| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Bemis Mountain (attempt) , ME |
|
 | Trails: |
Road walk, Bemis Stream Trail, bushwhack, ATV trail |
|
 | Date of Hike: |
Saturday, June 8, 2024 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Well, that was more difficult than I imagined. Houghton Rd was closed off of Rt 17 for repairs so you couldn’t access Bemis Rd from the south side so I had to drive north on Rt 17 and enter from Macy/Oquossoc instead. The road on this side was in excellent shape for many miles before becoming closed at the SE corner of Mooselookmeguntic Lake at its jct with Shelton Trail. It was closed due to the road being washed away in spots. I parked in a small turnaround here. From this point, it’s about 0.7mi to the AT crossing and another 1.2mi or so to Bemis Stream Trail. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
|
 | Recommended Equipment: |
|
|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The major crossing of Bemis Stream was rock hopable with care. The other crossings were smaller but sometimes didn’t have much to cross on. Also note that there is a “new” crossing somewhere in between the road crossing and where the roads are shown stopping on Gaia that you just wade through icky water. I didn’t notice much beaver activity but this spot is becoming flooded and seems like it will only become worse. |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trail seems more or less abandoned so there’s a lot of blowdowns though surprisingly not as frequent or as troublesome as you might guess. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Lots of water and good grades for dogs but I’d worry about ticks down low. I was amazed that I didn’t pick up any. |
|
 | Bugs: |
I’d expect a ton of ticks down low but 25% DEET seemed to do the trick and keep them off of me. |
|
 | Lost and Found: |
None |
|
|
|
|
 | Comments: |
Bemis Stream Trail is blazed in blue. Some faded blazes, but mostly clear enough. Blazing through the logging at the start, luckily, was frequent though it could be hard to see with such growth. Behond that, where it follows an overgrown logging road for some time, there was no blazing and just occasional blue flagging. Once it becomes a footpath, it’s blazed in blue again with various frequency. Lots of drainage issues too. Also note that the only signage for the trail at its start is a sign stating that the trail is impacted by logging for the next 700ft. It is well signed at its jct with the AT.
A very late afternoon hike. Between having some things to do in the morning, packing, setting my GPS to the wrong location (wrong AT crossing on Rt 17…), and finally the closed road, I didn’t begin until nearly 3pm! What’s more, although this trail has very nice grades, it took longer than anticipated due to the rain and gear changes, the unanticipated road walk, and the trail being very difficult to follow/unmarked at times and more generally, just in a general sense of abandonment.
After an easy but very eroded and washed out road walk, I came to the start of the trail. The old trail on the east side of the road is still visible here as well as it’s marked by a blazed cairn and surveyors tape, but it’s been obliterated by logging in this direction. Unfortunately, the first 700ft of what remains of Bemis Stream Trail on the west side of the road has also been impacted by logging. There is a BARELY discernible path through brush taller than you. There is lots of blazing through here actually but it’s sometimes obscured by all the growth or on fallen trees so keep your eyes peeled and trust your gut. Only very experienced hikers will likely be comfortable/competent in navigating something like this. The logged area then stops, and the trail continues along a logging road and is pleasant for a short while before the blazing stops, the road becomes overgrown, and incredibly wet/muddy. Lots of signs of moose too so just say a pray you aren’t stepping in puddle filled with “moop”.
After maybe a few tenths of a mile of that nonsense, the trail finally becomes a footpath. The footpath was generally much nicer but, as you can imagine, was very muddy, wet, and overgrown. Shouldn’t be hard for experienced hikers to follow though. It was here that the blazing also reappeared. From here to the AT, the trail ascends, with occasional very minor descents, gently or easily most all of the way through various forests, some of which were quite beautiful. Reminded me of hiking the Hancocks in the White Mountains. Again, some parts were incredibly muddy but I imagine this trail could be (or was) quite pleasant back when it was actually being maintained. Note my comment above about the “new”‘water crossing. If you’re short and misstep here, you could be in water above your waist.
The final half mile or so to the AT was much rougher both in terms of steepness and grade. Nothing excessive but I’d compare it a little to Black Angel Trail in the White Mountains that’s very moderate until the end where it becomes quite rugged. Rather than take the trail the whole way back down, once I neared the ATV trail that’s shown as ending in a clear cut around 2600ft on Gaia, I made the short and not too thick whack over to it (passing a completely grown in road I feared was it for a moment before noting I just hadn’t quite come to it yet). I followed this ATV trail all the way back down to Bemis Rd where it pops out just a couple tenths of a mile north of where the Bemis Stream Trail leaves it. This was a little longer than taking Bemis Stream Trail and has some minor PUDS but was pleasant enough and much easier than the wet, muddy, if sometimes beautiful, Bemis Stream Trail.
While this trail certainly has some redemptive qualities, personally, I think it would be an excellent candidate to take out of the next edition of the guidebook. Those wishing to reach the AT via a more moderate hike from this side, could easily take the ATV trail, make the very short whack to the, trail, then follow it a much shorter way to the ridgeline. I will note that upon returning to Bemis Rd, I saw that this ATV trail was gated and marked as closed (I believe due to the erosion) by the landowner. I don’t think the signs said no trespassing or prohibited hiking but one still may want to be careful here. My opinion of the trail might be slightly skewed since it rained as I began up it, but it didn’t rain all that much, and I’m sure it’s terribly wet and muddy all the time, not just after a rain. Gaia had me at 13mi, 1800ft of gain, 5hr33min. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
|
 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
|
| Date Submitted: |
2024-06-14 |
|
 | Link: |
 https:// |
|
|
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. |
|
