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Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Bethel Community Forest West, ME
Trails
Trails: Parks-Bennett Trail, Red Pine Ridge Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Monday, September 6, 2021
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: Plenty of parking 
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Dry Trail 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: All easily rock hoppable 
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: Trails are new so they do not yet have well-established footbeds, but they are well marked and easy to follow 
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: Saw one 
Bugs
Bugs: None 
Lost and Found
Lost and Found:  
 
Comments
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.  
Name
Name: Sam Shirley 
E-Mail
E-Mail: newenglandskier13@aol.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2021-09-06 
Link
Link: https://m.facebook.com/groups/MaineHiking/permalink/2367479273394453/ 
Bookmark and Share 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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