New to the East Coast, Where to Weekend camp & hike?

[HikeMike]

Hi,

I'm new to Boston (moved from Seattle) and am looking for great places to go for a weekend. Ideally leave Boston Friday afternon, camp out in a tent, and hike Saturday and Sunday. I plan on starting Mem Day weekend so maybe south of MA is necessary to avoid cold weather.

I've been reading the posts and have gotten quite concerned about "biting" black flies (don't have those in Pacifc NW ) so any comments on how to avoid those is appreciated. (Are they everywhere east coast? :-? )

I know my question spans books, so I'd even appreciate just names of hikes or places to camp.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Mike

 

[Mike P.]

Welcome to the Northeast.

Black Flies & Mosquitos are almost everywhere, DEET works, most people can get by with a product with about 30% DEET unless you like camping near swamps. You avoid the worse periods by driving a little bit. Before Memorial Day enough snow & cold in NH, VT & Western ME so they should not be bad. In late June, the black fly season will end in CT & MA before it ends up north. (It starts sooner) Personal experience is that Adirondacks (ADK's) are worse than NH for biting bugs.

What kind of camping & hiking are you looking for? Solitude at all cost or some great mountain scenery perhaps shared with many kindred souls? Either way the most often visited place is teh White Mountain Region of NH. the Appalachian Mountain Club has a guidebook (a new edition coming out next month, EMS - a local retailer similar to REI but without a club has the existing one at 50% off) that is referred to as the White Mountain Bible. You will want one of these.

Much of the hiking traffic here is to climb the 4,000 foot peaks. Similar to CA 100 or the CA 14 or 13 clubs; 4,000 is the magic number for Northeastern Peakbaggers. For solitude avoid Saturday night camping at the campsites closest to these summits, plenty exist.

ME, VT, MA & CT (also RI but fewer choices) offer great places also, but IMO but as many loop possibilities outside of Baxter State Park (ME), the Greylock (MA highpoint) and CT/MA South Taconic Region). NY State has two regions, the Catskills & the Adirondacks. (ADK's are largest State Park in USA) The most stunning vistas are in the ADK region known as the High Peaks area, also the most crowds. ADK Club has guidebooks for all ADk regions & the Catskills.

Probably the premier spot in the east is Baxter State Park (BSP) in far northern ME. it's maybe the longest highway trip you can make, camping within the park is requires reservatiions made well in advance (for weekends usually in very early January) & only so many people are allowed to park at trailheads. On a list of favorite places in the east, few people who have hiked to Maine's highpoint & the end of the AT would place another mountain above Katahdin.

Another bbs to check is AMC's outdoors.org. Many people asking questions about trails, gear, trips, & ranting about issues concerning the forest & mountains.

 

[MtnMagic]

Welcome Mike!

Try hiking anywhere in Northern New England. Just in NH there are 1200 miles of trails. Also there is the brand new Cohos Trail, which patiently waits for trampers. Yes, there are tons of campgrounds in any state. Try camping 200' from a trail sometime. You'll wake up half way to your destination.

As for the black flies, please check out the thread Backpacking destinations (looking for advice). A good smokey campfire keeps all bugs away.

Happy Trails!

 

[MtnMagic]

Just thought of a few decent places in Boston and in the North Shore. Aside from all the historical areas, you can spend a good portion of a day in the Arnold Arboreteum and finish with a walk around lovely Jamaica Pond, both in the Jamaica Plain section of Boston. The Blue Hills Reservation is a great place, too!

The "Lynn Woods", "Breakheart Reservation" in Melrose, and "Sheep's Fold" in Stoneham (and its fine Zoo!!) offer 1000's of wooded acres to explore. The latter having a 5 story climbing tower.

Wherever your destination, Enjoy!

 

[HikeMike]

Thanks Mike P. and MtnMagic!

Mike P.: Thanks for the detail in your post, it is very helpful! You asked what kind of camping/hiking I like and that would have been good information to provide.

Camping: Generally, I would classify it as "Carcamping". I like to make a fire at night and sit around it eating well and discussing all sorts of stuff. I don't like Generators and all the noise that goes with RV's, but understand that different people have different needs. I love Campgrounds by the water (If any of you are going to Oregon, contact me, I know several GREAT campgrounds that are "crowdless" and right on a river/stream) or ones high up in the mountain.

Hiking: Day hikes. I have never been backpacking and love the campfire too much to give it up. I like going up mountains so I have a sense of achievement and the most difficult thing I have ever hiked in one day is Mt. Townsend on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State (Snowcapped in August). Another thing I love is hiking up to secluded river areas where you can swim (or build little dams out of stones) etc. Or hiking on an island/spit (e.g. Dungeness Spit...5miles out into straight of San Juan..WOW) and go to one end or the other. I like solitude while hiking, except that I usually hike with my wife and sometimes with friends. But being where no one else is is kind of a thrill, too :wink: .

I'm going to go buy books this weekend (They have two REI in Boston area now. Framingham and Fenway) so any title suggestions are also welcome.

Finally, it sounds like I should stay south for Memorial Day weekend. I checked on Reserve America and most places are booked. Anyone have a campground plus suggestion for two day-hikes? I'll post a trip report here in return for help .

 

[MtnMagic]

IMO when you're hiking you seldom feel the cold weather. We are used to it, hike every day in all 4 seasons, and enjoy it tremendously. Why pay big money for 6 little pieces of "campfire wood." In NH we can legally have a campfire for free 200' off the trail with a permit from the local fire warden.

There are 1000's of 2 day hikes! You may want to pickup a copy of the A.M.C.'s White Mtn Guide with its 6 topo maps, if you decide to hike NH. Also, another suggestion that will lead you to the finest trails, parks, and back roads is published by Backcountry Publications. Their "50 Hikes Series" might have what you are looking for, as in 50 Hikes in MA, PA, CT, NJ et al. There are about 20 that the better book stores stock. Also published by this company is a "Walks and Rambles" series, from Cape Cod and the Islands to Ohio's Western Reserve.

I find more new places to enjoy just by leaving the trail and exploring.
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May all your adventures be magnificent!





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[riverc0il]

there is also an REI in reading, ma for the record... that's my closest store great staff, they really have been super helpful to me on every visit. too helpful at times! (i really don't need help while browsing the book section, but THANK YOU!). be sure to sign up as a member and visit often, REI rocks! co-op's in general rock.

be sure to pick up the AMC's white mountain guide as previously recommended. a new 27th ed should be on the shelves shortly, so you may want to check the edition. of course, there is not too much difference from the 26th overall, so if you can find a super sale on the 26th... i have the 26th and i sure won't be upgrading (i think EMS has a 50% off sale on the 26th from what i've read, iirc).

if you're into waterfalls, also highly recommended is bolnick's "waterfalls of the white mountains." lots of great hike suggestiongs in that book.

sounds like the white's are straight up your alley. lots of places to car camp and make two day weekend plans. that's actually my plan this year... i just bought a new 3-season tent so i can car camp and hike vs. the day hiking i've been doing over the past few years.

my TOP suggestion would be staying at lafayette campground in franconia notch. LOTS of great hiking opportunities from there! try the franconia ridge loop accross the notch from the camp ground... or hike up to lonesome lake and hit the kinsman's or cannon. possibilities are endless, especially with a bike/car spot. it's a popular campground though, so call ahead.

there's tons of other options. campgrounds are every where in the whites! here are some links that might be helpful to you:

WMNF Camp Grounds

NH State Parks Campgrounds

White Mountains Camp Grounds

i would avoid memorial day weekend, personally. crowds are one thing... but holiday weekend crowds are entirely different.

regarding bugs, i don't find them to be that bad honestly! even in bug season, i don't apply the DEET too often and usually wait until i'm into the hike to see how bad it is. DEET should do the trick for a hike, but i've never camped during bug season, so i dunno how that is. try to hike/camp on windy weekends

i hope that helps. welcome to the neighborhood and i hope you enjoy the outdoors new england has to offer.[/url]

 

[MtnMagic]

I just thought of a few more great hikes for you. Click on this link http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/whites/hikes.html and read about them. Enjoy!

 

[HikeMike]

Thank you.

Thanks to all who replied!

Too bad I won't be able to avoid the weekend-holiday crowds, let's just hope I still find some camping spots in the campgrounds recommended.

See you on the trails...


Mike.

 

[MtnMagic]

Try some car camping 200' from any trail sometime. I always avoid the holiday camping crowds. We just returned from the South Ponds in Stark, NH on the Killkenny Trail to visit the Devil's Hopyard. Still snow covering some tricky crevasses. It was super! Not a soul seen all day.

Edited: This whole 150+ sq mile area (the Killkenny Ridge Trail, Pilot, Pliny, and Cresent Ranges) is perfect for those wishing to avoid the crowds of the A.T.
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P.S. You are most welcome!