| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None , ME |
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 | Trails: |
Wheeler Brook Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, June 16, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I spotred a bike on the western end at end of FR 8 and then drove over to eastern trailhead on RT 2 |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Mud - Minor/Avoidable |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
There are several unbridged crossings on the route |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Plenty of random blowdowns. Blazing is very old and spotty, I mostly followed the footbed, in some spots it was obscured low growth |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
None |
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 | Bugs: |
Mosquitoes were out and swarming. Despite DEET they would swarm me whenever I stopped. They were particularly bad at the turn around on the fire road. The campers inhabiting the free sites along the road must be far more tolerant of mosquitoes than I. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was the kick off to my planned hike and bike hikes this upcoming summer to pick up the many trails in the Evans notch area that are not suited to loop hikes. The plan is to spot a bike and then drive to another trailhead and end the hike at the bike and ride it back to the car. Today's hike was a trial, only 3.3 mile of quite pleasant trail and 7 miles of biking.
Wheeler Brook trail follows old logging roads for the majority of the trail. The trailbed is pretty obvious except in the height of land between the two drainages. Blazing is old and very sparse. I only lost the trail once coming down off the height of land where the trail turns right through a wet area before crossing a stream which is then followed until the end of the trail on progressively newer and wider logging roads. There is an unexpected waterfall with a tall cascade on Wheeler Brook near the eastern end after the trail goes into the national forest. It would be worth checking out but the mosquitoes would have swarmed me so I kept going.
In general, not a long hike but if you like mature hardwood standard with well established canopy and little understory its pleasant well graded hike. Traffic was non existent on Wild River Road which made it nice for riding my bike, the wide breakdown lane on Rt 2 also makes biking along it not as bad as I feared. I brought a bright florescent T shirt to up my visibility. |
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 | Name: |
peakbagger |
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 | E-Mail: |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-06-16 |
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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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