Here's the info:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/whitemountain/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD729207
Looks like they shut down the entire White Mt NF. Even the remote places hardly anyone goes to. Maybe this will finally stop the hoards from Boston and down state from coming up here for a while. The trails have been nearly summer time busy lately and this really isn't a good time of year to be on these trails anyway. It's still snowing higher up and it's a swamp lower down.
The trails are open, but only to people who can walk to them from their house. Lucky me, I can walk to several
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The paste below is from a special link on the main page of that website.
Do you know if this list is inclusive of the changes made yesterday? I think it may be, but the text says that it is from April 3rd.
If folks are getting pushed into parking places not on the list —like at many of the trailheads in the Sandwich Range, they will become overcrowded as well.
Not to mention the issue of those irresponsible people who also stop at stores along the way to the area (not smart), or those that drive directly but park on the roads and not at the Trailheads (also not smart).
——————-
Update 04/24/2020: The White Mountain National Forest has issued new temporary shut down orders for many trailheads, day-use areas, and dispersed recreation facilities until further notice. This is in addition to existing temporary closures to recreation sites and/or toilet facilities.
White Mountain National Forest Shuts Down Recreation Sites in Response To COVID 19
The White Mountain National Forest has shut down several recreation sites and/or toilet facilities as of March 26, 2020 for the health and safety of visitors and staff. As the Forest works through an unpredictable and rapidly changing situation, health and safety are the number one priority. The Forest is committed to the continuity of our mission, as well as continuing to support local communities, while doing its part to minimize the impacts and spread of COVID-19. These actions have been taken based on the best available medical advice for cleaning per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and to promote social distancing.
Visitors are encouraged to call Forest Headquarters/Pemigewasset Ranger District (603) 536- 6100, Saco Ranger Station (604) 447-5448, and Androscoggin Ranger Station (603) 466-2713 from 8:00am to 4:30pm Monday – Friday for prompt, customer service.
Please note: As toilet facilities are shut down please plan ahead and use the restroom before arriving.
The following list includes sites that have been shut down as of Friday, April 03, 2020.
We anticipate additions to this list in the coming days as the situation continues. Contact our offices and follow us on Facebook for up to date information
Shut down sites are listed below.
Pemigewasset Ranger District, Campton NH
Recreation sites shut down
- Rumney Rocks Day Use Area (Climbing Area) is shut down, including toilet facilities.
- Ammonoosuc Ravine Trailhead
- Atwell Hill Trailhead
- Baker Pond Trailhead
- Beaver Brook Trailhead
- Crawford Connector Trailhead
- Ethan Pond - Ripley Falls Trailhead
- Smarts Mountain Trailhead
- Lincoln Woods Trailhead
- Moose Mountain Trailhead
- Ore Hill Trailhead
- Osceola Trailhead
- Townline N Trailhead
- Wachipauka Pond S Trailhead
- Welch-Dickey Trailhead
- Zealand Trailhead (Forest Rd 16)
- Beaver Brook Shelter
- Coppermine Shelter
- Eliza Brook Shelter
- Ethan Pond Shelter
- Garfield Ridge Shelter
- Guyot Shelter
- Hexacuba Shelter
- Jeffers Brook Shelter
- Kinsman Pond Shelter
- Liberty Springs Tentsite
- Moose Mountain Shelter
- Ore Hill Tentsite
- Smarts Mountain Cabin and Tentsite
- Three Ponds Shelter
- Trapper John Shelter
- Velvet Rocks Shelter
- Zealand Picnic Area
Toilet facilities shut down:
- Crawford Connector Trailhead
- Ammonoosuc Ravine Trailhead
- Beaver Brook Trailhead (Kinsman)
- Livermore S Trailhead
- Lincoln Woods Trailhead
- Welch-Dickey Trailhead
- Discovery Trail Interpretive Site
Saco Ranger District, Conway NH
Recreation sites shut down:
- Black Mountain Cabin
- Doublehead Cabin
- Radeke Cabin
- Sawyer Pond Trailhead
- Albany Covered Bridge
- Baldface Trailhead
- Basin Cascade Trailhead
- Boulder Loop
- Carter Ledge Trailhead
- Champney Falls Trailhead
- Davis Path Trailhead
- Dowens Brook
- Ferncroft Trailhead
- Hammond Trailhead
- Kearsarge North
- Liberty/ Bolles
- Olivarian Brook
- Piper
- Royce Mountain
- Sawyer Pond ( Kanc . Hwy)
- Sawyer Pond (Upper Sawyer River Rd.)
- Sawyer River ( Kanc . Hwy)
- Signal Ridge
- South Moat Mountain
- Webster Jackson
- Webster Cliff
- Weeks Brook
- White Ledge
- Brickett Place Interpretative Sites
- Diana’s Bath
- Kearsarge Tower Observation Site
- Lower Falls Recreation Site
- Mt. Carrigan Observation Site
- Rocky Gorge Scenic Area
- Russell Colbath Historic Site
- Sabbaday Falls Observation Site
- Baldface Shelter
- Camp Penacook Shelter
- Jim Liberty Cabin
- Nauman Shelter Tentsite
- Sawyer Pond Shelter and Tentsite
Toilet facilities shut down:
Androscoggin Ranger District, Gorham, NH
Recreation Areas shut down:
- Tuckerman Ravine
- Huntington Ravine
- Gulf of Slides
- Albany Notch Trailhead
- Alpine Garden Trailhead
- Caribou West / Mud Brook Trailhead
- Direttissma Trailhead
- East Royce / Spruce Hill Trailhead
- Great Gulf Wilderness Trailhead
- Hastings Trailhead
- Imp Trailhead
- Kilkenny Ridge Trailhead
- Nelson Crag Trailhead
- Nineteen Mile Brook Trailhead
- Pine Mtn / Pine Link Trailhead
- Starr King Trailhead (area is unavailable)
- Thompson Falls Trailhead
- Unknown Pond South Trailhead
- Wild River / Basin Trailhead
- York Pond East Trailhead
- DollyCopp Picnic Area (including pavilion rental)
- Gilead Picnic Area
- Glen Ellis Falls Scenic Area
- Great Gulf Wilderness Parking Area
- Gentian Pond Shelter
- Imp Shelter
- Mt. Cabot Cabin
- Osgood Tent site
- Rattle River Shelter
Rogers Ledge Tent site- Trident Col Tent site
- Unknown Pond Tent site
- Valley Way Tent site
Toilet facilities shut down:
Backcountry campsites and shelters: No services available
Most recreation sites and campgrounds are currently closed from the winter months, while others may not be accessible at this time. For a complete list of White Mountain National Forest recreation sites and their locations: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recmain/whit...ain/recreation
The White Mountain National Forest is following guidelines from the department and the CDC regarding COVID-19, closely monitoring the situation and responding to current conditions
The Forest appreciates your patience and understanding as we all work together to minimize the impacts and spread of the COVID-1
Area Closure News Releases
- White Mountain National Forest Shuts Down Some Busy Recreation Sites
- USDA Forest Service Places a Closure Order for Tuckerman, Huntington and Gulf of Slides
- White Mountain National Forest Shuts Down Recreation Sites in Response To COVID 19
Area Closure Maps
- Closure Order R9-22-20-02 Exhibit A
- Closure Order R9-22-l 9-31 Exhibit B3
- Closure Order R9-22-l 9-31 Exhibit B4
Last edited by rickb; 04-25-2020 at 08:48.
It looks like state owned parking lots aren't closed, like Appalachia here in Randolph. I guess they will all show up here now, like there weren't enough already
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S We have a high rate of Covid-19 in my town west of Boston.
Local trails are crowded, and many people (younger, mosty) don’t seem to be concerned with 6’+ distancing, or face masks when passing.
For the most part we have been able to step way off the trail to let people pass, but there have been some surprises. Yesterday a young person on what looked like a a skateboard with a single wheel in the middle came up behind my wife on some town trails adjacent to Walden Pond without warning.
If I were living in your part of NH I would be really pissed if some of these folks made it your way — even if they did not stop at facilities along the way. No one on this site would ever condone vandalism, but as a practical matter I would not want my Prius with Right Whale MA plates left trailside in your state— and I would certainly understand the feelings that might lead to it.
Just took a walk to the Appalachia parking lot - it's full - some 30 cars - half from MA, couple from ME and VT and one as far away as Maryland(!) plus a few from NH - no doubt southern NH. Self centered idiots. Granted its a nice day, 65F out, but the trail is still ice and slush above 3000 feet and they are going to trash it trying to get around the iffy sections. Double idiots.
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what's a Right Whale MA plate?
Anyone from my town (hundreds of positive cases) who travels to small towns in Coos County NH for recreation are putting people who live there at risk.
I can understand how they might not be appreciative of that.
I think the Forest Service (Feds) are doing the locals a disservice by only closing parking areas.
I would expect people who actually live in the area have opinions across a wide spectrum of viewpoints, but I can sympathize with those who think that I’d be putting their family at risk — and I would understand that those feelings might be communicated in any number of ways, even som which I most definitely do not agree with.
Some "out-of-state" plates are military folks who really do live in the area. Some out-of-state plates may be young adults who are home for quarantining or grad students at a local university. Don't assume that an out-of-state plate means that a person isn't a local!
I've been confused about the closure of the trail (AT). I understand that every shelter and privy is closed, also many of the road crossings, national and state forests are closed as well. I'm confused about how people are still hiking, even though the ATC says on their website that the trail is temporarily closed. I know that it's impossible to keep everybody off the trail; it's not like they can put up gates to block people. But, if people are still hiking if the trail is closed, then are people just not listening to the ATC? Or, is the trail actually still open?
I've been hoping to hike next month in Virginia from the Taylor Mountain Overlook (near Buchanan) to Rt 60 (near Buena Vista). Any info on these locations and their closures?
From what I can find, the seciton you want to do is not currently "closed", with the exception of shelters and privies. The town shelter in Glassglow is closed and getting in and out for a resupply is likely more difficult then usual. Of course, the main problem will getting there and getting back. Finding someone willing to shuttle maybe an issue.
People are still hiking on the AT because not all of it is closed and some people don't care if it is.
Surely there is someplace more local to you where you can go hiking for a few days?
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I can understand the OP’s confusion. It’s not easy to figure out what’s open and whether it’s possible to get there. I tried calling the Tellico Ranger Station during normal business hours and never got an answer and there was no way to leave a message, neither could I find an email addy on the CNP site. I called the main ranger # and got some general info but they couldn’t answer specific questions. I received better info from the folks at Green Cove Motel.
I still can’t figure out if the Cherohala Skyway is open (forgot to ask). It looks open but the only news report that I could find said it was closed. There is a sign posted as you approach the Skyway from Tellico Plains that says the Skyway is closed at the NC line.
OP, I just got home from camping at a free, disbursed campsite on North River Rd. and hiked several trails in the area. I highly recommend it.
I still can’t figure out if the Cherohala Skyway is open (forgot to ask). It looks open but the only news report that I could find said it was closed. There is a sign posted as you approach the Skyway from Tellico Plains that says the Skyway is closed at the NC line.
that is what the news organization that i work for has been reporting.....closed at state line.
I know that on one of the first days of the NC road closures, a reporter went on the Tail of the Dragon (129) and saw road was closed at Deal's Gap.
Barricades in front of it.
And apparently, officials decided to change the way it was closed so that emergency vehicles could get through (cant believe they didnt think of this when they
closed the road the first time)..
Not sure if we sent anyone to the Skyway to look............I was on furlough last week, but i doubt we did.....
we might have used photos if a viewer or an official emailed them to us but furlough makes me not care.
might check graham county government facebook and see if they say about skyway..
I know that they did when it was first closed off but that was a few weeks ago and i never checked again.
National Forests are not closed, at least not in Tennessee. We hiked a bit in the Cherokee NF near Greeneville TN several days ago. Camping areas and facilities were closed, gates locked, but trails were open. I called the Unaka Ranger District ahead of time to confirm, and was able to speak to someone.
We hiked to Margarette Falls. It was beautiful. The trail was not crowded, and the parking area was more than adequate.
Before going to Margarette, we started and abandoned a hike along Squibb Creek in Sampson Mountain Wilderness (17 creek crossings was too many for a chilly morning). Our NatGeo map showed an unpaved road going from the Squibb parking area up the mountain ending at a gate close to the AT near Jerry's Cabin shelter. Since we were driving a 4WD high-clearance vehicle, we figured we'd go exploring. A jeep went up before us, so we thought maybe it would be passable. Rough! Rocky! Narrow! We drove across one creek that was sorta iffy, but the next crossing was a definite NO. I guess the jeep went on??? Anyway, we backed up a bit and turned around. Then we went to Margarette, a much better choice!