| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Wadleigh Mountain, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Wadleigh Brook Trail, Frost Pond Trail, unknown trail, Frost Pond Lean-To Spur, Freezeout Trail, Grand Pitch Spur, Hudson Pond Lean-To Spur |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, July 4, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
$20 day pass or $50 season pass for out-of-state residents to access BSP. No day-use fee for Maine residents. The road should be suitable for all cars. Just lots of potholes to be wary of. The gate opens at 6am for day-use. This trailhead is much closer to the northern gate and is an 8mi drive from it, so probably takes 15-20min. Parking for just a couple of cars at Wadleigh Brook Trail but not at all a popular trail. Note that you can drive down Wadleigh Mountain Rd (shown at first as Lynx Rd). |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
The stream crossings were not at all an issue but there is an absolutely horrendous mud pit that could almost be described as a water crossing (perhaps it's better now with the drought, but something really ought to be done about this one) that I think was somehwere along the northern section of Wadleigh Brook Trail (really not sure though, sorry), and some beaver flooding that's creating an even worse issue on Wadleigh Pond Trail. I don't think this is the sort of water you really want people wading through and it's totally overwhelmed the trail and about to necessitate a really, really icky wade. I got lucky and somehow managed across with only mildly wet feet. I believe this was along Wadleigh Bog where the trail crosses Wadleigh Brook (though it's not really flowing or stream like). |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Trails, if blazed, are blazed in blue. Surprisingly, not too hard to follow. There's one extensive and horrible mud pit where the trail seems to disappear (look to left) that I believe was on Wadleigh Pond Trail but may have been elsewhere; not sure, sorry. This needs to be dealt with. Also, see water crossing notes for what needs trail maintenance. Other than that, trails weren't hard to follow with one major exception, roughly in the middle/southern section of Wadleigh Brook Trail, where the trail disappeared in a mess of horrible blowdowns. It was getting dark at this point, so that may have been a contributing factor to my losing it. I didn't take photos of many blowdowns on this hike, so not much to report here. Given that these trails are known for being wild and remote, other than the one section above, I don't think the blowdowns were too bad. The trails could absolutely be brushed back at times (I think of the start of Wadleigh Brook Trail, in particular), but again, not to the point of them being very hard to follow by and large. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Dogs are not allowed in BSP. |
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 | Bugs: |
Probably awful. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
I finally bit the bullet and redlined these trails. Easy to talk yourself out of such a hike when you don't get a good night's sleep, weather is anything less than perfect, etc, but all experience tells me, "Unless it's unsafe (which I'm usually a very good judge of), shut the hell up and do it, ya wuss". That certainly proved true here. This was to finish my redline of the northernmost trails in BSP: Freezeout Trail, Frost Pond Trail, and Wadleigh Brook Trail. To do all of these in a day, wouuld be a worthy task for trail runners, mapped out at just shy of 40mi. With the time restrictions of not getting into the gate until 6am, I broke it up and did the 4mi (one-way) OAB along Freezeout Trail from Trout Brook Campground. Today, I finished the trails by doing a roughly 30mi (mapped out; actual distance was longer) loop from the Wadleigh Brook Parking. I made a counterclockwise loop, taking Frost Pond Trail north to Freezeout Trail, Freezeout Trail west to Wadleigh Brook Trail, a 2.5mi (one-way) OAB on Freezeout Trail to Webster Lake Campsite, then back out Wadleigh Brook Trail.
On my way out, since it was pitch black, at the jct of Wadleihg Brook Trail and Frost Pond Trail, I took Frost Pond Trail north to Wadleigh Mountain Rd 0.2mi, Wadleigh Pond Rd 1.5mi to Park Tote Rd, and Park Tote Rd 0.3mi to my car, rather than walk 1.4mi along Frost Pond Trail, as I thought it would be quicker and easier. I don't regret that. Also, about 1/2mi north of where Frost Pond Trail crosses Wadleigh Pond Rd (so 0.7mi north of where it starts on Wdaleigh Brook Trail) and turns sharply right/east to ascend Wadleigh Mountain, a trail continues straight in a N/NE direction for 0.3mi, roughly contouring to reach a sign that says "END OF TRAIL". I was not expecting that! I retraced my steps and noted my mistake: there is a log or two blocking the path I took and the trail is blazed to the right but does not look at all well-defined from this angle. In any case, anyone know what this path to nowhere I took was? I'd guess an old trail but it's abrupt end with a sign has ame doubting that. There was no view or artifacts that I noted and I don't think it was a road, but rather a footpath.
Overall, I found this to be a very pleasant and enjoyable hike. I'd heard that these trails may be a muddy and blowdown ridden disaster, but they weren't too bad. I'd gotten intel that part of Frezeout Trail was in kinda rough shape with blowdowns, and having been on the eastern section between Frost Pond Trail and Trout Brook Campground and feeling that wasn't all too bad, figured it was the section I was on today, but surprise, surprise, this section was in better shape and my intel must have referred to the other section I've done. There was one section on Freezeout Trail where you could really cruise, but most sections were narrow enough, had enough blowdowns, or rough enough footing, that you had to slow down a bit.
Two horrible sections that I cannot emphasize enough (also mentioned in "Water Crossing Notes" and "Trail Maintenance Notes") were the massive mud pit that I honestly am no longer sure which of these three trails I was on. All I know was that the trail seemed to disappear, and I was surrounded by mud and water everywhere except the way I came. I remember finding the trail to the left and carefully getting across. The second was a wetland flooded by beavers that I somehow managed to get across without terribly wet feet, but is soon going to be a really disgusting wade through water along Wadleigh Brook Trail (presumably north of Wadleigh Bog?). I hope that BSP does something about both of these (at least the latter), very, very soon. Considering water was low when I did this, I can't imagine what these would look like after a big rain or in the spring.
Knowing that I'd likely be coming out in the dark if I did the OAB to Webster Lake Campsite, I almos skipped it, but I just went for it and all turned out fine. There was a bad blowdown section on Waldeigh Brook Trail where I lost the trail but it was getting dark, which probably contributed. A major PITA but not as bad as the mud and water on the two sections mentioned above. This could be a very pleasant overnight or backpack for those who want shorter days. Note that there are other ways to break this hike up as well by using Wadleigh Mtn Rd to drive in. Gaia had me at 34.5mi, 15hr13min, 1800ft of gain. |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-10-13 |
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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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