| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Jonathan Smith Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Route 26, Rosenfield Road, snowmobile trails, skidder road, bushwhack |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Tuesday, September 14, 2021 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Parked at the Newry Town Office |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
All were bridged |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trails which I followed are maintained as snowmobile trails, so while they were clear, there was lots of low overgrowth |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
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 | Bugs: |
Very few |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This afternoon I hiked a loop on Jonathan Smith Mountain in Newry. After parking at the town office, I did a short roadwalk south on Highway 26. I turned left off 26 onto Rosenfield Road, which was more of a grassy field than a road. A snowmobile trail left the back side of the field, and I followed this snowmobile trail through a logged area as it climbed up the mountain.
After reaching the top of the climb, I turned left at a junction and soon reached the wreckage of the B-52 Stratofortress which crashed into the mountain during a practice refueling mission in 1960. All five crew members were lost. There is a memorial at the site and wreckage is scattered over quite a large area, especially downslope of the trail. There are some large pieces of the plane still intact, and it's definitely a moving site to stop and reflect.
After leaving the crash site, I soon turned left onto a more minor snowmobile trail which crossed two open knobs before descending to the top of the large cliffs visible from Highway 26. These cliff provided excellent views to the west and south over the Bear River Valley.
After enjoying the view, I descended using an old skidder road which seemed to have been somewhat improved and was definitely easier going than you'd expect a skidder road to be. I did a small bushwhack at the end to avoid an area of construction at the bottom of the skidder road and reached Highway 26 just north of the town office. In total, the loop was just under 4 miles. |
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 | Name: |
Sam Shirley |
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 | E-Mail: |
newenglandskier13@aol.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2021-09-14 |
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 | Link: |
 https://m.facebook.com/groups/MaineHiking/permalink/2373911329417914/ |
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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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