Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
| Peaks |
Bethel Community Forest West, ME |
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| Trails: |
Parks-Bennett Trail, Red Pine Ridge Trail |
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| Date of Hike: |
Monday, September 6, 2021 |
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| Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Plenty of parking |
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| Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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| Recommended Equipment: |
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| Water Crossing Notes: |
All easily rock hoppable |
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| Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails are new so they do not yet have well-established footbeds, but they are well marked and easy to follow |
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| Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw one |
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| Bugs: |
None |
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| Lost and Found: |
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| Comments: |
I started up the Parks-Bennett Trail from the parking lot at Bethel Community Forest West. It passed through pretty hemlock forest along a brook before reaching the junction with the Red Pine Ridge Trail after 0.6 mile. I turned left at this intersection and the next. This network of trails reaches three viewpoints on the lower slopes of Ellingwood Mountain. The first viewpoint I reached was The Prow. It's an impressive rock formation which the trail passes under, before climbing to it's top with a rope to assist in one spot. The view was completely fogged in at this point, so I continued to Porcupine Panorama. Porcupine Panorama is at the highest elevation in this trail system, and I was able to get glimpses of a view through the fog. This viewpoint is in a logged area, and unless significant clearing is done, the view will likely be grown over in a few years. Soon after Porcupine Panorama, I turned left onto the Red Pine Ridge Trail which brought me to the Ellingwood Ledges viewpoint. Here I was able to see the best views of the hike, and I even got glimpses of the Presidentials. From this point it was an easy descent back to the parking lot. |
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| Name: |
Sam Shirley |
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| E-Mail: |
newenglandskier13@aol.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-09-06 |
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| Link: |
https://m.facebook.com/groups/MaineHiking/permalink/2367479273394453/ |
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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. |
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