Hiking Maine Mountains
The mountains of Maine are distinctly New England. The flanks of the mountains are covered with trees and trails on them carve upwards, often steeply, through thickets of maple and pine. Some mountains here are stubby, some are magnificent. Here are ten Maine alpine hiking experiences.
Mount Agamenticus, in far-southern Maine, includes a web of trails. Although not tall by mountain standards, the mountain provided a landmark for Colonial-era sailors.
Bradbury Mountain State Park hosts many trails for hikers, horses and mountain bikers and has easy access to nearby Freeport and Portland.
Pleasant Mountain, the tallest mountain in southern Maine, is the home to the Pleasant Mountain ski area and has a web of popular hiking routes. It’s close to Sebago Lake.
Camden Hills State Park, on Maine’s MidCoast, may have the name ‘hills’ in its name, but there’s definitely mountain hiking there. A popular trail heads steeply up Mt. Megunticook for views of the surrounding sea.
Acadia National Park - Penobscot and Sargent Mountains Loop. Acadia, Maine’s only national park, has so many great mountain hikes that it’s impossible to pick the best. This 9.5-mile loop, however, is a favorite.
Tumbledown Mountain is a popular and scenic climb in western Maine and features a small lake near the top.
The Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit. Want some bragging rights? Summit Mount Kineo, Number Four Mountain, Whitecap Mountain, Eagle Rock, Big Moose Mountain, and Borestone Mountain in the Moosehead Lake area and win the Pinnacle Pursuit challenge. Summit all the peaks within 48 hours (!) and/or in the winter and earn extra points.
Grafton Notch Loop Trail.This difficult, 38-mile hike starts at the Grafton Notch State Park and winds up and through the Mahoosuc Range in far-western Maine.
The Bigelow Range, near the Sugarloaf ski area, offers hikers the chance to bag several tall Maine peaks in a day, all while ascending some lung-busting trails.
Katahdin. The peak (sorry) of alpine experiences in Maine. At 5,267 feet, it’s the state’s tallest and most famous mountain. Not to be taken lightly; it’s tough, beautiful and unpredictable.
Want more? Check out Maine Trail Finder for detailed information on routes across the state.