The Best Maine Hiking Throughout the Whole State
Maine contains many mountain ranges. The most famous are the White and Appalachian Mountains. Other mountain ranges within Maine are Mahoosuc Range, Longfellow, Rangeley-Stratton, and Notre Dame Mountains. While, I have not hiked in Maine, I have skied there. It is a very peaceful state with lots of green and cold weather. It is similar to the western pacific coast of Washington and Oregon. In this article, I’m going to talk about the most popular hikes and hiking challenges within the state. Hopefully, you can find some new peaks to explore!
Also, in this article, you will read about Maine hiking trails, Maine hiking trips, Maine hiking Acadia, Maine hiking groups, Maine hiking challenges, Maine hiking spots, Maine hikes near Portland, Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park, hiking trails in Maine with waterfalls, Maine hiking mountains, and more.
This post is all about Maine hiking.
Maine Hiking:
Maine Hiking Challenges
First on our list is, the Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit, which is a nice beginner to mid-intermediate hiking challenge. It offers great scenic views of the Moosehead Lake region, in Greenville, Maine. There are 6 hikes included in this challenge, that you can complete at your own pace. All you have to do is, record the date you completed each trail, the time you reached the summit, and a picture of yourself at the summit.
You can pickup an application for the challenge at the Moosehead Lake Visitor Center, or download the paper work online (here). Once you have completed the application you will return it to the Moosehead Lake Visitor Center. You can also complete this challenge in the winter, to become a winter member. As well as, you can become an Ultra member by finishing all six peaks within 48 hours! Finally, here are the peaks!
- Mount Kineo- 3.8 miles round trip, with an ascent of 737ft, and a total elevation of 1,450ft. Directions can be found, here.
- Eagle Rock- 6.3 miles round trip, with an ascent of 897ft, and a total elevation of 2,290ft. Directions can be found, here.
- Borestone Mountain- 3.5 miles round trip, with an ascent of 962ft, and a total elevation of 1,923ft. Directions can be found, here.
- Number Four Mountain- 3.3 miles round trip, with an ascent of 1,373ft, and a total elevation of 2,890ft. Directions can be found, here.
- Big Moose Mountain- 4 miles round trip, with an ascent of 1,647ft, and a total elevation of 3,196ft. Directions can be found, here.
- Whitecap Mountain- 6.5 miles round trip, with an ascent of 1,909ft, and a total elevation of 3,644ft. Directions can be found, here.
{Related Article : The Best Maine Road Trip}
Maine Hiking Challenges Continued
Second hiking challenge is the Maine 4000-Footers. This challenge encompasses all the trails that are 4,000ft in elevation or higher. To complete this challenge, you will hike 14 different mountains, in 4 different mountain ranges (Baxter State Park, High Peaks, Bigelow Range, and Eastern White Mountains), and over 280 miles of the Appalachian Trail. You can apply, here, and hike the peaks listed below, to completely finish this challenge!
- Spaulding Mountain- 9.3 miles round trip, and an elevation gain of 4,084ft, directions are here.
- Mount Redington- 9.5 miles round trip (loop with South and North Crocker Mountains too), an elevation gain of 3,881ft, and directions can be found, here.
- Saddleback Horn- 6.3 miles round trip, 2,752ft elevation gain, and directions can be found, here.
- South Crocker Mountain- 11 miles round trip (looped with Crocker, and Mount Redington as well), 3,353ft in elevation gain, and directions can be found, here.
- Mount Abraham- 8.6 miles round trip, 2,903ft elevation gain, and directions can be found, here.
- Bigelow, Avery Peak- 8.9 miles round trip (loop with West Peak as well), 3,395 elevation gain, directions can be found, here.
- Saddleback Mountain- 5.4 miles round trip (via Bald Mountain Trail), 2,559ft elevation gain, directions can be found, here.
- Bigelow, West Peak- 8.9 miles round trip (loop with West Peak as well), 3,395 elevation gain, directions can be found, here.
- North Brother- 9.8 miles round trip (in loop with South Brother too), 3,618ft elevation gain, and directions can be found, here.
- Old Speck- 6.6 miles round trip, 2,847ft in elevation, and directions are here.
- Crocker Mountain- 11 miles round trip (looped with Crocker, and Mount Redington as well), 3,353ft in elevation gain, and directions can be found, here.
- Sugerloaf- 6.1 miles round trip, 2,299ft elevation gain, and directions can be found, here.
- Katahdin, Hamlin Peak- 10.9 miles round trip, 4,475ft elevation gain, directions can be found, here.
- Katahdin, Baxter Peak- 10.9 miles round trip, 4,475ft elevation gain, directions can be found, here.
More Hiking Challenges
Third, we have the Terrifying 25. This hiking challenge encompasses two different states, New Hampshire and Maine, is located in the White Mountains, and offers all difficult/hard rated trails. You will pick 20 mountains from the required list, and 5, from the electives list. You can find the different mountains, here. Fourth, is the, New England 67, which includes, 67 different 4,000fters within New Hampshire and Maine. Here is a list of the trails. Fifth, is the, New England 100 Highest, which, includes all the highest mountains in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. This website will tell you how to apply, the trails, and their facts.
Sixth, is the Northeast 115. This a MONSTER of a challenge, it includes the New England’s 67 hiking challenge trails, the Adirondack’s 46er challenge, Slide, and Hunter Mountain of New York. Thus, if you’ve already done the New England 67 and Adirondack’s 46er, you’re basically there. Here is a list of the full trails to complete and how to apply.
More Maine Hiking Spots
Seventh, is the White Mountains Red-Lining hiking challenge. This is for all you wild birds! If you can’t stand crowded trails, this is the challenge for you. Most of the hikes apart of this challenge don’t have a designated trail to them, and involve a lot of bushwhacking. The goal of this challenge is to hike all the trails apart of the White Mountain’s Guide Book, which some of them, don’t have a marked trail. Here is a website with more information!
Lastly, our final challenge, is the Northeast Ultra 8. This challenge includes 8 different trails, that you will have to finish in 24 hours or less. You can also complete this challenge in the winter if you choose. Here you can ask about registering for this challenge. And here are the peaks!
- The Devils Path- 7.9 miles round trip (Twin and Indian Head Mountains too), 2,345ft elevation gain, directions, here.
- The Great Range Traverse- 20.7 miles round trip, 8,622ft elevation gain, directions, here.
- The Saranac 6- 33.8 miles round trip, 9,564ft elevation gain, with six different mountains, with directions for each mountain, Baker, St. Regis, Scarface, Ampersand, Haystack, and McKenzie.
- The Cranberry 50- trails and rules are here.
- The Taconic Crest Traverse- information for the trail can be found, here and directions, here.
- The Pemi Loop- information for this loop can be found, here and directions, here.
- The Presidential Traverse- information for the traverse can be found here, and directions, here.
- The Mahoosuc Traverse- information for this traverse are here, and directions, here.
Maine Hiking Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park has many different Maine hiking spots along the coastline and forest area. Acadia is about a 3 hour drive north of Portland, Maine. It has over 150 miles of trails with forests and rocky coastlines to give it that New England feel. There are a couple different types of hikes you can walk while here, they have mountain peak hikes, coastline hikes (which are more like nature walks), and lake/forest hikes. There is a free shuttle that can drop you off at some of the famous trailheads. Here are some great hikes with Acadia National Park.
- Flying Mountain
- Ledge Trail to Saint Sauveur Trail
- Beechcraft Path Trailhead
- Acadia Mountain & Man O War Trail
- Gotham Mountain
- Norumbega Mountain Loop
- Champlain Mountain & Beehive Path
- Cadillac South Ridge Trail Loop
- Gilmore Peak & Maple Spring Trail
- Dorr Mountain Ladder Trail
- Bernard Mountain
- Jordan Cliffs Trail to Bubbles Trail to Jordan Pond Path
- Sergeant Mountain Ridge Loop
Maine Hikes Near Portland
There is some decent hiking not too far from Portland, Maine. All of these hikes are very easy too moderate and are on the coastline. They are nature walks rather than actual in the mountains hiking. So, here are the trails below.
- Fort Williams Park Loop (with lighthouse)
- Presumpscot Falls from Oak Nuts Park
- Jewel Falls
- Screw Sugar Falls (Grafton Notch State Park)
- Eastern Promenade and Prom Midslope Trail Loop
- Two Lights State Park Loop
- Kettle Cove to Crescent Beach State Park Loop
Actual Hikes with Summits
- Old Speck Mountain : Grafton Notch State Park (about 2 hours away from Portland)
- Table Rock Trail Loop : Grafton Notch State Park
- Eyebrow Loop Trail : Grafton Notch State Park
- Baldpate Mountain via Appalachian Trail : Grafton Notch State Park
- Mahoosuc Notch Trail : Grafton Notch State Park
- Appalachian Trail : Route 26 to Andover Road (difficult) : Grafton Notch State Park
- Burnt Meadow Mountain Trail
- Pismire Bluff Trail
- Cliff Trail
- Bald Pate Mountain
- You can find more hikes here.
Baxter State Park
I get the vibe that Acadia is more of a moderate, easy place to hike while Baxter State Park is where the true hikers go. This is where the famous Appalachian Trail ends at Katahdin Mountain. Baxter is very similar to hiking in the White and Adirondack Mountains. The only drawback about this park is how far away it is. From Portland, Baxter is a little over a 5 hour drive. From Acadia, Baxter is about a four and a half hour drive. However, from all the pictures, this park looks totally worth it. Here are some worthwhile trails to hike at Baxter.
- Sandy Stream Pond
- Sand Stream Pond Trail to Russell Pond Trail
- Grassy Pond & Daicey Pond via Appalachian Trail
- Little Abol Falls
- Sentinel Mountain via Kidney Pond Campground
- The Owl via Hunt Trail
- Katahdin Mountain
- Helon Taylor, Knife Edge, Saddle, and Chimney Pond
- Baxter Peak
- Abol Trail
- North & South Brother
- The Traveler Loop
- The Brothers, Fort Mountain, and Mount Coe Loop
- Pamola
- Saddleback Mountain (in Rangeley, Maine about a six hour drive from Baxter)
Hiking Trails in Maine with Waterfalls
There are many Maine hiking mountains that have waterfalls. They are all spread out throughout the state, but here are the most well-known waterfalls within Maine. This website will provide you with more waterfall hikes to visit, as well as this website.
- Small Falls
- Screw Auger Falls
- Angel Falls
- Snow Falls
- Mad River Falls
- Dunn Falls
- Ellis Falls
- Rumford Falls
- Jewell Falls (Portland)
- Little Wilson Falls
- Moxie Falls (Bureau of Parks & Lands)
- Step Falls (Mahoosuc Land Trust)
- Big and Little Niagara Falls (Baxter State Park)
- Howe Brook Falls (Baxter State Park)
- Grand Falls (West Forks)
As you can see, there are plenty of places to hike within Maine. Maine also has a lot of hiking groups as well if you don’t have anyone to hike with. Some well known groups within Maine are Maine Outdoor Adventure Club, Women Who Hike, Appalachian Mountain Club, Alpine Women Collective, and more that you can find here. There are a lot of facebook groups too that you can join that talk about trail conditions, group hikes and more. Thank you so much for reading and I hope this article was helpful to you and you found some great new hikes to do!
