| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, ME |
|
 | Trails: |
Headwaters Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, July 14, 2025 |
|
 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
The trail starts at a spur road 2mi east of Rum Pond Rd. No offical parking area, so just pull off on the side. This is before the checkpoint, so no need to pay. |
|
 | Surface Conditions: |
Wet Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Easily rock hopable |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The trail really isn't much of a trail...it desperately needs blowdown work and to be cut way the hell back in one spot that goes through a logging cut and is totally overgrown with thorn bushes and all! Luckily, it is marked, I believe with red diamonds, usually pretty frequently and regularly. |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Sure, but Chris's got stung by the yellow jackets like myself. |
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 | Bugs: |
Despite how soaking wet it was, I still managed to upset some yellow jackets and got stung at least a couple of times as did Chris's dog. Took me a few to even realize what was happening and that I needed to move my dumb ass in a different direction. Gosh, that was horrible... |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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|
 | Comments: |
What a miserable freaking hike this was. My car had overheated the night before and we were trying to get that taken care of, it wasn't raining but was soaking wet, stepped on a yellow jackets nest, and the trail was absolutely shot to shit. The new trails in this area shouldn't have been made as they don't seem to have been finished in some cases, or at the very least, aren't taken care of in the other cases. It's a shame they were added to the guidebook. This "trail" was completed and pretty consistently marked at least, but clearly doesn't see any traffic, and it's only redeeming feature seems to be that it provides a link. There were a plethora of blowdowns, many of which Chris tried to take care of, the trail led through thorn bushes in a logging cut, and is very obscure and overgrown at times. Glad to have company for this shitshow. We only got real turned around once, but eventually found our way. If memory serves correctly, there were markings here, but the direction of them (or overabundance of them) was confusing and led us in a circle. Rather than follow the trail back, we followed the road that it crosses (and the guidebook doesn't mention...) 0.7mi east of Rum Pond Trail. Much longer, but quicker, return trip. Gaia had us at 5.6mi, 350ft of gain, 2hr37min. Would have been 4-4.5mi had we taken the trail back. |
|
 | Name: |
Liam Cooney and Christopher Cameron |
|
 | 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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