Lovely hike near Tumbledown with a better view and lots of open ledges on the way up. This trail was closed to the public for a few years while the owners resolved their differences with the state. The only thing it needs is a good swimming spot. The state park nearby is too expensive and I'm hopeful that there are some other choices on Webb Lake. If not, Coos Canyon is not that far away.
History: Did it in 2007 with a mixed age group. Len Bogh also ran it a time or two in '01 or '02.
Drive Time: 90 min (+)
Hike time: 90 min each way
Age Level: Mid-Upper (11-15)
Swim: TBD
Ice Cream: South Paris or the Petting Zoo
Blueberry Mt
The triumph. The tragedy. Such is the long torturous story of Blueberry Mt. Over the last couple of years the main attraction has been going for a swim once the hike is over in Bickford Slides or Rattlesnake Pool. While this has often helped wash away the memory of the hike, it remains a strenuous hike with only average views.
The hike up from Bickford Slide is particularly problematic since the best viewpoint is downhill on the White Cairn Trail from its junction with the Blueberry Ridge Trail after a very steep ascent.
The best part of the Blueberry Ridge trail comes on the continuation to Speckled Mt. where it's more gradual and the trail emerges on several ledges with ever improving views all the way to the summit. (We ran it as an overnight once but the group got off to a late start and did not make it to the summit).
Drive Time: 1 hr 45 min
Hike Time: 90 min each way
Age/Ability Level: Older (13-15)
The hike up from Bickford Slide is particularly problematic since the best viewpoint is downhill on the White Cairn Trail from its junction with the Blueberry Ridge Trail after a very steep ascent.
The best part of the Blueberry Ridge trail comes on the continuation to Speckled Mt. where it's more gradual and the trail emerges on several ledges with ever improving views all the way to the summit. (We ran it as an overnight once but the group got off to a late start and did not make it to the summit).
Drive Time: 1 hr 45 min
Hike Time: 90 min each way
Age/Ability Level: Older (13-15)
Burnt Meadow Mt
This one has gone over well the two times I've done it although I know of one other time that it was less of a success. The biggest headache for counselors is finding the trailhead. It's very small and on a curve in the road that makes it hard to see. Once that detail is under control, the trail has a lot of variety and some nice outlooks before reaching the flat summit.
We ran it last year for counselor trip day with an eye toward using it as a mountaintop overnight. The summit, although flat is rather rocky and we didn't see possibilities for more than a couple of tents. The mountain is gaining in popularity and the AMC is constructing another trail somewhere on the mountain. Stay tuned.
Drive Time: 45 min
Hike Time: 90 min each way
Swim: Saco River (Route 160 canoe put-in)
Ice Cream: Naples
We ran it last year for counselor trip day with an eye toward using it as a mountaintop overnight. The summit, although flat is rather rocky and we didn't see possibilities for more than a couple of tents. The mountain is gaining in popularity and the AMC is constructing another trail somewhere on the mountain. Stay tuned.
Drive Time: 45 min
Hike Time: 90 min each way
Swim: Saco River (Route 160 canoe put-in)
Ice Cream: Naples
Mt Caribou
Back in the day (Mid 90's), we ran this trip quite a lot. Some trips mystify me as to why they didn't work. This one mystifies me as to why it did. It should be too long to complete it a day but for some reason our girls always did. It's not as high and less steep which is probably why. In any case, it's in Evans Notch near East Royce, Speckled and Blueberry and has two trails that form a nice loop. It has a large open summit with a kind of natural climbing tower.
2009-Ran it in the rain and still had a great time. The Bluberry Trail is not maintained as well but it still worth doing for some interesting stream crossings and falls.
Drive Time: 1 hr 30 min
Hike Time: 5 hr (complete loop)
Ice Cream: Breau's Too
2009-Ran it in the rain and still had a great time. The Bluberry Trail is not maintained as well but it still worth doing for some interesting stream crossings and falls.
Drive Time: 1 hr 30 min
Hike Time: 5 hr (complete loop)
Ice Cream: Breau's Too
Chocorua
This one has gone both ways more than any other hike that we've done. Sometimes it's been a dazzling success. Other times it's been a complete disaster. Never anything in between.
On the plus side, Chocorua is one of New Hampshire's signature mountains. Anchoring the southeast corner of the White Mt National Forest the view from the top is truly magnificent. As major mountains go, it's not that far from camp making it possible to do as a day hike.
The downside is that although the trail is relatively gradual, it's long. There's also not a lot of positive reinforcement (like views) along the way. The number of trails on the mountain can cause confusion especially towards the top where many of them meet. And to top it all off, the mountain is named for the Indian Chieftain who cursed the people who murdered him as he was thrown off the mountain. Never a dull moment.
Drive Time: 90 min
Hike Time: 2-3 hours each way
Age/Ability Level: Day Trip older (14-15), O'night: Middle (12-13)
Swim: You won't have time.
Ice Cream: Conway
On the plus side, Chocorua is one of New Hampshire's signature mountains. Anchoring the southeast corner of the White Mt National Forest the view from the top is truly magnificent. As major mountains go, it's not that far from camp making it possible to do as a day hike.
The downside is that although the trail is relatively gradual, it's long. There's also not a lot of positive reinforcement (like views) along the way. The number of trails on the mountain can cause confusion especially towards the top where many of them meet. And to top it all off, the mountain is named for the Indian Chieftain who cursed the people who murdered him as he was thrown off the mountain. Never a dull moment.
Drive Time: 90 min
Hike Time: 2-3 hours each way
Age/Ability Level: Day Trip older (14-15), O'night: Middle (12-13)
Swim: You won't have time.
Ice Cream: Conway
Mt Crawford (Proposed)
This summit tends to get overlooked most likely because of the overwhelming features around it; Mt Washington, Crawford Notch, the Davis Path. But it's the ideal length for a trip-day trip and has an interesting summit and an amazing viewpoint somewhat like being on the prow of the Titanic looking over the Dry River Valley to Mt Washington with the Giant Stairs and the Montalban Ridge on the right.
It's ascended by a short spur off of the Davis Path. The sign although clear is not well placed and this is not the turn you want to miss. It's definitely a hike for older girls. Not as steep as East Royce, for example, but longer and steep enough to give everyone a good workout.
Drive Time: 1 hr 45 min
Hike Time: 2 hr 30 min each way
Ice Cream: Bridgton or Naples
It's ascended by a short spur off of the Davis Path. The sign although clear is not well placed and this is not the turn you want to miss. It's definitely a hike for older girls. Not as steep as East Royce, for example, but longer and steep enough to give everyone a good workout.
Drive Time: 1 hr 45 min
Hike Time: 2 hr 30 min each way
Ice Cream: Bridgton or Naples
East Royce
Steep and strenuous hike to a fabulous viewpoint on the Maine-New Hampshire border. We've used this as a lead-up hike for Katahdin or just as a day trip for older girls with good success. It's been overused at times in the past but not so much recently.
Drive Time: 1 hr 45 min
Hike Time: 90 min each way
Swim: Nothing close but there generally hasn't been time.
Age/Difficulty Level: Older (14-15), Strenuous.
Drive Time: 1 hr 45 min
Hike Time: 90 min each way
Swim: Nothing close but there generally hasn't been time.
Age/Difficulty Level: Older (14-15), Strenuous.
Hike Bus Twofers
Cathedral Ledge & White's Ledge: We've done both of these trips but not as a hike-bus twofer. The complication with this one is two separate trailheads. What might work is dropping off the Cathedral group at Echo Lake and then parking the bus at the trailhead for the Mount Stanton Trail. The Cathedral group can swim or hang at the lake while the bus waits for the White's Ledge group to return. Of course, a less complicated trip would be to just send the whole group up Cathedral and not split the group or thrash around trying to find the Mt Stanton trailhead.
Other Hike Bus trips we've done include:
Dome Rock & Lightning Ledge
Hedgehog Loop & Mt Potash
Mt Willard (big group)
Another possibility although I've balked at the 2 hour drive is Mt Percival and Mt Morgan near Squam Lake in New Hampshire. The hikes themselves are relatively easy, have good views and have trails that spiral over themselves.
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Other Hike Bus trips we've done include:
Dome Rock & Lightning Ledge
Hedgehog Loop & Mt Potash
Mt Willard (big group)
Another possibility although I've balked at the 2 hour drive is Mt Percival and Mt Morgan near Squam Lake in New Hampshire. The hikes themselves are relatively easy, have good views and have trails that spiral over themselves.
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Little Kid Hikes
All of these hikes are good as long as you have enough other stuff to do to fill in the rest of the day so it's kind of a good-news/bad-news situation. The success or lack of it has generally hinged on how well we have complemented the hike with other activities.
Streaked Mt: Steep but short. Our girls are generally off the mountain by 1:00. Lake Pennesseewassee is a good swim choice and the Gem Mines are in the same area.
Douglas Mt: There's short and there's really short (this one is about 30 min each way max). There's a glass museum and Sebago Lake nearby. It probably needs one other thing to fill it out.
Sabbatus Mt: Kezar Lake is the major attraction nearby. There's also the sign that points to all the towns named after countries not far away. Still needs another activity,
Mt Tire'm: We've only run this one once in conjunction with an age group overnight so it's difficult to tell. My sense of it is that it's a creditable hike but like the others needs some other activities.
Bradbury Mt: This one has enough stuff around it to make it work. The hike is quite short but combined with visits to the Desert of Maine, the world's largest globe at the DeLorme store and a trip to the beach have filled up the day quite nicely.
Morse Mt: We've never tried this with younger girls and haven't explored what other possibilities are in the area for that reason. But it's easy enough that we might want to think about it.
Wolfe's Neck: Calling this a hike isn't entirely accurate. It's a great trip but we tend to walk the loop trail until we find a nice beach spot and then hang out and check out the marine life along the beach rather than complete the trail.
Mt Crag: This one is an exception to the needing-more-stuff rule partly because it's a longer hike and mostly because it's a longer drive. The drive can be tough on littlies but the trail has a turnstile and a cool view of Mt Washington and the cog railroad. The one thing it needs is a good swim spot which despite the presence of the Androscoggin River I have yet to find.
Streaked Mt: Steep but short. Our girls are generally off the mountain by 1:00. Lake Pennesseewassee is a good swim choice and the Gem Mines are in the same area.
Douglas Mt: There's short and there's really short (this one is about 30 min each way max). There's a glass museum and Sebago Lake nearby. It probably needs one other thing to fill it out.
Sabbatus Mt: Kezar Lake is the major attraction nearby. There's also the sign that points to all the towns named after countries not far away. Still needs another activity,
Mt Tire'm: We've only run this one once in conjunction with an age group overnight so it's difficult to tell. My sense of it is that it's a creditable hike but like the others needs some other activities.
Bradbury Mt: This one has enough stuff around it to make it work. The hike is quite short but combined with visits to the Desert of Maine, the world's largest globe at the DeLorme store and a trip to the beach have filled up the day quite nicely.
Morse Mt: We've never tried this with younger girls and haven't explored what other possibilities are in the area for that reason. But it's easy enough that we might want to think about it.
Wolfe's Neck: Calling this a hike isn't entirely accurate. It's a great trip but we tend to walk the loop trail until we find a nice beach spot and then hang out and check out the marine life along the beach rather than complete the trail.
Mt Crag: This one is an exception to the needing-more-stuff rule partly because it's a longer hike and mostly because it's a longer drive. The drive can be tough on littlies but the trail has a turnstile and a cool view of Mt Washington and the cog railroad. The one thing it needs is a good swim spot which despite the presence of the Androscoggin River I have yet to find.
Moat Mt (In History)
We ran this hike once and it didn't go well. The summit views are cool, the mountain is relatively short and there's a large bare area between the two southernmost summits. What hurt this trip, in my opinion, was that the AMC White Mt Guide rates it as easy and even lists it in their easy hikes section of the Mt Washington chapter. It might be easy compared to Mt Washington but it's long and somewhat challenging as a day trip and we need to present it with that in mind. That being said, I think it can be a successful trip for older girls or a good overnight hike for the middle of the bunkline
Drive Time: 1 hr 30 min
Hike Time: 2 hr 30 min each way
Ice Cream: Bridgton/Naples
Drive Time: 1 hr 30 min
Hike Time: 2 hr 30 min each way
Ice Cream: Bridgton/Naples
Morse Mt
The two times we've done this trip yielded two dramatically different results. One was a chill trip with Noah with a group that enjoyed it thoroughly, the other was during a bug-hatch that gave it the nickname 'Mosquito Mountain' with JR leaping to the rescue driving a van up the access road to limit the misery.
The true charactar of the hike is hopefully closer to the first experience than the second. It's a short hike up a not terribly high mountain with a nice view of the tidal flats south of Bath not far from Popham Beach. You can actually hike down the other side to a nice beach. There are strict limits on what you can do at the beach since it serves as a bird sanctuary so plan accordingly.
It's also easy enough that we might want to consider doing it with younger girls and add some additional activities.
The true charactar of the hike is hopefully closer to the first experience than the second. It's a short hike up a not terribly high mountain with a nice view of the tidal flats south of Bath not far from Popham Beach. You can actually hike down the other side to a nice beach. There are strict limits on what you can do at the beach since it serves as a bird sanctuary so plan accordingly.
It's also easy enough that we might want to consider doing it with younger girls and add some additional activities.
Pleasant Mt
The trip our campers love to hate, most likely because the name belies the difficulty level, the viewpoint is off the summit and the view isn't always that great because of poor visibility. Tripping, on the other hand sees a manageable hike without the long drive and is hard pressed to resist. The mountain is a long ridge with four trails ascending from different points. There's a good map included in the AMC Maine Trail Guide.
Firewardens Trail: This is the easiest way up the mountain. No views on the way up but that's true of all but one of the trails.
Ledges Trail: Steeper and more challenging, the payoff is views of Moose Pond on the way up.
Bald Peak Trail: Bald Peak is no longer bald although there is a dedent view below the summit heading south along the ridge. The trip along the ridge to the main summit is wooded and lacks views. This is more of a too-much-effort-for-too-little-reward trail.
MacKay Pasture Trail: Lots of interesting views as you ascend the south end of the ridge. The downside of this one is that there isn't a clearcut end-point. Continuing on to the main summit involves a significant drop before the final ascent. We tried this trip once in the rain so the jury's still out on this one. I also tried renaming it Mt Godzilla to see if it would alter the girls intensity level with mixed results.
Drive Time: 45 min
Hike Time: 2 hours each way
Ability Level: Mid-Upper (12-15)
Swim: I'm a little foggy on this. There are places to swim in the area but some are restricted to local residents. The nearest one that I've used (although never with this hike) is where route 160 crossed the Saco River in East Brownfield.
Ice Cream: Naples
This Year's Crazy Plan to Hike Pleasant Mt and Make it FUN: Run it as an overnight. Camp on the One-Mile Ledge and then do the summit and the MacKay Trail the following day. The one obvious complication is that it's a separate pick-up point and would involve either leaving a vehicle or sending someone. Either way, the trip will need a supplemental driver.
And of course, since I'm tiring of hearing kids complain about the name, call it by the name on all the local signage; Shawnee Peak.
Firewardens Trail: This is the easiest way up the mountain. No views on the way up but that's true of all but one of the trails.
Ledges Trail: Steeper and more challenging, the payoff is views of Moose Pond on the way up.
Bald Peak Trail: Bald Peak is no longer bald although there is a dedent view below the summit heading south along the ridge. The trip along the ridge to the main summit is wooded and lacks views. This is more of a too-much-effort-for-too-little-reward trail.
MacKay Pasture Trail: Lots of interesting views as you ascend the south end of the ridge. The downside of this one is that there isn't a clearcut end-point. Continuing on to the main summit involves a significant drop before the final ascent. We tried this trip once in the rain so the jury's still out on this one. I also tried renaming it Mt Godzilla to see if it would alter the girls intensity level with mixed results.
Drive Time: 45 min
Hike Time: 2 hours each way
Ability Level: Mid-Upper (12-15)
Swim: I'm a little foggy on this. There are places to swim in the area but some are restricted to local residents. The nearest one that I've used (although never with this hike) is where route 160 crossed the Saco River in East Brownfield.
Ice Cream: Naples
This Year's Crazy Plan to Hike Pleasant Mt and Make it FUN: Run it as an overnight. Camp on the One-Mile Ledge and then do the summit and the MacKay Trail the following day. The one obvious complication is that it's a separate pick-up point and would involve either leaving a vehicle or sending someone. Either way, the trip will need a supplemental driver.
And of course, since I'm tiring of hearing kids complain about the name, call it by the name on all the local signage; Shawnee Peak.
Rumford Whitecap
This is a beautiful mountain with a beautiful trail featuring lots of ledges and views on its upper half. I got involved with it because I loved hiking it but kept getting lost.
In the last two years new connecting trails and new signage have been added to try and clarify the situation. It's an improvement but it can still be tricky. Stay tuned for more improvements.
Drive time: 1 hour+
Hike time: 1 hour+ (each way)
Swim: Covered Bridge-Ellis River
Ice Cream: South Paris or the Petting Zoo
Needs a trip folder
History; Run as a work trip in 2006 and 2007
but not as a trip day trip
In the last two years new connecting trails and new signage have been added to try and clarify the situation. It's an improvement but it can still be tricky. Stay tuned for more improvements.
Drive time: 1 hour+
Hike time: 1 hour+ (each way)
Swim: Covered Bridge-Ellis River
Ice Cream: South Paris or the Petting Zoo
Needs a trip folder
History; Run as a work trip in 2006 and 2007
but not as a trip day trip
Streaked Mt
Poor old used and abused Streaked Mountain. Good views from the summit. Ugly towers on the summit. The trail is actually quite steep. On the good side, just beyond the main summit there's an ATV trail on the right to a slightly lower southern summit free of ugly towers and with a good view of Lake Thompson. According to the Maine Atlas & Gazetteer, there's also a longer trail up the back (eastern) side of the mountain but I was never able to find it (one attempt, several years ago). This trip might be a good one to combine with another activity in the same area (gem mines).
Drive Time: 40 min
Hike Time: 1 hour (each way)
Age level: Youngest
Swim: Lake Pennesseewassee
Ice Cream: South Paris or the Petting Zoo
Drive Time: 40 min
Hike Time: 1 hour (each way)
Age level: Youngest
Swim: Lake Pennesseewassee
Ice Cream: South Paris or the Petting Zoo
Tumbledown Mt
Lots of possibilities that we've never been able to fully exploit. Part of the issue is that the three trails not only start in three different places but end in three different places. Another is that running it as an age group overnight makes a more strenuous hike a harder sell because the likelihood is that it will be a mix of stronger and weaker hikers. Here are the choices and some of the issues around them:
Drive Time: 1 hr 45 min
Hike Time: 2 hours each way
Swim: Tumbledown Pond
Age/Ability: Older (13-15)
Parker's Ridge Trail: This is the most gradual of the trails but also the longest. It also comes to an overlook above Tumbledown Pond and descends. Matt Strudwick led a trip day version on this trail and ran out of time. No one had the energy to descend to the pond knowing they would have to climb back up to make the return trip. I considered this route for an overnight once hoping to use an old shelter at the trailhead. And although the shelter is no longer available it's something we might still consider as a route after an overnight at Coos Canyon.
Loop & Brook Trails: To my knowledge, this is something we haven't tried because the trailheads are 1.4 miles apart and the Loop Trail in particular would be a difficult descent (iron rungs leading through an opening in the boulders) which is why we usually hike the Brook Trail both ways. But with two minis and an adventurous group it would be definitely be possible.
Drive Time: 1 hr 45 min
Hike Time: 2 hours each way
Swim: Tumbledown Pond
Age/Ability: Older (13-15)
Parker's Ridge Trail: This is the most gradual of the trails but also the longest. It also comes to an overlook above Tumbledown Pond and descends. Matt Strudwick led a trip day version on this trail and ran out of time. No one had the energy to descend to the pond knowing they would have to climb back up to make the return trip. I considered this route for an overnight once hoping to use an old shelter at the trailhead. And although the shelter is no longer available it's something we might still consider as a route after an overnight at Coos Canyon.
Loop & Brook Trails: To my knowledge, this is something we haven't tried because the trailheads are 1.4 miles apart and the Loop Trail in particular would be a difficult descent (iron rungs leading through an opening in the boulders) which is why we usually hike the Brook Trail both ways. But with two minis and an adventurous group it would be definitely be possible.
Wright Trail
I asked the Maine chapter of the AMC who's responsible for maintenance and set off a whole series of e-mails between the chapter, the Maine Bureau of Public Lands and I'm not sure who all else. My guess is that it may take some time for them to sort it all out and in the meantime the lower section of the trail could use some love.
What it needs most is some good old-fashioned brush trimming to push back some of the encroachment onto the trail on the 2.2 miles from the trailhead to where the trail splits at a campsite.
Drive Time: 90 min
Hike Time: 2 hours each way
Age Level: Middle (11-13)
What it needs most is some good old-fashioned brush trimming to push back some of the encroachment onto the trail on the 2.2 miles from the trailhead to where the trail splits at a campsite.
Drive Time: 90 min
Hike Time: 2 hours each way
Age Level: Middle (11-13)
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