| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Bigelow Mountain - North Horn, Bigelow Mountain - South Horn, Bigelow Mountain - West Peak, Bigelow Mountain - Avery Peak, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Esker Trail, Fire Wardens Trail, Horns Pond Trail, Appalachian Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, July 10, 2022 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Stratton Brook Pond Road is easy to miss because it just has a small blue street sign and a small Bigelow Preserve sign. It initially seems like you’re turning into someone’s driveway as you pass a few seasonal homes. The road is dirt and in relatively good shape with a couple areas of deep ruts. 1.6 miles from rt. 27 is the parking area and kiosk. Maybe 5 other cars when I got there around 10:00. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Easy rock hops over little streams |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
For the most part trails were in great shape. There was one large area of significant mud on Fire Warden’s Trail about 0.6 miles up from intersection with Horns Pond Trail. Could definitely use some board walks to bridge this mud. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Didn’t see any |
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 | Bugs: |
Mosquitoes were bad in the parking lot and all kinds of flies at the top of each of the four peaks. While moving on the trails, I wasn’t bothered much but was also well covered in Deep Woods Off with several reapplications needed throughout the day. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
Blue Under Armour visor found on Fire Warden’s Trail. I left it at the kiosk. |
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 | Comments: |
I chose to go up the Horns first then over to West Peak and Avery so the climb would be more gradual than if I went up Fire Warden’s all the way first. 99% of this hike was on dry trail with just some occasional small patches of mud on Horns Pond Trail and Fire Warden’s Trail. There was one large area of mud on Fire Warden’s as mentioned above in Trail Maintenance Notes. First mile and a quarter of Fire Warden’s is relatively flat then there is some up and down until you reach the intersection with Horns Pond Trail. About a mile up Horns Pond Trail is a marked trail to a viewpoint but unless I missed something, it was just an obstructed view of Sugarloaf. Unfortunately I forgot to look for the supposed signed viewpoint of the pond 0.1 mile above the campsite on the AT north. Once on the AT, I met several southbound thru hikers, one woman heading northbound doing a flip flop, a section hiker, and a few day hikers. IMO the 0.4 mile round trip to North Horn is absolutely worth it. You have almost a 360 degree view with a great view of South Peak, West Peak, the Crockers, and Flagstaff Lake along with many other mountains and hills. The view from South Horn is not as extensive. There is a good view of Sugarloaf. The ridge walk is easy at first through relatively dense forest then starts a rocky climb up West Peak. The views from West Peak are extensive and far reaching. Down in the col are many campsites and then it’s a climb up and over boulders up to Avery Peak where there’s a stone foundation from a fire tower and a plaque set in a boulder honoring Myron Avery. There’s another 360 degree view from Avery Peak including Little Bigelow, Sugarloaf, West Peak, and Flagstaff Lake with hundreds of other peaks as well. The initial part of the Fire Warden’s Trail descending from the col is steep but it’s a stone staircase almost all the way down this initial steep section down to Moose Falls Tent site. Then the grade is more gradual all the way back to the intersection with Horns Pond Trail and back by Stratton Brook Pond. Overall it was a long, beautiful day in the mountains! |
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 | Name: |
Ann |
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 | E-Mail: |
Ann.pt@hotmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2022-07-10 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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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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