| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mount Katahdin - Hamlin Peak , ME |
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 | Trails: |
Chimney Pond Trail, North Basin Cutoff, North Basin Trail, Hamlin Ridge Trail, Northwest Basin Trail, Russell Pond Trail, Wassataquoik Stream Trail, abandoned trail, Sandy Stream Pond Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Wednesday, July 9, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I lucked out and got a spot at Roaring Brook without a pass. I think I got to the gate around 6:30-6:45, there were less than a half dozen cars waiting to get in, so they let us in early around 6:45am, and we got what we wanted ;) $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. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Water was very low (but not as low as it would be later in the year) and all the crossings were very doable. I think I waded through two of them: the infamous Wassataquoik Stream one just south of Russell Pond Trail's jct with Wassataquoik Stream Trail, and one other in that very general vicinity. The former I guess is considered the most dangerous in the park and not just because of fast moving or high water, but very slick rocks underneath, which is why most come into Russell Pond via Wassataquoik Stream Trail instead. I didn't find it that bad though, and I think kept the water below my knees by curving slightly downstream as I waded across. Had I made a beeline instead, it would have probably been at least mid-thigh. Everything else was rock hopable (sometimes difficult) or had some sort of bog bridge across. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
I think all trails other than the AT in the park are blazed in blue. I don't recall the frequency on any here, but don't remember any being difficult to follow beyond the usual bit of ambiguity above treeline. I think there were some bog bridges in the basin of NW Basin Trail that should be replaced. I don't recall the blowdown situation, but I think the trails were in good shape. I remember finding it odd that North Peaks Trail was closed and signed as such down low but not up high (maybe there was a sign at treeline, though?). There's a ledge water crossing (or a few) on NW Basin Trail. Not high water, but this is absolutely a trail I'd want to avoid in wet weather. Wouldn't want to slip and start sliding down the ledge! |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Dogs are not allowed in BSP, though I think this was the day I saw a service dog. |
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 | Bugs: |
Probably awful. If memory serves, once I got down below a certain elevation on NW Basin Trail (below the basin), the mosquitos becam real nasty again. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
One of two big redlining loops I had planned this summer over Hamlin Peak. Route: Chimney Pond Trail -- North Basin Cutoff -- North Basin Trail -- Hamlin Ridge Trail -- NW Basin Trail -- meandering around Russell Pond -- Russell Pond Trail -- OAB on Wassataquoik Stream Trail to Grand Falls Trail -- Russell Pond Trail -- Sandy Stream Pond Trail. Note that there's been a reroute on the central west section of Wassataquoik Stream Trail. Not sure when this happened but I'm thinking recently as, if memory serves correctly, the old trail is what's shown on Gaia. The reroute follows the stream less closely (so is to the north) and takes a more direct line. The old trail is not hard to follow once on it, but is easy to miss the start/end of. I LOVED the NW Basin...one of my favorite spots in the park. There is a lot of wet ledge, running water, and below treeline scrambling, and just generally unfun trail getting down to it, though. Many will prefer ascending this trail rather than descending it, but it made sense for what I was doing today, and I was fine with my decision. Gaia had me at 23.1mi, 4025ft of gain, 13hr33min. |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-12-24 |
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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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