NewEnglandTrailConditions.com
NewEnglandTrailConditions.com:
MA
|
ME
|
NH
|
RI/CT
|
VT
|
Ski
Hiking Trail Conditions Report
Peaks
Peaks Knox Mountain, ME
Trails
Trails: Knox Mountain Trail
Date of Hike
Date of Hike: Tuesday, March 24, 2020
Parking/Access Road Notes
Parking/Access Road Notes: The pullout was covered in snow and not real obvious. The pullout, as far as I could tell IS where the trail starts so no problems finding the beginning of the path. Some ATV tracks that led into the woods made it obvious though ;) I was barely able to get off the road with the snow and all. 4WD and some clearance will be helpful if doing this in the next day or two before all the snow melts. The parking area is opposite a fire truck lane with a hydrant so keep an eye out for that to guide you. I was the only car there.  
Surface Conditions
Surface Conditions: Snow - Trace/Minimal Depth, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Snow - Wet/Sticky, Slush 
Recommended Equipment
Recommended Equipment:  
Water Crossing Notes
Water Crossing Notes: None. The trail does go through a large puddle in the wet part mentioned in the guidebook but it’s avoidable.  
Trail Maintenance Notes
Trail Maintenance Notes: The “trail” is unmarked and I imagine not really maintained either. There is surveyors tape and red blaze around but I think both mark boundary’s and not the trail. I still occasionally found them helpful though. I found the trail obscure in some places. It’d be real easy to bushwhack but if you’re redlining and trying to stay true to the trail see my comments below. No blowdowns or anything obstructing the pathway.  
Dog-Related Notes
Dog-Related Notes: None seen but they should be fine.  
Bugs
Bugs: I briefly saw some snowfleas around the wet section.  
Lost and Found
Lost and Found: None 
 
Comments
Comments: A nice little evening redline to continue getting the trails in southwestern Maine. There were footprints on the ATV track higher up but I don’t think the actual trail part sees much traffic as I was the first bootprints on it at 5pm today. From the beginning, the trail goes right a little ways before straightening out and ascending to the knoll which you drive by and can see if coming in from the east. The trail was pretty obvious to the knoll but then got obscure. The initial descent line was obvious but then the trail sort of disappeared and it all looked the same. There was a stone wall less than 50 yards to my right. On my way out it looked to me like the trail either banged a hard left almost away from the mountain (which you could see from the knoll) or it bore slightly right. I went with the later. On my way back I corrected my mistake. The trail actually bears slightly left, then straight through a stone wall before coming to the wet area mentioned in the guidebook where a large puddle is currently seen. Once across the puddle you begin to ascend and you come to the stone wall and bear right along the right side of it as the guidebook mentions. The ATV track comes into sight on the other side of the stone wall, disappears again, then comes back into sight. Not sure exactly when I was supposed to cross the stone wall and walk along the ATV track the rest of the way to the top but I chose to do so the second time it came into sight although I think this may have been incorrect.

No more than 4inches of wet snow from yesterday usually less. Didn’t think we’d get that much! It turned to slush where the ATVs has gone over them. Nice views towards Abbott Mtn where I was last week from the summit as well as nearby Picket Mtn and Sugarloaf. Further away you could also see Mount Shaw and the Ossipees and I could barely make out part of the Sandwich Range (Passaconaway I believe).  
Name
Name: Liam Cooney 
E-Mail
E-Mail: liamcooney96@gmail.com 
Date Submitted
Date Submitted: 2020-03-24 
Link
Link: https:// 
Bookmark and Share Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.

Copyright 2009-2024, All Rights Reserved