Hello,

I was potentially looking to backcountry camp somewhere in Pinkham Notch, near the Eisenhower/Pierce/Webster area. I can't find any overall pinkham notch camping restrictions on (http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOC ... 363715.pdf), but a friend of mine says that backcountry camping is restricted in most of Pinkham Notch. Is this true? If not, any suggestions where I could camp? Thanks!

Pierce/Webster/etc are not really anywhere near Pinkham Notch, but they are close to Crawford Notch (and parts of the mountains do fall within the park boundaries). And yes, I believe most of Crawford Notch fairly near the road is restricted to designated camping sites only, as it is a State Park (Crawford Notch State Park). If you get outside the state park boundaries, then you fall under the backcountry regulations you mentioned. The Dry River side of the ridge is 100% OK for backcountry use (except near the road), but is within a Wilderness Zone so those regulations apply. There are numerous designated (but not on the map) backcountry sites scattered around in there, marked with a simple wooden sign with a tent symbol on it.

If you actually meant Pinkham Notch, then I think you are in better shape, but the usual 1/4-mile from any road, 200+ feet from any trail in the Wilderness and certain other ones, and so on, all listed in that document, still apply.

Where exactly were you looking? We might be able to give you more/better information if you had a firmer idea of where you were thinking of staying.