Camping advice/Nature advice?

[kitchen_kink]

Hey, folks,

A camping excursion was to occur this weekend; now it isn't.

We were thinking of getting out in nature anyway.

Where do folks generally go when they want to do fall hikes? Or camping?

Comments

[uberjay.livejournal.com]

2 things:

1. Hello! We met at pheromone's party—I was suited up in the school girl outfit. I seem to have remembered your LJ username, but not your actual name, oops. Didn't it have an aztec ring to it? ;)

2. There are lots of excellent places to go camping/hiking around here. Here are a few suggestions (some of which others have mentioned, but I'll second the votes.)

If you want something close, I think The Middlesex Fells are your best bet. This is a pretty nice place, but tends to be a little crowded and dirty. Last time I was there (for rock climbing) I found a bunch of broken glass, but most of it was off the beaten paths and over by the craggy areas.

If you're looking for a 2-3 day weekend kind of trip, there are so many more options. I'm sure there is more local, but I don't know much about the local options, unless you're looking for rock climbing.

a. Anywhere in the white mountains. (NH) Seriously, there are so many options up there. A couple of my favorite hikes are mount Lafayette and Bond Cliff. Acquiring a guide book is probably a good idea, but you may be able to make do with online resources.

b. Mount Monadnock, in Jaffery, NH. This is a popular mountain, but there's a good reason for its popularity. If you want to encounter less people, ascend up one of trails NOT accessible from the main park. Less people and no entrance fee. (for example, the Marlborough and Pumpelly ridge trails are excellent options.)

c. Just recently, jojotbird and I went out to western MA to do some hiking and apple picking. There are a lot of really nice mountains and campgrounds out there. (basically, take 90W until exit 2—almost into NY state.)

d. If you have more time, I strongly suggest driving up to Acadia National Park in Maine. It's beautiful, has really nice hiking, beaches and campgrounds. And some amazing seaside cliffs. ;) If you want a fun hike, try the Beehive or the Precipice trails. It's going to be a ~5 hour drive from the Boston area, so it's good for a long weekend trip.

I'm sure there are more options, but those are my favorites.