of camping near Pinkham BACKCOUNTRY.COM: Shop the Semi-Annual Sale! From RV campgrounds and full-service sites and river or mountain views, the White Mountains offers incredible variety for campers. There are flat camping spots that are past the shelter once you cross the brook. 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. New Hampshire is a great place to enjoy boondocking, especially if you enjoy hiking in the mountains or around the lakes in the state. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about boondocking in New Hampshire. Again, you will lose some serious elevation gain there. All overnight hikers should carry a tent or other lightweight portable shelter. Clinton Trail outside the FPA you should be able to find some possibilities. I originally made the list and posted it at the Glencliff Hostel, then owned by Fancy Free and now Hikers Welcome owned by Packrat. Use only existing fire rings at officially designated sites whenever possible. General. Stealth camping means leaving no impact on the environment this means, Be aware of dry/drought conditions and local burn bans. This is about a mile before the trail junction for Zeacliff Trail, about 2-3 miles before Zealand Hut. Kamping Kabin Village. .25m past Carter Hut on right a cave of boulders creates 2-4 sites open top, not really a cave. Lakes of the Clouds is kind in bad weather, but the Presidential Range is catch as catch can for stealth sites.]. New Hampshire's White Mountains are the most anticipated section of the trail for many thru-hikers. Not recommended but I've camped here. Well get an early start so we can climb Willey and Field in the morning, and should arrive near the potential pristine sites by 1-2 pm. It is bounded on the south and west by the Androscoggin River and on the north-east by Grafton Notch. As an Alternative to Carter Notch Hut Head down the Wildcat River Trail. In 1936 this was the shelter location for AT hikers. Why do Waterproof/Breathable Rain Jackets Wet Out? 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. Don't miss the latest news and discussion. White Mountain hiker since 1973. 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. You can still use the flat area, but today you have to move a bit further into the woods. No Code Necessary. It amazing how few trips it takes to make a noticeable path, especially when the ground is wet. (Click TWICE for a larger version of the map.) Fishin' Jimmy Trail This is on the AT about a mile before the Lonesome Lake Hut. connected to the .gov website. Looking forward to the rest of this series, as Im still fairly new to the backpacking/hiking community. Carry water from Garfield Pond. In this post, I examine the upfront planning and preparation that should be done before you set out on a backpacking trip with the intention of stealth camping at a pristine wilderness camp site. website belongs to an official government organization in the
TTY 603-536-3685 From I-93 North: Exit 27, left at end of ramp and go under highway; take right just past south-bound off-ramp. In the alpine zone - where trees are 8 feet or less. A Presidential Traverse is one of the most famous and strenuous hikes in the White Mountains. No camping within 1/4 mile of any hut, shelter, or tentsite. Designated campsites are generally available on a first-come, first-served basis, except in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Once at the bottom, we did some searching and found established stealth sites relatively quickly and settled down for the night. Great views from the top of the cliffs looking into Crawford Notch. New TRAIL DAYS ONLINE! However there are some low impact camping concepts introduced that you may not have been familiar with previously including: While camping unseen and in a manner that defies future discovery takes a little bit more planing and preparation to pull off, it opens up a whole new world of skills and enjoyment that few have experienced. If we have enough daylight, we should continue hiking to the Ethan Pond shelter/campsite. Agreat way to create an instant unofficial campsite, especially along the AT, is to put up a No Camping Beyond This Sign signs! Webster/Top of Webster Cliff obvious sites available (2-5?) This means packing pots and pans that can be used over the fire as well as packing enough water to use while cooking. Garfield Pond Camp to the R of the AT. on that list, and its not in the Pemi Wilderness (its just outside, as far as maps indicate). Again, you will lose some serious elevation gain there. Dry camping. 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). Water from creek. Use the links below to share this content: TRAIL DAYS ONLINE! So I'm planning a trip to the white mountains again - this time in late June. 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. below treeline) But not in the following areas: Liberty Springs Trail Head Parking is .5m to the right. Mix the hot coals, underlying dirt, ash, and inorganic debris with the stick/trowel while steadily trickling water over it. Not dragging logs or tree branches into a campsite to sit on: Cooking with a camping stove. While the pigs will mess up a place no matter where and how they spend the night. Every campsite and situation is a little different and while the Leave No Trace guidelines can help you weigh different alternatives, you need to make your own decisions about the level of impact youll have on the local wildlife, vegetation, and other visitors you encounter. Many areas along the A.T. restrict fires to designated sites only or prohibit fires altogether. This is now a compilation of a few hikers approach to Stealthing/Bootlegging the Whites. There are flat areas in the woods (out of sight) to the right. Stealth Camping is when you camp off-trail at an unprepared, virgin campsite. These sites can be a good alternative for people who want to camp outside of designated campsites (be sure to check local regulations) because it doesnt result in another impacted site (Leave No Trace guidelines should still be followed in order to prevent a higher level of impact.). 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