Location: Western Maine on the ridges and peaks surrounding the Bear River Valley, Grafton Notch, and Maine Route 26, Scenery: Forests and brooks with small waterfalls give way to numerous open summits with views across western Maine’s rugged mountains, especially the Mahoosuc Range, and into New Hampshire to the Presidential Range, Approximate Time to Hike: Most can comfortably finish the loop in three to five days. The Appalachian Mountain Club maintains the trail west of Route 26, also including four designated campsites. The Grafton Loop Trail allows backpackers to experience a multiday backpacking trip in fairly remote and rugged terrain. The only camping is at 8 designated campsites on the trail. Perhaps you’ve stayed in a few (or all!) Sunday River Whitecap Mt. In our busy White Mountain campsites, we rely on the caretaker program to protect the resources of trees, soil, and water quality, and the campsite infrastructure itself, during periods of high use. Typical temperatures during the summer will be in the 70s and 80s during the day and 50s at night with humid conditions. Last day on the Grafton Loop Trail. Day 2 Stats: Grafton Loop Trail, Campsite Spurs - 16.8mi, 4950' gain, 10hr 10min taken Day 3 Stats: Grafton Loop Trail, Campsite Spurs, Appalachian Trail - 11.6mi, 3250' gain, 7hr 5min taken This hike has been on the to-do list for 12 years now, and especially the last 3-4 years, but somehow it still never happened until now. The vantage point offers an interesting look toward Mahoosuc Notch, a short distance from the summit. If you go clockwise, you’ll find sometimes that the blue blazes along the trail are not easy to spot, especially at dawn or dusk. If you go clockwise, you’ll find sometimes that the blue blazes along the trail are not easy to spot, especially at dawn or dusk. The southern end of the loop between Bald Mountain and Stewart tent sites travels just over seven miles between designated sites, so plan accordingly. The trek along the ridge between all the campsites was pleasant with many stream crossings, several potential swimming holes (especially between Knoll and Lane), and minimal elevation change overall. All photos are from the author with the exception of the waterfall, jay, and banner, which were taken by Josh Rosenthal. The closest campsite from the road is 5 miles in, on the other side of 3,000-foot Puzzle Mountain. At the end of this blog post you can find resources listing campsites, map, and other videos to check out. © Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved. Close to the Sunday River ski area in western Maine near the New Hampshire border, it generally follows the mountain ridge lines that surround Grafton Notch and the Bear River Valley, passing over the summits of Old Speck, the Baldpates, and Sunday River White Cap. There are two trailheads that access the Grafton Loop Trail, one near the north end of the loop and one at the southern end. The Grafton Loop Trail offers a great taste of backpacking in Maine’s rugged mountains. AMC Outdoors > Bulletin: Around AMC > Web Exclusives. Portions of the trail traverse both Maine’s Grafton Notch State Park as well as a good deal of private land. As a result, camping is limited to designated sites and the Baldpate Lean-to on the AT portion of the loop. The Appalachian Trail maps and the ATC logos used on this website are the property of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and are protected by copyright and trademark registrations. While staying there on a backpacking trip of the Grafton Loop over July 4th weekend a few years back, we camped in the area by lean-to. The new sections of trail are connected on the northern end by nearly eight miles of the AT between East Baldpate Mountain and Old Speck, creating one of New England’s best backpacking loops. The MATC also has basic trail information here. The AT portion uses white blazes. Our campsite for the night was Slide Mountain Campsite. By October, freezing temperatures can occur at the higher elevation campsites. I talk about the gear that I took with me. After I thru-hiked the AT in 1999, I never worked full time again. Combined with the 21.1 miles of the eastern section , the Grafton Loop Trail is 38.2 miles of backpacking fun that’s ideal for fall foliage adventures. The Grafton Loop Trail is a 38.6 mile loop through Grafton Notch with commanding views of the Mahoosuc Range. Rob Burbank. All of the designated camping areas have a water source. A beautiful, high meadow sits between the East and West Peaks that is traversed on bog bridges. I encountered almost no other people on the trail. of them. By late October, snow isn’t unusual. North of Stewart tent site the trail crosses and follows several brooks en route to East Baldpate. The Grafton Loop Trail is a 38.6 mile, backcountry hiking experience in the Mahoosuc Mountains of Maine. The longest stretch without a campsite is on the northern end of the loop between Baldpate Lean-to and Bull Run tent site south of Old Speck, approaching eight miles between sites. After living in Maine for eight years, the hike easily ranks as one of my favorite hikes in the state. The trail, which connects to the Appalachian Trail at Old Speck and the East Peak of Baldpate Mountain on either side of ME Route 26, highlights the natural features and mountain peaks of the area encircling Bear River Valley. Took me about ten hours to drive up from Jersey. It's a recently constructed ~40 mile loop that utilizes a few miles of the Appalachian Trail in the western part of the state. We’d like to collect data and track the usage of these sites. Thanks for your support! Portions of the trail traverse both Maine’s Grafton Notch State Park as well as a good deal of private land. Excellent synopsis! Completed in the summer of 2007, the Grafton Loop Trail offers 39 miles of hiking along a trail that connects a series of scenic peaks and other natural features in Maine’s Grafton Notch. The loop was built with backpackers in mind. This 38-mile trail, by connecting to an 8-mile section of the Appalachian Trail (AT), forms a loop encircling Grafton Notch in western Maine, near the village of Bethel. All of the campsites appear to have bearboxes, outhouses and usable water sources. The northern trailhead also access the AT and several other trails, including the route to Old Speck, which is popular with peakbaggers, causing this trailhead to be much more crowded and potentially full. 3,812 foot East Baldpate sits near the northern end where the eastern half of the loop intersects the AT. The AMC Maine Chapter and Maine Appalachian Trail Club maintain the Grafton Loop Trail and shelters/campsites, along with the section of the Appalachian Trail that compose the loop. The Grafton Loop is a roughly 39 mile, 9 summit hiking loop formed by connecting a portion of the Appalachian trail with the Grafton Loop Trail. Best Camping in Grafton on Tripadvisor: Find traveller reviews, candid photos, and prices for 5 camping in Grafton, Australia. The AMC maintains the following four sites on the Grafton Loop Trail in Maine: Bull Run, Slide Mtn, Sargent Brook, and Bald Mtn. The closest campsite from the road is 5 miles in, on the other side of 3,000-foot Puzzle Mountain. Just to clarify, no prior reservation or permit is required for camping at along the Grafton Loop? - We jumped in the Jeep, headed south on ME 26, retrieved Whitney's car, headed home, grilled up some burgers, downed a few cold ones, and talked about how awesome the Grafton Loop Trail was. The trail hikes over open rock with wooden planks traversing fragile alpine vegetation. Trail Connections is a proud member of the following: Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association; Appalachian Mountain Club Seventeen miles are newly constructed trail, which traverse four mountain peaks and include five primitive campsites. https://www.strava.com/activities/3878368520 Wildlife: The Grafton Loop Trail travels through moose country. Perhaps you’ve stayed in a few (or all!) https://www.strava.com/activities/3878371495 More than half a dozen backcountry campsites allow backpackers to split the trip up in many different ways. The trail is a rugged, remote backcountry trail, and much of it is on private land. 26 to Bald Mt Campsite 1.68 mi https://www.strava.com/activities/3870759583 The Appalachian Trail maps and the ATC logos used on this website are the property of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and are protected by copyright and trademark registrations. The trail spends most of its time in the forest, with a handful of open summits that offer classic Maine mountain views stretching all the way the Presidential Range in New Hampshire. Backpackers of all experience levels will find the the loop a worthy destination. On the western half of the trail, expect to use the brooks by ten tsites for water except for the southern two miles between Bald Mountain tent site and the southern trailhead where the trail follows a small brook. Most of the loop’s route can be seen from the summit, including Old Speck, Grafton Notch, the Baldpates, and nearly all of the eastern half of the loop. We frequently had to smack them off our tents through the night. I used my Garmin to track mileages (which seem to differ at times from the AMC signage): For the AMC, this was the first major trail constructed by the club since the building of the Centennial Trail in the Mahoosucs in 1976. Only concern is the ladder that you picture in this article. Use caution on the east side of the loop between Puzzle and Long Mountains, where vegetation obscures the trail in the vicinity of past logging operations. While rodents aren’t unusual at backcountry sites and lean-tos, particularly on the AT, I have a word of caution on the Baldpate Lean-to. In spite of the comedy of errors on my first night of hiking, it still ended up being a marvelous trip. Grafton Notch Campground in Newry, Maine. The trail connects to the AT at two points on either side of Grafton Notch to create a loop, ~42 miles in length. A large parking area is on the right, 4.7 miles from the junction across from Eddy Road, here. Endless peaks can be seen in every direction. Old Speck Mountain: At 4,170 feet, Old Speck is the highest summit on the Grafton Loop and the fifth highest peak in Maine. Those who make the climb are greeted with stunning 360-degree views from the lofty perch. While the ambitious, veteran backpacker could knock the loop out as an overnight trip, the layout of the trail allows those in less of a hurry to hike the route comfortably in three to five days. For those looking to expand on their Grafton Loop experience, the 1.8-mile Woodsum Spur Trail follows the open ledges of Puzzle Mountain before rejoining the loop. Backcountry on a Budget: Low-cost & Free Camping in the Northeast. Sure, you know about AMC’s famed high-mountain hut system. 48:52. The others are maintained by the Maine ATC. Last week I headed up to Maine for a few days on the Grafton Loop Trail. While I never saw a bear in this area, they are not uncommon. March 23, 2017. Grafton Loop Trip Experience. Grafton Loop Trail - Day One - Stewart Campsite Trekking On. I experienced them on East Baldpate and just below Old Speck. You could here them walking and jumping through the vegetation, which is surprisingly loud and disturbing for such a small animal. • Grafton Loop Trail (38 miles, 3 or more days, chal-lenging), a high-elevation, backcountry trail with seven primitive campsites, connects a series of nine scenic peaks, including Old Speck, Sunday River Whitecap, Puzzle Mountain, and East and West Baldpate. The Grafton Loop is a roughly 39 mile, 9 summit hiking loop formed by connecting a portion of the Appalachian trail with the Grafton Loop Trail. I helped build the Grafton Loop Trail during the summer 0f 2000. In a dry year, later in the season, plan accordingly in the event that the brook is not flowing. Oct 3, 2012 - Information on Grafton Loop Trail backcountry campsites and shelters. Slide Mt Campsite to Bull Run Campsite 1.0 mi Construction of this leg of the trail involved many individuals and organizations, including the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, the Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, the Maine Conservation Corps and the AMC. My stay at Stewart Campsite was a peaceful one. The western section of the Grafton Loop Trail (GLT) covers 17.1 scenic miles from the Eddy Road parking lot to the Appalachian Trail lot, both on Route 26. They are used here with permission. The dogs were exhausted. If you are planning a trip to this region, please use our group notification system to let us know of your intent to visit and use any sites along the Grafton Loop Trail. of them. Water is available at each campsite. to Slide Mt Campsite 3.1 mi Cairns mark the route over open summits. The trail traverses strenuous terrain with substantial elevation changes. As a result, camping is limited to designated sites and the Baldpate Lean-to on the AT portion of the loop. The remainder of the trail (another 21 miles) opened in June 2007. ** Regardless of the source, remember to boil, filter, or chemically purify water before use. Bald Mt Campsite to Sargent Mt Campsite 3.4 mi The AMC describes the camping areas along the trail here. We're accepting reservations for the 2020 Camping Season 2020 - OPEN Mid-May through Columbus Day. The best opportunities for moose seem to be on the private land between Puzzle Mountain and Long Mountain, where logging has occurred. Take note that the western portion of the trail is accessed .6 miles south of this trailhead via a road walk on 26. The loop features excellent scenery with challenging, yet fun terrain. The numbers: 39 miles, 3 to 4 days The hike: Crossing nine peaks, this route links a rocky section of the AT with 31 miles of smooth singletrack for a view lover’s tour de force.Start at the south end and hike clockwise, traversing the bare granite ledges of Sunday River Whitecap, where tasty blueberries (ripe in August) from trailside bushes will compete with the views for your attention. Water is available at each campsite. Guide & Map (24x18-inches PDF 1.5MB). The route in the northern sections of the loop … The 2008 trip was one of our classic adventures, and I wrote about it a the time. The trail overall is in good condition. In Newry, head north on 26 Slide Mountain campsite up to Maine for a few advantages, temperatures... Offers an interesting look toward Mahoosuc Notch, a short distance from the trailhead! Style of backpacking in Maine marked with cairns, Australia 21 miles ) opened in June 2007 backcountry on Budget. 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And wet weather isn ’ t an issue already difficult terrain designated sites and the Grafton Loop is late... Traverse steep cliffs, stairs, and protect it from rampant home development Columbus Day report of some from else., 2012 - Information on Grafton Loop trail is a 38.6 mile Loop utilizes... Possible way around this for the night shelter/lean-to and tent platforms or pads in designated area worn down in! But I had no difficulty following the trail crosses and follows several brooks en to... Four Mountain peaks and include five primitive campsites or chemically purify water before.! Including hiking/backpacking, Mountain biking, skiing, kayaking, and protect it from rampant development!
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