Dry River Trail status

Supposed to lead a trip up thataway in October, heading in from Dry River Campground to Lakes. Anyone been up that way recently? Someone mentioned in another thread that this trail doesn't exist anymore, and I'm not so keen on a long 'shwak with a mixed group. Thanks for any info! Didn't see any updates in Trail Conditions section.

Dry River trailhead is closed per this list from the WMNF.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/conditions/cmpgrnds_trails_09052011.pdf

Also, received an email from WMNF Saco saying the Dry River Trail & bridge were closed.

EDIT: Might be best to confirm with Saco before or on your way up in October. Call or stop in.

Saco Ranger District
District Ranger: Mike Martin

33 Kancamagus Highway
Conway, NH 03818
(603) 447-5448 x 0

The Dry River trail is currently closed due to the storm:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/conditions/cmpgrnds_trails_09052011.pdf

From another thread:

JCarter said:

I gave a lift to 2 hikers on Monday that came down the Dry River (apparently there's no signage at the upper end to discourage this behavior). They report that the trail simply no longer exists from halfway down -- they walked in the river for quite a long distance

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hikerbrian said:

Supposed to lead a trip up thataway in October, heading in from Dry River Campground to Lakes. Anyone been up that way recently? Someone mentioned in another thread that this trail doesn't exist anymore, and I'm not so keen on a long 'shwak with a mixed group.

Click to expand...

The very upper part of the trail, intersecting with the Crawford Path somewhat south of Lakes, still exists but using it is verboten because there is some kind of rare growth in the area requiring protection. The official trail now branches off to the right, climbs and meanders north and eventually descends to the hut. It's actually a little frustrating as you see and hear hikers ambling over a flatish/easy Crawford Path to the hut while you're scrambling over rocks, going way out of your way, making a climb you then have to descend from to reach the hut, but you're rewarded by knowing you're protecting something.

12-16 months ago the middle-upper portion of the Dry River Trail was a mass of mud and blowdown tangles. A few weeks ago I noticed it was much improved with lots of rock & log placement through the boggy areas and the tangles of interlocked blowdowns largely cleared to a couple of dozen single trees that were much easier to get under/over.

But who knows, now, after Irene?

I found it easy to follow with a few annoying blow downs just before the climb of Oakes -- last October -- hope it re opens because it's a neat area to explore.

Wonder how that massive bridge fared Irene?

are they sure they were on the trail and didn't lose it at a washout and never find it again? no doubt there are sections close to the river or various tributaries that could easily be wiped out, but in my memory a lot of the lower portion of the trail stays up pretty high above the river. if the whole lower half of the trail is truly wiped out it must be a quite a disaster area. sad if the new bridge is ruined.

bryan

bryan said:

are they sure they were on the trail and didn't lose it at a washout and never find it again? no doubt there are sections close to the river or various tributaries that could easily be wiped out, but in my memory a lot of the lower portion of the trail stays up pretty high above the river. if the whole lower half of the trail is truly wiped out it must be a quite a disaster area. sad if the new bridge is ruined.

bryan

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That's how I remember it, hugs the river banks for the first three miles or so -- maybe some serious erosion has swept those sections away??

bryan said:

are they sure they were on the trail and didn't lose it at a washout and never find it again? no doubt there are sections close to the river or various tributaries that could easily be wiped out, but in my memory a lot of the lower portion of the trail stays up pretty high above the river.

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I agree. The original trail was close to the river with multiple crossings, but was relocated higher up with most crossings gone. But with Wilderness blazing standards, it would be easy to get on the old trail which had already partially disappeared.

bryan said:

are they sure they were on the trail and didn't lose it at a washout and never find it again? no doubt there are sections close to the river or various tributaries that could easily be wiped out, but in my memory a lot of the lower portion of the trail stays up pretty high above the river. if the whole lower half of the trail is truly wiped out it must be a quite a disaster area. sad if the new bridge is ruined.

Click to expand...

I had the same thought that once in the riverbed they might have missed undamaged parts of the trail.

My recollection (late Dec 2002, snow on the ground) is that the approach to the bridge is high, but TH area is low. Above the bridge there were spots where the trail was right along the river and at some points a slip would have put a snowshoe in the water. (We turned up the Isolation Trail, so I don't know about anything farther.) IIRC, most of the trail above the bridge was some distance above the river.

Certainly the lowest spots were at risk.

Doug

RoySwkr said:

I agree. The original trail was close to the river with multiple crossings, but was relocated higher up with most crossings gone. But with Wilderness blazing standards, it would be easy to get on the old trail which had already partially disappeared.

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I only reports what I hears.. I think the part they had trouble with was between the bridge and trailhead. The trailhead on Rt 302 definitely has a "trail closed, entry verboten" sign.

I hope that it's the case that they got confused by relocations + some washouts, then maybe it won't be as massive a repair. I also had a trip planned there for the 1st weekend of October, but that looks like a washout. I can report the Bemis Bridge to the Davis path is in great shape,t though.

When I spoke to the Saco District ranger's office, they confirmed that the DR trail was closed due to damage, but she didn't give any further details.

MichaelJ said:

From another thread: I gave a lift to 2 hikers on Monday that came down the Dry River (apparently there's no signage at the upper end to discourage this behavior). They report that the trail simply no longer exists from halfway down -- they walked in the river for quite a long distance.

Click to expand...

I met two hikers on Saturday who said they went down The Dry River Trail (Oaks Gulf) from LOC. They were disapointed and regretted their descision to hike the Dry River. They said it was a mess and difficult to follow. They went back up to the ridge via the Mount Eisenhower Trail. Sorry, I did not inquire about the Eisenhower Trail. (Maybe it was the same two hikers.)

Thanks all. I called Saco River ranger's office and they said they didn't think the trail would even be looked at before Spring - they've got other things on their plate just now. So I suspect it won't be opened or repaired any time soon.

Aw, sorry to hear that - hopefully you have enough time to replan your trip.

I still need to redline te Mt Clinton trail and wanted to do that this fall -- guess I will be doing a "down and back".