V7E3 - Water Under the Bridge

Written By: Chris Shontz / @venture4WD

Having concluded my visit to Vermont, I continued northeast into New Hampshire, with my sights set on the state’s northern landscape. Initially, northern New Hampshire is rural, but developed with charming small towns and villages. As you continue north, logging roads that double as ATV routes start to emerge, which seemingly branch off in every direction. You may follow any number of these backcountry roads, but your experience may vary! Sometimes, the roads will terminate at a gate, sometimes at a private cabin, and other times, they recede back into nature, only to be rendered impassable. North of Errol, New Hampshire, feels very wild and undeveloped, giving way to a system of logging roads rich with interesting hikes, attractions, and natural features.   Garfield Falls Although it was too late in the day to do more exploring, I plotted a course to Garfield Falls, in Pittsburg, New Hampshire, where I would spend the night at the trailhead. Then, when morning came, I’d hike down to the falls. It was a very short walk to Garfield Falls; a quarter mile by my guess. The hike was unremarkable at first. It followed a well-traveled, earthen footpath down a densely forested hillside. The falls became audible as I approached, and then they emerged, parallel to a rustic log staircase that led to their base.Over the millennia, the water carved a deep gorge out of the towering gray rocks, garnished with soft blankets of moss at their edges. The water churned over the cascades, twisting its way through the chasm to form multiple deep pools. The main falls, roughly two stories tall, pooled into a basin that I found too inviting to resist. Despite the cool morning air, I stripped down to my trunks, and went for a refreshing dip. It was freezing, but I have no regrets! Garfield Falls is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever experienced. It’s just a pin-point on a map, but I’d happily sit on a rock for hours on end - or even days - and marvel at my surroundings.   Hiking the Fire Tower A map of the area was posted at the trailhead at Garfield Falls, and upon examining this, I discovered that there was a nearby fire tower, also accessible via a short hike. So I returned to the Jeep and set off for Magalloway Mountain, which was roughly 30 minutes away via logging roads. When I arrived at the parking area, I was surprised to see another car, as the logging roads went on forever, and they felt so remote! I loaded my day pack with my camera equipment, water, my GPS, some snacks, and started hiking up the mountain - albeit with a mildly sore ankle that I had hurt a couple weeks back. The injury wasn’t too debilitating, but a strenuous two-mile hike was just about my limit! Although it was only a mile to the top, this hiking trail offered no reprieve. It was uphill the entire way, and the last stretch was a steep slog up a rock-strewn section that had me panting and sweating profusely. At the top, the woods opened up into a grassy clearing. The hikers who belonged to the other car were there, in addition to two rustic cabins, and the old steel observation tower which rose above the treeline. I ascended the tower, and although the cabin at the top was closed, there was a platform just below that offered a phenomenal 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains - including Vermont, Canada, and even Maine, which was just a stone’s throw to the east!   Refuge at Rangeley Lake That evening, I settled into camp at Rangeley Lake State Park, a comfortable and well-equipped fee campground located in Rangeley, Maine. I was still fighting an ongoing war with mosquitoes, so once again, I deployed my ARB 2500 Awning with Deluxe Screen Room, and to take things even further, I sprayed my clothes with Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent. Between the shelter and the spray, I was very comfortable that night. I even managed to enjoy some burgers on the grill and kick back with a cold beverage after an adventure-filled day!   North into Maine Following an enjoyable visit to Rangeley, which was a lovely, lakeside, destination town, I traveled north to Eustis via paved roads. From Eustis, it was my goal to travel even further north, into Jackman, by way of the road less traveled! Google Maps yielded a route that was long, and paved, and round-about. It might’ve been 100 miles or more. However, Jackman was only 40 miles north, as the crow flies, and there was a vast network of logging roads between the two towns, so I left the paved road and hoped for the best. My first attempt was a failure. After several miles, I came to a closed checkpoint for a logging area that prevented further progress. However, when I told the gentleman at the checkpoint that I was trying to drive through to Jackman, he replied, “Gold Brook Road will take you there!” It took a little sleuthing to find Gold Brook Road on my map, but it was only a short distance to the west. Once again, it was another logging road with a lot of truck traffic, but it was passable, and offered a lot of opportunities to explore! Around three quarters of the way through, the logging road turned, and degraded to a lightly traveled two-track. In a short distance, I found out why… First, a large water crossing gave me pause, prompting me to check the depth of the water and the consistency of the ground beneath it. It wasn’t even knee-deep and it featured a solid base, which made it well within the fording-ability of the Jeep! Second, I encountered an extremely dilapidated bridge, which threatened to swallow any full-size vehicle that misplaced its tires. A sign warned, “Light traffic only. Cross at your own risk.” I inspected the bridge, and the steel frame was intact. It was only the wooden surface layer that was rotten. I carefully aligned my passenger-side tires with the steel beam, and idled across. Before long, I found myself back on a wide, gravel, logging highway, which ultimately emptied onto pavement only a short distance to the west of Jackman. Success! Exploring is exciting as is, but when you find an enjoyable, adventure-filled road that travels all the way through without terminating - that’s a win!   Destination Greenville From Jackman, I continued to the town of Greenville, on the shore of Moosehead Lake, the largest lake in the state. There, I settled into camp for the night, but not before witnessing a moose and two calves wander across the road. The moose sighting made it official - I was in Maine. 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