Wild River Road Status

[DayTrip]

I know Wild River Road has been closed, likely for the season, but I was curious if anyone had any updates on it. TrailsNH and the USFS page don't seem to have anything beyond the initial closure (11/21/23 and 3/22/24 respectively).

>Has anyone visited the area? Is it gated right at Rte 113 or is partial travel possible (i.e. to Burnt Mill Brook Trailhead)?
>Is foot travel allowed or is that prohibited?(I think the USFS just mentioned snowmobile traffic not allowed and the campground is closed until further notice but it didn't mention foot traffic).

I usually take a multiday trip in there every July so this has been a huge bummer. Most of the terrain I prefer is more to the Central/SE of the Wilderness so I'm trying to decide if it is worth a big (and potentially annoying) road walk in to Burnt Mill or Sherburne or if alternate routes like Bog Brook or one of the steep routes out of Evans Notch would be more sensible.

If anyone has the latest news or has traveled the road to check it out I'd appreciate the info. Thanks in advance.

 

[dailey7779]

Friend of mine walked the road last week, this is what she wrote, "Counted 18 full washouts in 5.5 miles, 3 of them are REALLY BAD!"

I'll probably head out there soon and try and get some pictures.

 

[sierra]

I know Wild River Road has been closed, likely for the season, but I was curious if anyone had any updates on it. TrailsNH and the USFS page don't seem to have anything beyond the initial closure (11/21/23 and 3/22/24 respectively).

>Has anyone visited the area? Is it gated right at Rte 113 or is partial travel possible (i.e. to Burnt Mill Brook Trailhead)?
>Is foot travel allowed or is that prohibited?(I think the USFS just mentioned snowmobile traffic not allowed and the campground is closed until further notice but it didn't mention foot traffic).

I usually take a multiday trip in there every July so this has been a huge bummer. Most of the terrain I prefer is more to the Central/SE of the Wilderness so I'm trying to decide if it is worth a big (and potentially annoying) road walk in to Burnt Mill or Sherburne or if alternate routes like Bog Brook or one of the steep routes out of Evans Notch would be more sensible.

If anyone has the latest news or has traveled the road to check it out I'd appreciate the info. Thanks in advance.

You can get in there pretty quick using the East Royce trail off 113. I climb East and West Royce from there and it's pretty nice.

 

[DayTrip]

Friend of mine walked the road last week, this is what she wrote, "Counted 18 full washouts in 5.5 miles, 3 of them are REALLY BAD!"

I'll probably head out there soon and try and get some pictures.

That would be appreciated. I'd take the Highwater Trail but areas of that are so messed up that I figured walking the road, even if it is messed up, would be faster. You can't lose the road...(or at least I hope it's not that bad! )

 

[DayTrip]

You can get in there pretty quick using the East Royce trail off 113. I climb East and West Royce from there and it's pretty nice.

I've done West Royce via Burnt Mill Brook and LOVE that summit area! All the moss and carpeted pathways are tremendously scenic. I think this is my favorite way up that ridge although the Basin Trail is also very nice. I've never done East Royce. East Royce looks like a steep climb (I think 1200-1300 ft in just 1 mile) and I'll be toting water for an overnight and camera gear so I was trying to avoid. Then again, just killing myself early and getting to the "good stuff" right away can work too.

 

[JoshandBaron]

That would be appreciated. I'd take the Highwater Trail but areas of that are so messed up that I figured walking the road, even if it is messed up, would be faster. You can't lose the road...(or at least I hope it's not that bad! )

They were able to get a quad to the campground for a recent rescue, I'm sure you'll be fine.

 

[sierra]

I've done West Royce via Burnt Mill Brook and LOVE that summit area! All the moss and carpeted pathways are tremendously scenic. I think this is my favorite way up that ridge although the Basin Trail is also very nice. I've never done East Royce. East Royce looks like a steep climb (I think 1200-1300 ft in just 1 mile) and I'll be toting water for an overnight and camera gear so I was trying to avoid. Then again, just killing myself early and getting to the "good stuff" right away can work too.

It's steep right out of the gate, but it's not a long section. You get to the junction and it levels right out.

 

[JToll]

Another option to get to the Wild River Campground without a 5 mile road walk would be to take the Basin Trail from the Basin Campground. There is one steep section approaching Rim Junction, but the rest is pretty mild .

 

[peakbagger]

Given the FS proclivity to get rid of things that might require maintenance in the future like the nearby Moriah Brook bridge, I wonder if they might just close down the campground and leave the road like it is until they have a planned cut that needs the road? My guess is the revenue from the campground will not cover the nearly yearly spring rebuild of the road. These 100-year flood events are now happening nearly yearly, sometime multiple times.

 

[Scubahhh]

Is hike-in camping legal at Wild River? I realize that even if not, any rule is prolly not enforced, but I’m getting to an age where I try to obey the law whenever it’s convenient ;-)

 

[JoshandBaron]

Is hike-in camping legal at Wild River? I realize that even if not, any rule is prolly not enforced, but I’m getting to an age where I try to obey the law whenever it’s convenient ;-)

Negative. Closure Order R9-22-24-03 - Wild River Campground

Order is for 2 years or until rescinded.

​

 

[DayTrip]

Given the FS proclivity to get rid of things that might require maintenance in the future like the nearby Moriah Brook bridge, I wonder if they might just close down the campground and leave the road like it is until they have a planned cut that needs the road? My guess is the revenue from the campground will not cover the nearly yearly spring rebuild of the road. These 100-year flood events are now happening nearly yearly, sometime multiple times.

That is a great little campground but with so few sites even if they were all booked 7 days a week that can't be a whole heck of a lot of money as you suggest. Getting it reopened does not seem like a big priority at the moment....or maybe they're just getting funds approved for a major restoration of the road, with new bridges, and pavement, and expanded parking areas... <INSERT LAUGHTER HERE>

 

[DayTrip]

Another option to get to the Wild River Campground without a 5 mile road walk would be to take the Basin Trail from the Basin Campground. There is one steep section approaching Rim Junction, but the rest is pretty mild .

There's plenty of options for sure. I just really love following the Wild River that first 2-3 miles from the campground with all the pools and viewpoints and easy grades. Then I'll hike up and out one of the ridges and zig-zag around doing whatever catches my curiosity, finishing at the river. Every now and then I just scrap the hike altogether, find a big pool and just hang out for a few hours and do nothing.

 

[DayTrip]

Given the FS proclivity to get rid of things that might require maintenance in the future like the nearby Moriah Brook bridge, I wonder if they might just close down the campground and leave the road like it is until they have a planned cut that needs the road? My guess is the revenue from the campground will not cover the nearly yearly spring rebuild of the road. These 100-year flood events are now happening nearly yearly, sometime multiple times.

I wonder if there is any kind of long range plan to divert people into areas like this? I think it was last Summer I was cruising up the Wild River Trail and met up with a USFS volunteer who was doing a "people count" survey (SUN morning around 10AM or thereabouts). Kind of blew my mind that they were doing a survey like that in such a quiet area. First thing I asked him was if I was the first person he had seen today. "Yes" was the reply. I suppose they could be deciding if the area was worth continuing to maintain at all given how few people go in there too.

 

[Ken MacGray]

I was cruising up the Wild River Trail and met up with a USFS volunteer who was doing a "people count" survey (SUN morning around 10AM or thereabouts).

Sounds like one of the USFS wilderness monitoring visits. I've done several of these and my next one will be on Mt. Resolution on 7/25. Usually I only encounter a few people and sometimes it's been zero.

 

[peakbagger]

Several years ago a friend and I decided to do the Black Angel trail and we met a FS volunteer doing a people count and asking what trails we had done and what trails were planning to use. . We talked with him for a bit and he revealed that the FS was coming up with justification to remove the Moriah Brook bridge. One of the many reasons used to justify the removal was that the usage in that area was low.

Given its distance from Mass, Wild River and the Speckled /Caribou Wilderness really does not get the traffic that other wilderness area get.

 

[DayTrip]

Given its distance from Mass, Wild River and the Speckled /Caribou Wilderness really does not get the traffic that other wilderness area get.

2 of my favorite areas up there. Solid 4-4.5 hour drive for me depending on traffic.

 

[jdhill08]

Sounds like one of the USFS wilderness monitoring visits. I've done several of these and my next one will be on Mt. Resolution on 7/25. Usually I only encounter a few people and sometimes it's been zero.

As part of a two-day backpacking trip, I did the loop of the Thoreau Falls, Wilderness, and Shoal Pond trails on a glorious Sunday morning last summer. I am quite sure I was the first person through there in a day or two based on the number of cobwebs I ate along the way.

 

[JoshandBaron]

As part of a two-day backpacking trip, I did the loop of the Thoreau Falls, Wilderness, and Shoal Pond trails on a glorious Sunday morning last summer. I am quite sure I was the first person through there in a day or two based on the number of cobwebs I ate along the way.

That's probably my favorite loop hike in the whites, via Nancy Pond with side quests to Whitewall, the plane crash memorial, and the Bond meadow.

 

[DayTrip]

Friend of mine walked the road last week, this is what she wrote, "Counted 18 full washouts in 5.5 miles, 3 of them are REALLY BAD!"

I'll probably head out there soon and try and get some pictures.

I hiked up there yesterday and today and did a good portion of the road heading out today. I was encouraged overall. All the bridges I passed were intact and had no runoff on the edges. There are some sections of "aggressive washboarding" but nothing I wouldn't traverse in my CrossTrek. 99% of the road I walked was fine.

There are indeed 3 bad washouts though 1-2 miles in but they are fairly short. The one closest to Rte 113, roughly a mile in, is the worst and also includes bank erosion where parking for the river was that is definitely not safe now. The road is not at all totally destroyed though so hopefully it will get fixed sooner rather than later. Hopefully....