Sawyer River Road

[Pete Hogan]

I was reading a hiking website and came across this:

"There are rumors kicking around that Sawyer River Road might be closed to foot traffic while it's undergoing final repairs between June and August."

Does anyone have any information regarding this possibility?

[JoeCedar]

According to this thread on VFTT, it is closed to vehicular traffic. The prevailing opinion is that one can't ride a bicycle and get credit for NH48, etc., patch according to AMC rules, while the road is closed to vehicular traffic.

There is nothing to stop you from walking the road (or down on the river bank, if you would be interfering with work on the road). I went that way last winter and there is one major washout to be repaired and maybe some other smaller spots. At the major washout there is no problem walking above or below it off the roadway.

It was a 35 minute walk from rt 302 to the trailhead. No big deal.

[Pete Hogan]

Gee.....I wasn't looking for a "way out", but rather a way in.

Here is some additional information:
https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportun...=core&_cview=1

I am fully aware of the requirements for legitimizing a summit, but I thank you for your thorough reminders.

[Jay H]

If Carrigain is the goal, there are other albeit longer ways to Carrigain through Desolation Wilderness.. I think there is a nice long approach from Lincoln Woods (though check the bridge/stream status). I may be talking out of my *ss though as the maps aren't in front of me but I've looked at the alternate route before (rather than Sawyer River road).

Jay

[JoeCedar]

There is nothing stopping you from bushwhacking west from Rt 302 (or walk SRR for a while then start the bushwhack), joining the trail north of the trailhead. It is nice open woods around there. Probably wouldn't save any time, but would completely avoid the road work if that is a concern. AMC doesn't disallow bushwhacks to any peak.

[Raymond]

If Sawyer River Road is blocked to all traffic, you can try following the Sawyer River Trail from the Kanc. It’s described in your White Mountain Guide in Section 4. If you can get across the Swift River, which you’ll know within a third of a mile, it looks like clear sailing from there to the upper end of Sawyer River Road, with only 150 feet of elevation gain over 3.8 miles. That would still put you about two miles from the Signal Ridge Trail parking lot, but there should be a short cut. Check Map 2: There’s a forest road that cuts across to the Signal Ridge Trail a short distance east of its fork with Carrigain Notch Trail.

That was my plan last October, but the Swift River was too high to cross, so I had to drive around.

I found the Signal Ridge Trail end of that forest road, so it definitely exists at that end. It wasn’t marked — it just looks like a herd path, rather than a woods road — and I have no idea how it is at the Sawyer River Road end. It is pretty overgrown, but I followed it maybe a quarter-mile before turning back after encountering a moose.

[Dunbar]

Just FYI the road is definitely closed to traffic right now. I walked it and it is in good condition but they still aren't allowing vehicles to pass. I ran in to quite a few people that were surprised by having to do additional mileage on the way to Carrigain. Pretty quick walk from 302 to the normal trailhead though.

[Raymond]

And no parking pass required.