Deer Hill, Little Deer Hill, Lord Hill - Deer Hills Trail, Frost Trail, Ledges Trail, Leach Link, Deer Hills Connector, Conant Path, Deer Hills Bypass, Conant Trail, Mine Loop - 5-27-2013

Hiking Trail Conditions Report
	Peaks	Deer Hill, Little Deer Hill, Lord Hill, ME

	Trails:	Deer Hills Trail, Frost Trail, Ledges Trail, Leach Link, Deer Hills Connector, Conant Path, Deer Hills Bypass, Conant Trail, Mine Loop

	Date of Hike:	Monday, May 27, 2013

	Parking/Access Road Notes:	We parked at a wideout on Deer Hill Road east of the Deer Hill TH and could have left it there, moving it closer to Conant for those trails saved little. We saw one car at the TH on our return from the Deer Hill hikes; they just pulled off onto the shoulder. Given how little use is made of the road, it would seem just pulling off on to the shoulder anywhere in the area would be fine.

	Surface Conditions:	Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable

	Recommended Equipment:

	Water Crossing Notes:	Cold River dam's "steps" were interesting and easy; water was an 1-2" below them. Others minor drainages. We checked out the southern Conant to see how bad the beaver flooding is and it covers quite a good section of the trail. We bushwacked around it to the north which took us quite a ways off trail, and it worked.

	Trail Maintenance Notes:	The Deer Hill trails were generally in excellent condition, with nice footbeds, nice paint blazes and signs, and a lot of recent (including today, we ran into the trail maintainer hard at work) waterbar cleaning. The Deer Hill Connector, however, has a large flooded section from the Cold River overflow. I got through it going W with mostly dry boots using my poles while Pepper waded; on the way back I skirted it to the west. The trail maintainer said the trails crew will be discussing what to do with it; perhaps trying bog bridges or a reroute. The Conant Path was open and in great shape. The Conant Trails were not quite as nice. The beaver flooding of the south loop was previously noted. On the way to both loops and then the north loop past the split the trail is basically a unmaintained road walk and we went past the turnoff to an even poorer road; there being just a small sign in the trees. The north loop after the road walks though is quite nice. The Mine Loop trail is old road, with some signs at the south jog and a single paint blaze at the north one; these are inadequate but with a map we stayed on trail. We went up Mine Loop and down the Conant north, and thus on Lord Hill were a bit confused by a well used trail coming up to the ledge view from Horseshoe Lake which seemed like it must thus be the Horseshoe Lake trail, but it wasn't We met a family on top that had come up it and after talking with them and using the AMC map took the Conant which did intersect with the Horsehoe. So now I'm curious what the unnamed trail is called.

	Dog-Related Notes:	It was a fun day for Pepper with lots of sip n dips, easy pawpaths, a nice walk on Leach Link on a bank above the swiftly flowing river (he loves these), comfy temps and mostly shade, and being almost always off leash as we saw no one. Several times when we'd got off trail looking for something, such as our wack around the beaver flooding, I'd tell him to take us back to the trail and he would take charge, making sure I followed him. Some dogs may not like crossing the dam over the Cold River.

	Bugs:	If we stopped for long black flies started to pester me, but otherwise they weren't a factor. I pulled one tick off my leg after the Deer Hill hike. No skeeters.

	Lost and Found:	Saw two knit gloves by the dam; left them there.


	Comments:	Deer Hills Trail, spring, Frost Trail , Ledges, Leach Link, Deer Hills Connector, Conant Path, Deer Hills Bypass, Conant Trail, Mine Loop After the long drive to redline some low peaks, we were pleased to find some very nicely maintained trails on the Deer Hills, with some nice views from Little Deer Hill especially. The weather was perfect and the hiking pleasant. We went down Frost and up the Ledges to catch these two; given that the ledges had some wet spots this was much better than the reverse. The Conant Path was signed and the TM said open; it has interpretative stops but we lacked the materials for them. On the Conant road sections after missing the turnoff and running into no Trespassing signs, I decided if I heard any dueling banjos we were going to run. We grabbed the Province Brook trail on the way home. All in all it was a great day on some very nice trails.

	Name:	Pepper and Me

	E-Mail:	windriversjohn at gmail dot com

	Date Submitted:	2013-05-27

	Link:	https://
		Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.