New Designated Wilderness
The New England Wilderness Act of 2006 added a new Wilderness (Wild River) and expanded an existing Wilderness (Sandwich Range) based on recommendations in the 2005 White Mountain National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan (the Forest Plan).
Below are text descriptions of the boundaries as specified in the Act. You can also download the text descriptions as well as maps showing the boundaries (PDF files).
Download text descriptions of new Wilderness boundaries
Download map of Wild River Wilderness
Download map of Sandwich Range Wilderness showing additions
New England Wilderness Act of 2006
White Mountain National Forest Wilderness Boundary
Text Descriptions
Wild River –Wilderness Boundary
BEGINNING at a point in an easterly tributary of the Wild River and in a line that is 200 feet southeasterly of the suspension bridge along the Highwater Trail over the Wild River.
THENCE southeasterly to the intersection of the main branch of Blue Brook with a tributary that runs southerly.
THENCE upstream with the main branch of Blue Brook to its intersection with two tributaries that run southeasterly and northeasterly.
THENCE with the more southerly of the two tributaries upstream to its intersection with a tributary that runs southerly.
THENCE upstream with this southerly tributary to its source and continuing southeasterly to an intersection with a line parallel with and 50 feet northwesterly of the centerline of the Basin Rim Trail.
THENCE southwesterly with said line 50 feet northwesterly of and parallel with said Basin Rim Trail, Meader Ridge Trail and Baldface Circle Trail to the summit of North Baldface Mountain.
THENCE southwesterly about 19,000 feet to the summit of an unnamed peak lying southwesterly about 6,500 feet from Perkins Notch Shelter.
THENCE northwesterly about 6,500 feet to the intersection of lines parallel with and 50 feet easterly of the Rainbow Trail and 50 feet northerly of and parallel with the Wild River Trail.
THENCE northerly with said line parallel with and 50 feet easterly of the Rainbow Trail to an intersection with a line parallel with and 200 feet easterly of the Carter Moriah Trail (Appalachian Trail).
THENCE northerly with said line parallel with and 200 feet easterly of the Carter Moriah Trail to an intersection with an arc 500 feet east of the junction of Carter Dome and Carter Moriah Trails at Zeta Pass.
THENCE around said arc, counterclockwise, to an intersection with a line parallel with and 200 feet east of the Carter Moriah Trail (Appalachian Trail).
THENCE northerly with said line parallel with and 200 feet easterly of Carter Moriah and Kundeskeag Trails to a point opposite of the intersection of said Kundeskeag trail and the Rattle River Trail.
THENCE northerly to an intersection with a line parallel with and 50 feet southerly of the Kundeskeag Trail.
THENCE easterly with said line parallel with and southerly of the Kundeskeag Trail to the intersection with the Shelburne Trail.
THENCE northeasterly about 1,950 feet to Howe Peak.
THENCE southeasterly about 1,340 feet to position opposite a drainage which runs southwesterly.
THENCE southwesterly to said drainage and continuing down said drainage to an intersection with a line parallel with and 50 feet northwesterly of the Highwater Trail.
THENCE with said line parallel with and 50 feet northwesterly of said Highwater Trail to a position 200 feet southwesterly of the suspension bridge over the Wild River.
THENCE southeasterly with said line parallel with and 200 feet southwesterly of the suspension bridge to the PLACE OF THE BEGINNING.
Sandwich Range – Wilderness Boundary (additions only)
Waterville Unit
BEGINNING at the summit of Bald Knob in the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness boundary
THENCE northeasterly to a position in the centerline of Drakes Brook near the intersection of Drakes Brook Trail and Waterville Nordic Trail.
THENCE upstream with Drakes Brook about 1200 feet.
THENCE northeasterly to a point 66 feet southeasterly of the Waterville Valley Nordic trails.
THENCE generally northerly and easterly with a line 66 feet southeasterly of and parallel with the Waterville Valley Nordic trails to an intersection with the centerline of Snows Brook
THENCE northeasterly to a point 66 feet southeasterly of the high point of Snows Mountain Trail.
THENCE northeasterly to a point 66 feet southeasterly of the high point of Cascade Path.
THENCE N45°E to an intersection with the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness boundary.
THENCE generally southerly and westerly along the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness boundary to the PLACE OF THE BEGINNING.
HedgeHog Unit
Bounded Northerly by a line beginning at summit of Potash Mountain in the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness boundary and running southeasterly to a point in the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness that is 0.3 mile due west of a point 66 feet westerly of Bolles Trail.
Bounded Easterly, Southerly and Westerly by the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness.
EXCEPTING that portion of the above described area that lies within the area that is northerly of a line 66 feet southerly of and parallel with the UNH trail.
Ferncroft Unit
BEGINNING at the southeasterly corner of the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness at a point 66 feet westerly of Bolles Trail.
THENCE continue southerly with a line parallel with and 66 feet west of the centerline of Bolles Trail to an intersection with a line parallel with and 66 feet northerly of Bickford Path Trail.
THENCE southwesterly with said line 66 feet northerly of and parallel with Bickford Path Trail 2,600 feet to a point.
THENCE northwesterly to a point due east of the summit of Mount Mexico.
THENCE due west to the summit of Mount Mexico in the existing boundary of Sandwich Range Wilderness.
THENCE in a straight line northwesterly to a point 66 feet northerly of the terminus of Forest Road 5224.
THENCE southwesterly to Corner 30 of U.S. Tract 57P.
THENCE westerly, southerly and westerly with said Tract 57P to the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness boundary.
THENCE following the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness boundary back to THE PLACE OF THE BEGINNING.
ALSO including U.S. Tract 512a which lies easterly of the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness and southwesterly of the above described Ferncroft Unit.
Guinea Pond Unit
BEGINNING at a southerly corner of the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness which is 66 feet westerly of the Guinea Pond Trail.
THENCE southerly and westerly with a line parallel with and 66 feet northwesterly of the centerline of Guinea Pond Trail to an intersection with the Black Mountain Pond Trail.
THENCE northwesterly to a point 66 feet northerly of the terminus of FR418.
THENCE southwesterly to an intersection with a line parallel with and 300 feet northeasterly of the centerline of Sandwich Notch Road at a point where the road curves to the south and northwesterly. (This curve in Sandwich Notch Road is approximately due west of the southerly end of Kiah Pond)
THENCE northwesterly with said line parallel with and 300 feet northeasterly of Sandwich Notch Road to an intersection with Line 137-138 of Exception No. 1 of U.S. Tract 985.
THENCE northerly and westerly with said Exception No. 1 of U.S. Tract 985 to an intersection with said line parallel with and 300 feet northeasterly of Sandwich Notch Road.
THENCE northerly with said line parallel with and 300 feet easterly of Sandwich Notch Road.
THENCE due north about 2,750 to a saddle between an unnamed peak and a ridge. (Said unnamed peak lies easterly of Atwood Pond and the ridge lies westerly of the Algonquin Trail.)
THENCE northeasterly to the summit of Black Mountain in the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness boundary.
THENCE easterly, southeasterly and northeasterly with the existing Sandwich Range Wilderness boundary to the PLACE OF THE BEGINNING.
