Wild River Hike
Wild River Trail to Black Angel Trail to Basin Trail
Evan's Notch Maine
July 18 2016
Overview: This was an approximately 7 mile hike with 1300/1400 feet in elevation. It took us about 5 hours-we didn't walk fast, but also the terrain was rougher than I anticipated--the Black Angel trail, in particular, was where most of the elevation gain occurred. My hiking partner had a mild injury so picked this as a relatively easy hike. I thought this hike was going to be low-key and boring (I like hikes that take you above treeline ideally, or at least to good views). I was wrong. This one didn't have views out over the mountains but was one of the most beautiful hikes I've done.
The Hike:We started at the Wild River Campground (about 5 miles up Wild River Road, a left off of Rte 113 -the beautiful narrow road that winds its way through Evan's Notch). The Wild River Trail (an old railroad bed) follows Wild River at a very moderate grade meandering along and away and above and back to the river. This river is one of those beautiful Maine rivers, water rushing past huge tan boulders, plunge pools beneath
waterfalls, tea-colored water. I don't know why the water is that color- tannins from decomposing organic material or is it from iron? That's supposed to be the most common cause of brown water. Whatever the source the water was clear and beautiful.
Black Angel Trail We followed the Wild River trail for 2.7 miles until we reached the intersection with Black Angel Trail, A left turn onto this trail took us up and over a notch between an un-named mountain to the north and Baldface to the south--couldn't see these mountains. The hike up and over that pass was steeper than we thought it would be--nothing terrible, but not simple in the intense heat and humidity of that day. The forests
there felt primeval, the hemlocks seemed taller than I'm used to.
There were lots of mushrooms-it had rained the last couple days so I imagine they were taking advantage of the moisture to send up their fruiting bodies. I found a large chaga on a recently fallen yellow birch so pried off what I could with my knife. There were wetlands up there and moose sign. Lots of little streams and rocky moss covered grottos, liverworts, fern
Basin Trail After 2.3 miles on the Black Angel Trail we took a left turn onto a 0.3 mile connector trail that led to the Basin Trail. This turn was a little confusing because a sharp left led to the Blue Brook Tentsite--I don't think this was labeled--so if you take this turn you actually want the middle left turn--towards the Basin Trail, if you continued straight you'd get to Rim Junction and then turn left onto the Basin Trail. We then followed the Basin Trail for 2 miles back to Wild River Campground. This part was different and just as spectacular--it went along Blue Brook. The water was still tea-colored but the rocks were different-huge slabs canting downwards towards the side of the hill, cliffs, more boulders but these were all gray and black, more angular than those in Wild River. At one point cliffs towered over the brook. The predicted thunderstorms started to blow in, rolls of thunder followed by light rain that you could hear hit the canopy but barely trickled down to us. Then the storm opened up and torrents of rain came down-it was glorious! Pouring rain but shafts of sunlight through the trees--reminded me of those "Box of Rain" lyrics
"Walk into splintered sunlight
Inch your way through dead dreams
to another land
Maybe you're tired and broken
Your tongue is twisted
with words half spoken
and thoughts unclear
What do you want me to do
to do for you to see you through
A box of rain will ease the pain
and love will see you through"
Great hike! I highly recommend it! One more awesome thing-we only saw 2 other people the whole time!
Wild River Trail to Black Angel Trail to Basin Trail
Evan's Notch Maine
July 18 2016
Overview: This was an approximately 7 mile hike with 1300/1400 feet in elevation. It took us about 5 hours-we didn't walk fast, but also the terrain was rougher than I anticipated--the Black Angel trail, in particular, was where most of the elevation gain occurred. My hiking partner had a mild injury so picked this as a relatively easy hike. I thought this hike was going to be low-key and boring (I like hikes that take you above treeline ideally, or at least to good views). I was wrong. This one didn't have views out over the mountains but was one of the most beautiful hikes I've done.
The Hike:We started at the Wild River Campground (about 5 miles up Wild River Road, a left off of Rte 113 -the beautiful narrow road that winds its way through Evan's Notch). The Wild River Trail (an old railroad bed) follows Wild River at a very moderate grade meandering along and away and above and back to the river. This river is one of those beautiful Maine rivers, water rushing past huge tan boulders, plunge pools beneath
 |
| Something lives in that hole! |
 |
| wood sorrel-great trail nibble |
 |
| Slime mold |
 |
| Forked Fungus Beetle |
 |
| Prying off the chaga |
 |
| Heading down Black Angel Trail-moss covered rocks |
Basin Trail After 2.3 miles on the Black Angel Trail we took a left turn onto a 0.3 mile connector trail that led to the Basin Trail. This turn was a little confusing because a sharp left led to the Blue Brook Tentsite--I don't think this was labeled--so if you take this turn you actually want the middle left turn--towards the Basin Trail, if you continued straight you'd get to Rim Junction and then turn left onto the Basin Trail. We then followed the Basin Trail for 2 miles back to Wild River Campground. This part was different and just as spectacular--it went along Blue Brook. The water was still tea-colored but the rocks were different-huge slabs canting downwards towards the side of the hill, cliffs, more boulders but these were all gray and black, more angular than those in Wild River. At one point cliffs towered over the brook. The predicted thunderstorms started to blow in, rolls of thunder followed by light rain that you could hear hit the canopy but barely trickled down to us. Then the storm opened up and torrents of rain came down-it was glorious! Pouring rain but shafts of sunlight through the trees--reminded me of those "Box of Rain" lyrics
"Walk into splintered sunlight
Inch your way through dead dreams
to another land
Maybe you're tired and broken
Your tongue is twisted
with words half spoken
and thoughts unclear
What do you want me to do
to do for you to see you through
A box of rain will ease the pain
and love will see you through"
Great hike! I highly recommend it! One more awesome thing-we only saw 2 other people the whole time!
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