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  1. #1

    Default Katahdin to Gorham NH

    Hello! First let me say that I am grateful for the combined knowledge that WhiteBlaze provides through you all. I am planning to hike from Pinkham Notch to Katahdin in June. Mud, black flies and ticks be damned. I expect to leave my car in Gorham NH. A less preferred option is to leave it a Pinkham Notch. I am trying to figure out how to get from Baxter SP back to Gorham. I know it is possible that an opportunity will evolve while I hike, but I'd like to go into the hike with a plan. A plan that doesn't cost hundreds of dollars. Any thoughts?

  2. #2

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    I know the white mountain lodge shuttles from pinkham notch, https://www.whitemountainslodgeandhostel.com , but not sure if they'd shuttle all the way to Baxter.

  3. #3
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    Buses to Portland? From there to Bangor and Millinocket? Shuttle from Millinocket to BSP? Probably take a couple days.

    https://concordcoachlines.com/stop/gorham-nh/

    https://whiteblaze.net/forum/showthr...-southbounders
    Last edited by egilbe; 05-15-2017 at 18:31.

  4. #4

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    I'll be hiking NOBO. From what I can see, there is only one public trans option. A shuttle from Millinocket to Bangor, then bus to Boston. Then bus from Boston to Gorham. Takes about 13-14 hours. Haven't figured out the cost yet. Ouch.

  5. #5

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    There is no easy way to do it. Basically you have to get back to Boston to get a bus to Gorham. How to get to Portland (where you can connect to Boston) is in the AT Guide. The Gorham bus (of which there is only one a day) leaves South Station at 4:14 PM and arrives at Gorham at 8:40 PM if it's a weekend or closer to 9:30 PM due to commuter traffic, which is bumper to bumper until a ways into NH. So, your timing has to be good not to get stuck in Boston for the night and most of the next day.

    The only other options are to hitch hike or pay for a very, very expensive shuttle. I'm not sure if there is a place for long term parking in Gorham, best call the PD and check.
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  6. #6

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    There is plenty of parking along Railroad Street in Gorham. The Town Hall is on Park Street in Gorham which is one way. Every local cop and quite a few state cops drive up one way Exchange Street onto Railroad street past cars parked on Railroad Street several times a day when they head to Town Hall. Park near the town Library or across the street near Town Hall. I would suggest going into the town hall and letting the police dispatcher know you are parking for long term and your plate number. The town just bought a new building on Exchange street with a big parking lot but I would check with the dispatcher to see if they recommend a specific spot.

    Note the AT does not go into Gorham it skirts around town and crosses RT 2 in Shelburne. I would not leave a car long term at the AT crossing. It a 3 1/2 miles from the Town Hall to the AT crossing. There is a way to walk directly into town via the former AT route via the Mahoosuc trail but most section hikers take the current route (the Centennial trail). Its usually an easy hitch to the US2 crossing.

    $500 for the shuttle http://www.trailangelshikerservices.com/. They advertise the BSP office which actually is 45 minutes from Katahdin Stream Campground in Baxter. Ideally you would end up staying at the AT Lodge and getting a ride in the next day. Its about a 4.5 to 5.5 hour drive from Gorham to KSC.

    The bummer is folks are driving back and forth this way frequently but lining up with when you want to go is the problems.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mando12 View Post
    Hello! First let me say that I am grateful for the combined knowledge that WhiteBlaze provides through you all. I am planning to hike from Pinkham Notch to Katahdin in June. Mud, black flies and ticks be damned. I expect to leave my car in Gorham NH. A less preferred option is to leave it a Pinkham Notch. I am trying to figure out how to get from Baxter SP back to Gorham. I know it is possible that an opportunity will evolve while I hike, but I'd like to go into the hike with a plan. A plan that doesn't cost hundreds of dollars. Any thoughts?
    dont know where you coming from,
    but honestly,flying and using regional bus is convenient
    and you dont have to worry about leaving your car somewhere unnattended for a month.

    Fly into one airport, out from another, skip a lot of bus riding

    If your from NC, do you really want to spend 2 days on a bus to get to your car, and then also have to drive to NC?
    Last edited by MuddyWaters; 05-15-2017 at 21:30.

  8. #8

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by MuddyWaters View Post

    If your from NC, do you really want to spend 2 days on a bus to get to your car, and then also have to drive to NC?
    Personally, for a long trip like that I'd just take the bus from home and be done with it. Flying is quicker, but not hassle free. I doubt you'd do better time wise driving vs the bus and the bus would be a whole lot cheaper. It all depends on your budget and priorities. No doubt you have a reason for wanting to drive which might be aside from just getting to and from the AT.
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  9. #9
    Registered User Water Rat's Avatar
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    Default

    What about drive to Boston, park your car at the airport/some other long-term parking lot, catch the bus to Bangor, then Medway...and enlist the AT Lodge for the SOBO special. Hike to Gorham and catch a bus back to Boston and grab your car. That would most likely be less expensive than a shuttle.

  10. #10

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by peakbagger View Post
    There is plenty of parking along Railroad Street in Gorham. The Town Hall is on Park Street in Gorham which is one way. Every local cop and quite a few state cops drive up one way Exchange Street onto Railroad street past cars parked on Railroad Street several times a day when they head to Town Hall. Park near the town Library or across the street near Town Hall. I would suggest going into the town hall and letting the police dispatcher know you are parking for long term and your plate number. The town just bought a new building on Exchange street with a big parking lot but I would check with the dispatcher to see if they recommend a specific spot.

    Note the AT does not go into Gorham it skirts around town and crosses RT 2 in Shelburne. I would not leave a car long term at the AT crossing. It a 3 1/2 miles from the Town Hall to the AT crossing. There is a way to walk directly into town via the former AT route via the Mahoosuc trail but most section hikers take the current route (the Centennial trail). Its usually an easy hitch to the US2 crossing.

    $500 for the shuttle http://www.trailangelshikerservices.com/. They advertise the BSP office which actually is 45 minutes from Katahdin Stream Campground in Baxter. Ideally you would end up staying at the AT Lodge and getting a ride in the next day. Its about a 4.5 to 5.5 hour drive from Gorham to KSC.

    The bummer is folks are driving back and forth this way frequently but lining up with when you want to go is the problems.
    Good info. Thank you!

  11. #11

    Default

    Mando12, how did you decide to manage this trip? I'm planning to do something similar this year - park my car in an RV lot in Gorham, hike to Katahdin, and then find my way back to Gorham. I know that getting to Millinocket and Medway from BSP isn't too hard - I can hitch or get a shuttle. Cyr Bus Lines will take me to Bangor, and a couple hours later I can catch Concord Bus Lines to Augusta. I still need to find a shuttle from Augusta to Gorham, but that shouldn't be too hard - Augusta is a lot closer to Gorham than Bangor is.

  12. #12
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    I do believe there is a Concord Trailways stop in Gorham. You should be able to get from someplace South of Augusta to get to Gorham. May have to spend a night somewhere inbetween to make the bus schedule work.

  13. #13

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by egilbe View Post
    I do believe there is a Concord Trailways stop in Gorham. You should be able to get from someplace South of Augusta to get to Gorham. May have to spend a night somewhere inbetween to make the bus schedule work.
    Yes, but you have to connect in Boston and be there in time for the once-a-day bus which leaves at 4:15 PM. If it is a weekday, don't expect to be in Gorham until 9:30 PM due to rush hour traffic coming out of Boston. The only days the bus is on time (8:30 PM) is weekends. Making sure you get the August- Boston connection done in time might be the tricky part. Hopefully there is more then once-a-day options, or that the one option times it right. You don't want to just miss the Gorham bus and have to wait until 4 the next day. Of course, getting there early is not an issue and can be fun to tour Boston for a few hours or the day.
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  15. #15

    Default

    The only thing I'm concerned about is getting from Millinocket back to Gorham, and particularly from Augusta to Gorham. For anyone who might be interested, the bus schedules out of Medway going south work quite well in that regard:

    Cyr Bus Line
    Depart Medway 9:30 am
    Arrive Bangor 10:50 am (at the Concord Coach Bus Line bus stop)

    Concord Coach Bus Line
    Depart Bangor 1 pm
    Arrive Augusta 2:15 pm

    I just need to find a shuttle for the 84 miles from Augusta to Gorham.

    I've done that long bus ride from Medway to Boston, spent the night, followed by another long bus ride back to Gorham the next day. I'm never going to do that again! :-)

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by rcjh View Post
    I just need to find a shuttle for the 84 miles from Augusta to Gorham.

    I've done that long bus ride from Medway to Boston, spent the night, followed by another long bus ride back to Gorham the next day. I'm never going to do that again! :-)
    I can sympathize. It might only be 84 miles, but it's nearly 3 hours of driving one way. Bunch of small towns along RT 2 slows it down. Gonna be one expensive shuttle. For enough money, you might be able to get someone out of Gorham to go over and pick you up.
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  17. #17

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    Renting a car might be the best option. Not sure where you can drop it off around here, but you could probably get close.
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  18. #18

    Default

    In Maine there is a term "You cant get there from here" (said with a strong Maine accent). There is no straight route from Augusta to Gorham just a lot of back country state highways. The only car rental agency in the area is Enterprise. A much straighter route is to get off in Waterville and come across via RT 2.

  19. #19
    Registered User egilbe's Avatar
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    What is wrong with going to Boston and then Gorham?

  20. #20
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    Agreed. There is this magical thing called Google Maps Directions

    It will show You the fastest way back to Gorham, NH :-)

    Quote Originally Posted by egilbe View Post
    What is wrong with going to Boston and then Gorham?
    Let me go

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