Tully Trail

[taualum23]

Does anybody have any experience withthe Tully Trail in Mass? I have been told that the plans for a mild/easy loop hike to introduce some people to backpacking was too tough. (Apparently, the most mild in the whites is too much). My buddy is scared his wife will be turned off backpacking if it's too hard. So, we found the Tully Trail on line, and I am hoping it will be fun.
Anybody?

 

[Dugan]

A few of us hiked it as a day hike last fall.

See trip report on VFTT
http://www.viewsfromthetop.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4011

See trail, link to map
http://www.thetrustees.org/pages/37_tully_trail.cfm

I wouldn't call any of it difficult. There is a shelter at the northern end that you could use to break the hike into a two day overnight. The falls on the eastern side are probably looking very nice. I'd be concerned about mud and flooding this time of year. Much of it runs through wet areas. One section in particular, running under the powerlines on the eastern side, was heavily flooded due to ambitious beavers when we went through last fall. You could instead bushwhack out to the road to get around that section.

 

[taualum23]

18 miles is a heft dayhike for us, we are take it slow sorta folks. We were actually going to split it into one late start day (maybe 3 hours of hiking), one big day, and then a quick hike out (less than 3 hours) the last day.
Is there any other legal camping besides the shelter? We wanted to introduce one person in particular to tent living.
We're not going to go until Memorial day weekend, likely less flooding, probably more blackflies.

Thanks for the input.

 

[smitty77]

We wanted to introduce one person in particular to tent living. We're not going to go until Memorial day weekend, likely less flooding, probably more blackflies.

You don't have to do the whole trail. The loop trail around Tully Lake is quite nice, and not hard at all. There is a walk-in campground with facilities on the back side of Tully Lake. The link Dugan posted for the Trustees site has some information. I would stay there, and do parts of the trail as dayhikes. One day to Doanes and Spirit falls, and one day to do Tully Mountain. I live about 5 miles from Tully, so if I get out there soon I'll post trail conditions. Right now I'm sure it's flooded in quite a few areas. I have a pic of a swollen cascade at Doanes falls here: Doanes Falls

Smitty

 

[Dugan]

Legal camping is a good question since parts of the trail run over private property.

If you go to the trustees link, there's another link for contacting them. I found them to be helpful and responsive when answering questions we had for last year's hike. They should have current rules. They also mailed me a copy of the most current map, with even more current notes regarding relocations, conditions, etc.

Despite what the map says, Tully Mountains was the only view we found. I prefer Royalston Falls to Spirit Falls. Also, the M-M east of where the Tully splits southeast just after the shelter is well worth checking out for the rock formations in the stream bed.

And believe it or not, as big as Doane's looks in Smitty77's pic, they're even bigger.

 

[taualum23]

Thanks a lot. I actually have gotten in touvch with the trustees. THere is no legal camping on the loop once past the shelter. The campground is booked for that weeeknd. Now we are looking for a loop in VT, and my hiking buddy or my girlfriend and I will head up there to do the loop on our own sometime.
Thanks for all your advice.

 

[smitty77]

And believe it or not, as big as Doane's looks in Smitty77's pic, they're even bigger.

Yeah, the pictures don't do the falls justice. We obeyed the rules and didn't venture past the roped off areas, where all of the good photo opportunities were. If we had, and got down to the river's edge, we really could have taken some excellent photos.

 

[Dugan]

And believe it or not, according to one source, there are people that actually run these in a boat. THAT I would like to see!

 

[Weary Wanderer]

Yap, I've been there last year- had to struggle with some snow, but in general, had a great hiking day. Good views.