| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
None, NH |
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 | Trails: |
Highwater Trail, Wild River Trail, The Roost |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Thursday, August 20, 2020 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
Biked from Wild River CG to northern trailhead. Plenty of spaces, only one overnighted car there when we arrived. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Crossing of Wild River at both the Shelbourne and Moriah Brook Crossing are rock hoppable with some patience and route finding. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
As I and others have noted in the past, Highwater trail is an absolute mess after about 3.5miles from the northern trailhead. There are alternating periods of good trail and then bushwhacking. A LOT of serious trail work needs to be done on this trail to get it back to functional for its entire length. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
In current condition this trail is fine, but if you are attempting to cross any of the water crossing during the typical spring water levels this is potentially fatal for your dog. Likewise after heavy rains. Check the river before you hike if you are planning on crossing it at some point. |
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 | Bugs: |
None at all. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
After breaking some bones in my foot, we thought a good first hike back would be something long and flat to see how it was feeling. The Highwater trail, as many, including myself, have described is in pretty poor shape. The trail disappears completely and abruptly at least a half dozen times due to damage from Irene and then the 2017 floods. This require bushwhacking and trail finding. I would say the toughest section for this is between/around the Shelbourne area (sorry I can't remember exactly where only 2 days later), where significant debris necessitates taking a very wide berth around, crossing a creek on a log, and then whacking for a tenth or two before stumbling back onto the trail.
As a pair of hikers who have essentially no bushwhacking experience, I think this trait is a great start for acquiring the skill. Because the trail essentially follows the river, it allows you a "backup" while bushwhacking. If you lost sense of the trail, where you are going etc. you can always go back to the river and walk along the bank and eventually you'll find it again. Only a few sections leave more than 100 feet away from the river, and so following it closely if lost and not confident will get you back eventually. Because of this we felt pretty comfortable traipsing around in the woods for a few tenths a half dozen times. It also helps us learn more differences between herd paths, side paths, and dried stream beds. At a few points you can just follow the old railroad depression and you'll get back close to the trail, a few other times they are surveyors tape, though sometimes it had you going in two directions at once. In between Shelbourne and Moriah was where the tape was, but it was also where most of the sidehilling was, which was pretty steep and very unpleasant as my lower foot was the broken one (ouch!). But it's doable. Oh, and one section, right after there's an arrow to cross a tributary of the river, the trail actually jumps back into the woods on your right after a few cairns...this was not obvious to us and we walked up the dry stream bed further than necessary.
If you're very uncomfortable with being off trail for a second, then avoid this at all costs as it's not functional in that regards, but if you are comfortable with some exploration, this trail is entirely doable. Other than that, it's a nice mostly flat trail with good footing and pleasant walking, and the first 3.5 miles or so from the northern trailhead are in great shape. |
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 | Name: |
HotRodJimmy |
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 | E-Mail: |
hotrodjimmy1810@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2020-08-22 |
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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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