They are very much needed, because there are a lot of possible routes here for a total of 4 miles of trails or so and a lot of excellent places to see. The old speck trail in grafton notch state park encompasses a 3. This is an easy mountain as it is only 4 miles from a main highway. The distances of these trails are about equal, but the eyebrow trail is much steeper and a lot. Amc maine mountain guide, compiled and edited by carey michael kish. Old speck mountain trail topo map in oxford county, maine.
Old speck you might expect the namaine old speck to be attached to a friendly grizzled dog rather than to the highest peak of the ferocious mahoosuc range, and in somaine ways old speck, maine s thirdhighest peak. Mountain climbing weather forecasts for 2 elevations of old speck mountain, mahoosuc range, appalachians, united states. Overview located just north of sunday river, old speck is one of the tallest mountains in maine at 4,180 feet in elevation. Click on legend for map key, or any of the map icons to explore trails throughout greater portland. Penobscot mountainsargent mountainjordan pond loop acadia.
Merrills bookshop in hallowell, maine, is an old fashioned bookstore with a selection of rare, used and scholarly tomes that cover almost 500 years. On trails book by robert moor official publisher page. Searching for stars on an island in maine by alan lightman. We dont do this very often, but longfellow books is extremely excited to present a scifi author. It was a beautiful day and still not very hot and i just didnt want to rush it. The appalachian trail, which runs from springer mountain in georgia to mount katahdin in. It is also part of the eastern white mountains that stretch from new hampshire to maine. Old blue mountain hike maine appalachian trail land trust. I had heard nice things about old speck, needed it for my new england 4k list, and it wasnt too far away. Backpacking old speck mtn and the west grafton loop section hiker. Old speck mountain and grafton notch in southwestern maine. From milehigh katahdin, the tallest mountain in maine, to cadillac mountain in bar harbor, where hikers can be among the first on the east coast to glimpse the rising sun, maine has excellent hiking opportunities for all ability levels.
For such a small state, maine has featured prominently in literature over the years. Land trust hike will be up old blue mountain 3,600 feet from south arm road in roxbury on june 11th at 10am for national trails day to reach the trailhead in black brook notch, drive east on route 120 out of andover, and then take a left on south arm road approximately a half mile outside of town. With alpine skiing growing into a huge sensation, maine was looking to host the 1976 winter olympic games. While i grew up in new hampshire, hiking in the white mountains, i hadnt. The eyebrow trail is quite steep at parts and was a little sketchy when i tried to descend that way, hence going back around and down old speck. Old speck mountain in oxford county me old speck mountain. Geological survey publishes a set of the most commonly used topographic maps of the u. Trolley trail mountain biking trail kennebunk, maine. The 10th edition is segmented into ten geographic sections, some 450 trails on more. Old speck is the tallest and northernmost mountain in the mahoosuc range which stretches for 30 miles across the maine new hampshire frontier. Think of this as a heatmap, more rides more kinetic energy warmer colors. Uptodate hiking conditions near old speck me, 4000 this old speck trail map is based on crowd sourced data from open street map osm with added information from trailsnh. Old speck is generally climbed via the old speck trail in winter.
Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The mileage listed in the guide books dont always match the trail signs you. Hike old speck mountain maine new england 4000 footers. Old speck mountain via appalachian trail maine alltrails. It is the highest mountain in the range, and the 4th highest mountain in the state of maine. Maine hiking trails maine appalachian trail system. Hiking the appalachian trail strong, safe and in the spirit. From the guidebook exploring the appalachian trail.
Approximately 18,000 books of which 2,000 books are online. Rick swan trails at perch pond is a singletrack mountain bike trail in oldtown, maine. Penobscot and sargent mountain loop is the best hike we chose during our maine trip on june 2018. The park lies amidst some of maines most spectacular mountains, the. Old speck mountain trail is covered by the old speck mountain, me us topo map quadrant. Penobscot mountain mount desert 2020 all you need to know. Authors sarah hale and david gibbs have uncovered a diverse collection of trails that offer a wealth of enjoyment to fattire enthusiasts of all abilities. The old speck trail ascends to the left which was the beginning of our hike. It was the spring of 2009, and i had set out to walk the full length of the appalachian trail from georgia to maine. The best mountain bike trails in maine singletracks. It is also part of the eastern white mountains that stretches from new hampshire to maine. Rick swan trails at perch pond mountain bike trail in.
Old speck is the lone four thousand footer in the park. Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades. Extensive restoration ongoing, lots of rockwork and transplanting in the overused areas. Old blue mountain left and elephant mountain right. Alltrails map app have accurate route map of this trail. These are just a few we like in each region, but there are hundreds more trails in maine to explore. Mahoosuc range, white mountains nh new hampshire, me, maine, white mountains includes mount elevation,bald cap mountain, bald cap peak, north baldcap, mount carlo, cascade mountain, fulling mill mountain, goose eye mountain, goose eye west, goose eye north, goose eye south, mount hayes, mahoosuc mountain, old speck mountain, mount success. Old speck mountain is a 4,170 foot mountain in the mahoosuc range in oxford county, maine. Old speck is a hiking adventure located in or near farmington, me. Old speck mountain, also known as old speckle mountain, is a mountain located in oxford county, maine, united states. Americana, maine and the maine woods, indians of the northeast, mystery and detective fiction, science fiction, stephen king, childrens books, uncommon books in many fields.
Old speck trip report maine appalachian trail land trust. According to the maine mountain guide, old speck, at 4,170 feet, was named for its speckled appearance formed by its large areas of exposed rock and tree cover and to distinguish it from other speckled mountains in maine. Between old speck 4180, maines third highest peak and mahoosuc notch on the highest pond in maine. I called the park ranger earlier in the week to ask about storm damage and he said that the roads and the trails were just fine.
Hiking up the steep summit trails rewards hikers with spectacular views, particularly on old speck mountain which at 4,180 feet is maines third tallest mountain. Backpacking old speck mtn and the west grafton loop. Climbing to mahoosuc arm and old speck pond section. Hiking up the steep summit trails rewards hikers with spectacular views, particularly on old speck mountain which at 4,180 feet is maine s third tallest mountain. Old speck mountain is a 4,170 foot mountain located in the mahoosuc range in oxford county, maine. You then can choose to continue on this trail or hop onto the eyebrow trail. Mountain bookshop 769 mono way, ste i, sonora, california 95370 rated 4. Mahoosuc range white mountains nh new hampshire me maine. Old speck is the 4th highest mountain in the entire state of maine. Henry david thoreau introduced readers to maine s wilderness in the 1840s while more recent awardwinning works of fiction like the cider house rules and empire falls have used maine as a backdrop. Just east of the new hampshire border this is maines 3rd highest peak. Then theres katahdin, the crown jewel of them all, standing tall as the northern terminus of the appalachian trail.
The two trails leading up bald mountain are shorttogether theyre 2. The mountain, the fourthhighest in the state, is the northeasternmost and highest of the mahoosuc range, the northeasternmost part of. On trails prologue once, years ago, i left home looking for a grand adventure and spent five months staring at mud. The mahoosucs are just to the northeast of the famous presidentials in the white mountains region of new hampshire. Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months. An exploration by robert moor simon and schuster, 2016 is a perfect first entry in that section. Maine appalachian trail, hiking trails and hiking outfitters offering guided trail hike and backpacking in maine. Bradbury mountain state park pownal bradbury mountain state park has 18 mountain biking trails and is the only state park in maine with shared trails for equestrians, mountain bikers, snowmobilers, and hikers.
It is also part of the eastern white mountains that stretch. Flanked to the southwest by mahoosuc arm and faces baldpate mountain to the northeast across grafton notch. Winter hike the old speck trail in grafton notch state park. The mountain, the fourthhighest in the state, is the northeasternmost and highest of the mahoosuc range, the northeasternmost part of the white mountains. To do the loop i recommend, head right down the railroad at the trailhead, if you are looking toward the mountain roughly northwest. The singletrack trails are open to the public and range from a halfmile to two miles in length.
It is a fitting conclusion for anyone completing all nine second nature hikes. From the boulders of mahoosuc notch to the waterfalls of gulf hagas, the rugged peaks of bigelow to the ocean vistas of cadillac mountain, the state offers a treasure trove of memorable hikes. Old speck is in grafton notch state park and we started at the appalachian trail parking lot. Grafton notch state park is a premier recreational destination off of me26 in newry. Theyre even tougher than the trails in the white mountain national forest, down south. Information on grafton loop trail backcountry campsites and shelters. Winter hike the old speck trail in grafton notch state. Speckled mountain sits within the maine portion of the white mountain national forest along the beautiful route 1. Apr 09, 2018 the maine appalachian trail land trust ended the winter hiking season with a spectacular april hike to the summit of old speck mountain in grafton notch. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from may until november.
Detailed 6 day mountain weather forecasts for climbers and mountaineers planning expeditions. Sep 04, 2011 the jordan pond trail will likely have lots of people on it, so you wont have much solitude on that section. Browse interactive trail maps, trail descriptions, pictures, and trip reports. From the parking area i took the eyebrow trail to the old speck trail to the summit of old speck mountain old speck trail back down to the junction with the eyebrow trail, but then continued down the old speckappalachain to the parking area in grafton notch. I recommend going up the eyebrow trail and then going back down the old speck trail. The old speck trail very quickly hits an intersection with the eyebrow trail.
In early 1967, old speck mountain in grafton notch was briefly considered as a. Explore the portland trails network using this map. Maine hiking trails are wild, challenging, and breathtakingly beautiful. The new sections of trail are connected on the northern end by nearly eight miles of the at between east baldpate mountain and old speck. Old speck trail speck pond trail eyebrow trail grafton loop trail. Maine hiking trails maine appalachian trail system hiking. While looking at the house, head around the left side and you will see the signs for the bathrooms. Old speck mountain then i got sidetracked by taking photos of the waterfalls along the brook while going down the old speck trail. Map and location information for old speck mountain in maine. Hiking old speck mountain in grafton notch state park in maine when instagrammers unite to snowshoe in winter in maine adventures. It is one of the taller mountains in the area, giving it a great position for scouting out the white mountains, including mt. Maines 12,000acre caribouspeckled mountain wilderness is a rugged expanse of mountain vistas, rocky notches, crashing waterfalls, and, come summer, abundant blueberries.
Use maine trail finder to track all your trail adventures. The summit of old speck mountain is on the southern boundary of grafton notch state park. Old speck trail is a challenging hike with spectacular views from an open observation tower at the summit. Speck pond is a spring fed lake on the south side of old speck mountain. Old speck mountain old speck mountain, also known as old speckle mountain, is a mountain located in oxford county, maine, united states.
Old speck mountain is one of the summits in oxford county, me and can be found on the old speck mountain usgs topographic quad map. By this time of year, many people in maine are experiencing winter fatigue and cant wait to put away the snowshoes, skis, facemasks, gloves and hats. Grafton loop trail backcountry campsites appalachian mountain. Old speck is the tallest and northernmost mountain in the mahoosuc range which stretches for 30 miles across the mainenew hampshire frontier. Find the top rated mountain biking trails in maine, whether youre looking for an easy short mountain biking trail or a long mountain biking trail, youll find what youre looking for. Since that time, unrest has continued, as the sons of maine have fought valiantly in the civil war, the spanishamerican war, the first world war, the second world war, the korean war, the vietnamese war, and the middle eastern wars. After 3 days of taking on whatever maine could throw at us we decided to head over to old speck mountain to finish out our trip. An atlas of new hampshire and souther maines greatest offroad bicycle rides mountain bike america guides fitzhenry, bob on. Explore the best maine hiking trails northeast hikes. Check out my book before reality tv, gps devices, and dashboard computers, there was a coming of age for the maine warden service. July 22, 2017 nymachri hiking, maine, northeast 111, uncategorized adventures, hiking, maine 4000 footers, mountains, northeast 111, old speck mountain, outdoors. The appalachian trail, which runs from georgia to maine, is within 0. My goto resource is the amc maine mountain guide, which describes well over 1,000 miles of mountain trails from york county to downeast, the midcoast to katahdin to aroostook.
Singletracks members have ranked the best mountain bike trails in maine using our unique trail ranking algorithm. There is a large parking area on the west side of route 26 in grafton notch state park. The bigelow mountain section of the at traverses six major summits, including 4,090foot avery peak. Trail challenges hikers with peaks like goose eye, old speck and bald. See hiking info, trail maps, and trip reports for every peak. Vous voudrez les crampons car le sentier est tres raide par endroits et devient glace. Appalachian trail hikers past, present and future are invited to follow along with the maine and new hampshire section hiking blogs. Old speck mountain and eyebrow loop maine trail finder. Wyman mountain to moody mountain in 1978 the maine appalachian trail club. Search a growing database of fourseason trails to find the right trail for your next adventure. For more than 20 years, avid readers and serious collectors from all over the world have come here for rare and antiquarian books. Newpages guide to indie bookstores in maine the best list of independent maine bookstores best bookstores in maine independent book stores is news, information, and guides to literary magazines, independent publishers, creative writing programs, alternative periodicals, indie bookstores, writing contests, and more.
Newly updated and greatly expanded, comprehensive trail guide to maine mountains including 4000footers, baxter state park and acadia national park, with 6 color trail maps. Old speck mountain, maine new englands cancelled ski areas. Land trust community hike was up old speak in the western side of grafton notch. The best bike trails are rated by weighing the following ranking factors. Northeast hikes is on the hunt for the best new england hiking in maine and new hampshire, from katahdin to mt. Old speck mountain appalachian trail and eyebrow loop 6. The mountain, the 4th highest in maine, is the northeasternmost and highest of the mahoosuc range, the northeasternmost part of the white mountains. Six new tent platforms of varying sizes nicely situated along the a. Success pond road western trailheads generally closes in late fall and reopens in mid to late spring. There are no maps available at the trailhead, unfortunately. Maine provides detailed information on over 75 of the states best rides, including tours through the western mountains and the islanddotted coastline. Old speck is the highest point in oxford county and the third highest mountain in maine, and it is also the only 4000foot mountain in the county.
Mount cutler park and conservation area, hiram maine by foot. Heres a list of our favorite camp maine hiking trails. Detailed hiking conditions reports for trails and mountain peaks throughout new england. Ceci est une montagne facile car il est a seulement 4 miles dune route principale a travers grafton notch. From the trailhead, there is a great view of the eyebrow cliffs and during the. The trail is rated as difficult and primarily used for hiking, walking, trail running, and nature trips. Hike eyebrow trail to old speck mountain loop, maine 26. Looking for the best mountain biking trails around maine. Grafton notch is a magnificent mountain pass in southwestern maine, a short drive from gorham, nh, the last major trail town that appalachian trail thruhikers visit before leaving new hampshire. Maine trail finder is a free online resource that promotes active outdoor recreation in the state of maine. Park at the jordan pond house, accessed from the park loop road in acadia national park.
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