Theres a good chance that well be the only people camping there at night and that we wont disturb any other groups. Go towards Mt. Fifteen percent of the land is federal wilderness divided into five wilderness areas: Caribou-Speckled Mountain, Great Gulf, Presidential Range-Dry River, Pemigewasset, and Sandwich Range. Theres plenty of room out there for every type of hiker and camper. Campton NH 03223, https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/whitemountain/recreation/camping-cabins/?recid=74405&actid=34. * If you encounter hot spots, douse the ashes with additional water. 7. Education like this is remarkably effective and I hope youll join me in getting the word out to your friends and families. Day 7: Stealth site to Ethan Pond Shelter. It would provide you with more camping options and you would lose less elevation gain when trying to find a spot, because you cannot camp above tree line. White Mountain hiker since 1973. Using naturally colored shelters, such as grey, green, or brown, so other campers and hikers dont see them. No duplication of photos, maps, or text without permission. Stealth camping in the Smokies. Avoid places that show the beginnings of frequent usethose still have a chance to recover if left alone. No camping within 200' of the trail, beyond 200' okay. Within 200 feet of trails and water bodies. The same is true for the Wetland areas running along the Ethan Pond Trail, south of Whitewall Mountain. Get our free Handbook and Receive our weekly newsletter to see what's new at Backpacking Light! Just to the W along the Carter-Moriah Trail. New Hampshire actually has 48 mountains that have peaks that are over 4,000 feet. Deciding to pack out used toilet paper on a trip and bringing two ziploc bags to store it in until it can be disposed of properly in town. Backpacking Light helps hikers and other backcountry enthusiasts overcome their barriers to living a life outside in Wild Places. In the alpine zone - where trees are 8 feet or less. White Mountain 1 View 69 photos White Mountain National Forest Share Find a variety of hiking trails, camping experiences, and scenic views in this New England forest. Pinkham Notch Follow creek downstream, when trail merges away look hard not heavily used. Gale River Loop Road is located in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, and the location has about 15 campsites that can accommodate an RV that is up to 25 feet in length. Most campers mean well but dont understand how fragile the sites they camp at are. It is close to Jericho Mountain, Jericho Lake Park, Ice Gulch Town Forest, and Moose Brook State Park, so there are lots of hiking options nearby that you can explore as well as places to go swimming, fishing, and hunting. Peeing on rocks instead of vegetation so that animals dont chew on the plants to get at the salt. Smokie (that time I almost burned my tent with a canister stove), https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5363715.pdf. Digital Accessibility at RVshare, Last updated on June 23rd, 2022. Basin-Cascades Trail Junction If you descend a short distance on the side trail there are flat spots. Located on the south eastern part of the forest, the District offers a variety of different recreational opportunities. If someone else left trash before you arrived, be kind and pick it up so that it does not make your camping experience less enjoyable. Boondocking Sites in New Hampshire Gale River Loop Road Gale River Loop Road is located in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, and the location has about 15 campsites that can accommodate an RV that is up to 25 feet in length. Depending on how we feel, weather conditions, and the amount of remaining daylight, well camp at the alternate site south of the Zealand Hut Forest Protection Area or the Ethan Pond Shelter and Campsite. Dry camping and lots of wind. We publish 5 new articles every week. We dont want to bring multi-person tents with us because were unlikely to find a large enough space to set them up. If you know of more water sources this would be beneficial . Zealand Summit - After Guyot, and before the descent to Zealand Hut, there is a short side trail for peak baggers to reach the summit of Zealand. That probably applies to the area in questions. There are 24 campsites in this area that you can use for RV or tent camping. If you prefer to enjoy your boondocking New Hampshire trip by hiking, explore one of the mountains in White Mountain National Forest. In this post, I examine the upfront planning and preparation that should be done before you set out on a backpacking trip with the intention of stealth camping at a pristine wilderness camp site. ( Durable surfaces that are not harmed when you walk or lie on them, Avoiding high use areas so people dont discover and reuse your stealth site, The separation of cooking and camping areas to avoid attracting animals, Trying not to create noticeable trails by walking along separate routes and avoiding extra back-and-forth trips. Why do Waterproof/Breathable Rain Jackets Wet Out? Look for a freshwater spring on the NW side of the pond, a couple hundred feet from some established campsites. Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 - 4:30. 71 White Mountain Drive About 1.5 miles past the Lonesome Lake Hut. Go towards the west side of the trail and there are some hardened spots. I just swallow it after brushing. At the summit you will see herd paths that lead to some hardened sites. The fire danger level is moderate and expected to remain that way during our trip. Camping Rules. Clinton Trail outside the FPA you should be able to find some possibilities. For some basic tips on hammocking, click here. Alternative to Lakes of the Clouds Hut Another option is to push to get to either the Perch (tent platforms, great water, and a shelter) located down off Gulfside, NW of Mt. In the alpine zone - where trees are 8 feet or less. Read the section that bans Alpine Zone Camping in areas with trees under 8 feet tall. Mt. BACKCOUNTRY.COM: Shop the Semi-Annual Sale! Garfield Pond - Camp to the R of the AT. Keep campfires small, and burn only small pieces of dead and downed wood gathered from the surrounding environment (leave the hatchets and axes at home). Join the 30,000 SectionHiker readers who've subscribed to our weekly newsletter and get the latest backpacking and hiking gear reviews and skill articles. We use cookies to provide you with a great experience and to help our website run effectively. The contour lines in these areas suggest a gradual slope which may yield level camping. (Various sites.) A Membership is required to post in the forums. Green Valley Lake is a hidden gem for all seasons. but carry water from streams as you climb up probably first .5m of ascent. Liberty (head south) you will be outside the FPA. Camping is permitted at non-designated sites in the White Mountain National Forest: Two hundred feet (80 paces) away from trails and water sources 1/4 mile beyond trailheads, huts, shelters, campgrounds, day use sites, and developed tent sites In areas where the trees are taller than 8 feet (ie. No loud noises - sound travels! So I'm planning a trip to the white mountains again - this time in late June. OSPREY-PACKS: Backpacking Pack Sale! The trail rises to about 3000 feet along the side of The Cannonballs. My family have trip next month. Free Shipping and Returns. I was amazed that most responders agreed (I wasnt one of them). From RV campgrounds and full-service sites and river or mountain views, the White Mountains offers incredible variety for campers. There are dozens more. Copyright 2007-2023, SectionHiker.com and Fells Press LLC. At a minimum, we are likely to move sticks and rocks from the areas we want to lay on the ground; we will compress the ground that we sit, lie, or walk on, and we will probably create noticeable paths between out cooking and shelter area. United States government. If we cant find level, vegetation free sites to sleep on cook on in the pristine areas, well continue hiking on our route. Great. Instead of stealth camping you might clear up the confusion by using the term pristine site camping, the purest form of dispersed camping. Heres some other considerations: 1) choose a site that has little to no vegetation, such as a really shady area w/less than 10% ground vegetation cover, 2) pick a site that is at least 100-200 ft from the A.T. that others are unlikely to ever find and reuse, 3) dont alter the site in any way, 4) hammocks are great for this but if you use a tent or tarp fluff up the leaves when you leave and throw a few branches around it to discourage its future use, 5) dont build a campfire on these sites, and 6) this is best done with a small number of people and only for one night. Share sensitive information only Dry camping and lots of wind. Kamping Kabin Village. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock You can choose a family-friendly or rv-friendly campground near your favorite attraction, a backcountry tent site or a White Mountain National Forest Campground site. The Alternate Site is a hideous, highly impacted stealth site that was overused by many campers who saw that others had camped there previously. You're currently viewing a free preview of a member exclusive premium article. What is the Best Backpacking Tent for the Appalachian Trail? How Much Should a Backpacking Tent Weigh? Please consult the Forest's Backcountry Camping Rules . Garfield Summit Climbing up the old fire tower platform, look down to the right. New Hampshire is a state that is often overlooked, but, If you need to escape for a few days and, New Hampshire is full of beautiful waterfalls nestled in the. ) or https:// means you've safely A collection of resources for planning a safe, healthy, and responsible experience on the Appalachian Trail. Zeacliff Pond - a short descent (steep!) From there is a steady descent to the Hut. The hut crew will instruct you to descend to the Valley Way tent site about 1 mile down to the North of the hut. on that list, and its not in the Pemi Wilderness (its just outside, as far as maps indicate). I think the trail to Jim is called the Ridge Trail leading to Mts. Flat rock ledges can accommodate some tents. Journey across the Kancamagus Scenic Byway; experience the famous Mt Chocorua area; find solitude in the Presidential Range-Dry River or Sandwich Wildernesses; or discover the beauty along Scenic Route 113. I was shocked to see several high-impact stealth sites along the Franconia Ridge Trail last weekend that were literally 10ft-20ft from the trail!! Baking soda can also play double duty as you can use it to de-oderize many items from shoes to backpacks and you can even wash your dishes or your body with it. Is this from the LNT course you recently took? We also share information about your use of our site with our social media and analytics partners. Terrible thing. Other options in this area are Gray Knob and Crag Camp (both Randolph Mountain Club enclosed facilities run on a caretaker basis). Looking forward to the rest of this series! Occupy and pay or site within 1/2 hour of arrival. Flat areas are just past the lake, protected from winds but still above tree line and not recommended. However, in the more typical scenario of a designated shelter site or campsite, it may actually be harder to find a spot where suitable trees are spaced the right distance apart. There is a small 1 person site squeezed between rock/cliff and trees. 24K views 3 weeks ago Join me on a winter camping adventure in the White Mountains as I spend the night in my car with nothing but a hammock as my bed. Bisected by Interstate 93, you can jump off at exit 28 and escape up to Waterville Valley or push on a little further to exit 32 and relish the day traveling through the mountains on the Kancamagus Scenic Byway; challenge yourself at the world renowned Rumney Rocks Rock Climbing Area; seek renewal in the large and remote Pemigewasset Wilderness; brag about the one that got away at Russell Pond. Agreat way to create an instant unofficial campsite, especially along the AT, is to put up a No Camping Beyond This Sign signs! Madison Hut area - Just to the East is a small lake on side trail descending into Madison Gulf. Washington) and find a spot. Either fork leads to sites, water from pond/stream. If it has not rained recently, the chances for wildfires will be significantly higher. Them up with our social media and analytics partners you prefer to enjoy your boondocking new Hampshire trip by,... 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