Big Muddy Pond Loop (Long Trail State Forest)

Big Muddy Pond Loop (Long Trail State Forest)

Hike Type: Loop

Distance: 3.62 miles

Elevation: 810 feet

My Time: 1 hour, 58 minutes (1 hour, 50 minutes moving)

Book Time: 2 hours, 12 minutes

Parking: Parking for 10-15 cars at trailhead off of VT-118.
Hiking Challenges: Long Trail Side-to-Side; 52 Hike Challenge 2026

The Hike 

Day two of Labor Day weekend! I was mentally flirting with the idea of hiking Belvidere Mountain via Frank Post and Forester Trails to keep knocking off trails on the Side-to-Side patch, but I just didn't feel like climbing a mountain. Emma and I slowly got up and got some chores done, and then I proposed we check out Big Muddy Pond, still at the same trailhead as Belvidere, which would hit the Babcock Trail and Babcock Extension on the same list - she agreed, and we were off!

We brought her dog, Lola, and were at the trailhead around noon, which was expectedly full (with room for us!). We got suited up, we got Lola suited up, and we gave Lola our drinks to hold, too! We hiked past a couple of thru-hikers eating lunch at the gate, and then hiked past the trail register and onto the Long Trail southbound! Lola was NOT a fan of her paw-protection booties, but she did her best.

We hiked past an old Agency of Environmental Conservation sign stating that the trail was closed to vehicles and then walked gently uphill over some fallen yellow leaves (FALL IS NEAR). We carefully crossed VT-118 and continued on the Long Trail southbound on the other side, riding gently through wonderful fern-filled forests. Lola was having a wonderful time smelling literally everything and trying to nosh on any grass she could find. 

We saw some leaves with a unique squiggly mark on them - we figure either slugs or really really small bugs, and then admired some common jewelweed flowers, which were incredibly unique looking. The hike began to moderate with a few steeper spots that got the two of us sweating (Lola was running laps ahead and behind us, basically). Lola got mad at her booties again, so eventually the back two came off. The trail continued rising to a height of land and the Rittenbush Lookout. The lookout was nice, but pretty grown-in. We could see the landmass on the other side of the pond below, but that was really it. We did love to see the early autumnal reds popping through!

The descent from the lookout was comically steep with many stone stairs - Lola had no problem flying up and down them as Emma and I fought for our lives while carefully stepping on the wet stones. Once further down, the trail rambled around, crossing a few streams (we had to fight Lola from drinking the mostly stale water - she had plenty of her own) and passing a teeny tiny red eft on the way!

Just after the final stream we came to a junction! On the left was an unmarked path to another pond, straight was the Long Trail southbound towards Devil's Gulch, which looked like a fun scrambly section, but not with the dog, and left was the Babcock Trail - our return route! We hopped on the blue-blazed trail and began to moderately climb back up on a very eroded stretch of trail.

We eventually leveled out and passed the first of three(?) beaver dams damming up Big Muddy Pond. The viewpoint began to open up as we began to hear the pitter patter of rain, which turned into a full RAIN. We decided to have our drinks and do some civilized hiking at this point, since it seemed we were just going to be wet. We thanked Lola for carrying our drinks, and comically, Emma's exploded from the josteling. 

The views down to the pond were nice, but there were no really good viewpoints. We could see a couple of loons on the north end of the pond engaging in... something. We saw the big wing flapping thing waterbirds do and then they did some diving too. I wish we were able to get closer! 

The Babcock Trail climbed again and then easily descended past some white baneberries, which look absolutely crazy with their magenta stems and white berries. Emma put Lola back on her leash as we began to hear VT-118 again, and soon we were CAREFULLY crossing again.

The Babcock Extension started straight across the road, but it was pretty overgrown with roadside wildflowers (mostly swamp asters, flat topped white asters, and goldenrods). We pushed through, getting nice a damp after the rain subsided, and then turned to follow a gravel road that we soon joined to follow.

There were a few apple trees above the gravel road that had begun depositing their small apples all over the road. We did NOT stop for a snack, even though Emma offered. The Babcock Extension turned back into the woods and followed a narrow, wet trail with a good amount of bog boards, and one bridge! We gently rose again up to the parking lot, and soon were back and READY to put dry clothes on!

We ended up driving towards Smuggler's Notch and got a late lunch at the Red Fox. Lola was not interested in sitting in the back seat, so she happily inserted herself into my lap for every drive, only slightly tearing up my arms with her claws in the process. We then stopped at the Cambridge Market to stock up for tomorrow - Jay Peak to Canada!

Step-by-Step

- Walk towards the Long Trail from the parking area.

- Turn right onto the Long Trail southbound.

- Carefully cross VT-118, then continue on the Long Trail southbound.

- At jct., turn right onto Babcock Trail.

- At road, carefully cross VT-118, then continue onto Babcock Ext.

- At terminus, return to car.

Map

Photo Album

Zealand Mountain via Zeacliff Trail (White Mountain National Forest)

Zealand Mountain via Zeacliff Trail (White Mountain National Forest)

Hike Type: -o- Loop

Distance: 12.73 miles

Elevation: 2,782 feet

My Time: 8 hours, 8 minutes (6 hours, 39 minutes moving)

Book Time: 7 hours, 45 minutes

Parking: Ample parking with overflow lot at Zealand Trail Trailhead ($5 Day Use Fee)
Hiking Challenges: New Hampshire 4000-Footers; New Hampshire Appalachian Trail

The Hike 

So I had been having car troubles since I got back to New Jersey from Florida. I got quoted $6,500 for a fix, which had me gasping for air. I called Ray's mechanic, who, in a thick Irish accent, said "oh shit man I don't do those repairs any more I'm too old," and Christien's said "listen you'll pay the same no matter where you go but the dealership will get it done faster." I brought the car back to the dealership after finding my warranty paperwork, which looked promising, and basically said "what do I do I can't pay $6,500 but I have this warranty." After 45ish minutes the service advisor comes back with a piece of highlighted paper, kneels down, and shows me what the paper said. It was an email from Honda from the same morning saying that they have extended the warranties for all 2017-2021 CRVs because of an engine problem, and because Honda extended their warranty, the repair would be FREE. I think my soul left my body.

ANYWAY, with that, I was advised to not drive my car until the fix, which will happen sometime next week. Yesterday, Chrsitien offered for me to borrow his car, which was super nice, and once I was done being stubborn I accepted the offer and drove up to hike Middle Sister. He was off today, so we decided to go hiking again! I proposed three possible hikes, knowing that he loves a water feature: Mt. Moosilauke via Gorge Brook (not much water, but treeline), Mt. Chocorua via Champney Falls, or Zealand Mtn. via Zeacliff Trail. None of the hike were horribly strenuous and all had views, but we ended on Zealand because of how many different views and water features, and that it would still be stunning even if we were socked in the clouds.

Knowing he doesn't like the super early mornings that I like, so I let him choose the time we were to leave, and he said 5:36 - specific, but sounds good! He got up at 4:30am, I got up at 5:00am. I was ready by 5:15am because I simply move quickly in the morning, so I tried to help him get ready, but I think I stressed him out instead (oops). I sat patiently, playing my New York Times games, and we were out the door just before 6:00am!

Our drive started with a listen to Sara Barellis's new album: Good Grief, which was slower music than I usually listen to on these morning drives, but the music was very pretty and poetic. This brought us directly to Hooksett (literally had 10 seconds left in the album when we parked), we had a potty break and stocked up on food. We stopped at the Tilton Walmart 20ish minutes later so I could grab a quick shirt to hike in for the day - I foolishly only brought my mid-weight merino long sleeve, and it would be far too warm for that. The second half our drive featured the newest episode of Normal Gossip, and we made it to the end of Zealand Road just after 9:00am! The main parking area was pretty busy for a Friday morning, and there were a few groups of hikers getting ready for their days. To my dismay, I didn't realize this was a day use fee area, and neither of us had our $5 (sorry, USFS!). We made use of the bathrooms, got suited up, and it was time to being our journey!

[9:18am - Start of hike on Zealand Trail] 

Our hike began on the old railway bed along the Zealand Trail, passing a mini-grove of ghost pipes. The trail was delightfully flat underfoot as we passed the "2.8 miles to Zealand Falls Hut" and official Zealand Trail signs. The morning spider webs were all off-trail (thanks to the hikers before us), and the off-trail survivors were illuminated with the morning dew and sunlight. It was a nice 67 degrees out, but it was HUMID!

[9:25am - Zealand Trail/Departs FPA]

The trail soon became more rocky and rugged and then departed the Forest Protection Area - this change of character is due to a relocation of the trail off of the rail bed, likely due to flooding/erosion. The trail brought us across a few bridges over (currently) minor streams, eventually rejoining the old railroad bed. The hobblebush in the forest were starting to show their fall color of dark red. 

Now alongside the Zealand River, there were a few herd paths on the left to see the scenic river, with a few cascades and swimming holes. The trail begins to menauver around the river, crossing it numerous times on bridges and a couple rock hops that were easily navigated. We were slightly swimming upstream, crossing paths with dozens of hikers leaving the Zealand Falls Hut. This whole hike in was wonderfully scenic and we kept saying that if it stayed like this we could hike forever!

[10:04am - Zealand Trail/Boardwalk]

We eventually arrived at the section I was excited to see for the first time - the beaver ponds! This section was marked by views of nearby mountains (possibly Mt. Tom on the left?) and views across the numerous (or one large?) ponds. There was a wonderful boardwalk lined with red berries and "common wrinkled-leaf goldenrods." 

We took a break in the woods for a quick snack and for Christien to put on my extra socks (he wore ankle socks which was already causing problems). We were cheered on by an increidbly yappy duck. The views to Mt. Tom increased with mostly cloudy skies and very humid air. We dipped back into the woods along the wetlands for a bit as we approached the junction with the A-Z Trail.

[10:23am - Zealand Trail/A-Z Trail]

[10:25am - Zealand Trail/Enters FPA]

I was now in slightly familiar territory, as Sarah and I had hiked this section this past December. We hiked over a lovely bridge and then entered the Forest Protection area just after. The Zealand Trail paralleled Zealond Pond here with a lovely view to what I think is the Zeacliff mass with maybe Hale's south peak behind? The pond levels were noticeable low and we could hear the rush of Zealand Falls in the not-too-far distance. 

[10:30am - Ethan Pond Trail]

We continued through the junction with Twinway onto the Ethan Pond Trail. I naturally took a photo of the sign(s), and a guy made a joke about "now you won't get lost!" - in hindsight it feels a little cheeky, but I took it playfully!

[10:33am - Ethan Pond Trail/Departs FPA]

We hiked along the still-delightfully flat railroad grade, eventually passing three backpackers along the way. The trail was narrower here and maneuvered some more eroded stretches (featuring a few rocky sections and dips), but overall it was pretty nice walking. 

We excitedly existed the woods onto the magnificent talus slope of Whitewall Mountain. It was cloudy and hazy out which made for some spooky views. Naturally, I took a ton of photos right away, but we continued on towards the Zeacliff Trail, where we would take our first break.

[11:00am - Zeacliff Trail & Break]

We hiked just a few feet down the Zeacliff Trail and found a nice spot to sit in the talus field. There was a commanding view to the landmass of Zeacliff on the right, and Carrigain and the Hancocks were through the haze on the left. Behind us was the namesake white-wall of Whitewall Mountain. It was wonderfully quiet here - the only sound was the Whitewall Brook running below. 

[11:15am - Zeacliff Trail]

We continued into the Pemigewasset Wilderness and I warned Chrsitien about wilderness trails and their more rugged character. We wiggled through the talus slope and tight blueberry bushes (Christien shouted "are you SURE we're on the trail?) a couple times - I was sure, he's just used to hiking out in Utah! The trail turned left and went into the woods. We noticed just a few very faded blue blazes, I guess from before this was a wilderness area? The trail then truly PLUMMETED down to the brook, with soft, careful footing needed to avoid slipping. It was borderline comical how steep this drop was. 

After a few minutes of praying our feet didn't slip, we landed in the valley, which was actually delightful and scenic. Soon after flattening out, we arrived at teh crossing of the scenic Whitewall Brook. It was pretty easily rock hoppable, even though I dipped a toe into the water. If I was using my poles I am fully confident I would have survived unscathed, but truly the water felt nice! Christien followed in my footsteps, except he decided to dunk a whole foot. He was not happy about this, but ultimately he said it felt kind of good!

After the river crossing, we hiked past some swamp asters and goldenrods, and then arrived at the base of an old slide, which marked the start of the climb up. I found some information on it through Steve Smith's document "LANDSLIDES OF THE WHITE MOUNTAINS": 

"There has apparently been at least one slide in the 1900s on the west side of Zealand Notch, scarring the steep eastern flank of the prominent ridge that descends south from Zeacliff. For more than half a century from its opening in 1923, AMC Guide descriptions of the Zeacliff Trail (originally designated as part of the Zealand Ridge Trail) have noted that it used a slide for the first part of its ascent out of the notch. As the 1963 edition described it: “Crossing the [Whitewall] brook it ascends the foot of a slide. About one-fourth of the way up the slide the trail diverges R and follows near the slide although the slide itself may be followed.” By the 1972 edition the slide was described as “overgrown,” and it was last mentioned in the 1983 edition. Part of this small slide can be seen in a 1939 aerial photo, but it has long since been completely revegetated"

We slogged up the initial boulder mess and onto the next... mess of boulders. This was steep climbing! Footing was... fine, but relatively unpleasant. The two of us were basically fighting for our lives and pouring sweat (I used the word pouring becuase I don't think there's a single word that accurately how intensely we were sweating). It wasn't hot out, but my god was it humid. 

Partway up the initial climb, we heard commotion - it was a man with a full backpack and his dog! This would be a beastly trail to descend. The dog was definitely surprised to see us. He was an addorable mid-sized dog probably in the poodle hybrid family. His coat was dark grey with black splotches and a dark green doggy backpack. We said our hello's and continued on. A couple minutes later we met another down-hiker who asked if we had met Ernie - the dog's name was Ernie! We chatted a little and she said this was her first hike, to which both of us were shocked. I said "you really picked a hell of a trail!" and she said it was her cousin's idea, which was Ernie's owner. She then yelled to him "ROBBIE!" and took off.

We continued to suffer up the mountain side, but eventually the trail rounded a shoulder and mellowed out for a bit in a more-open forest full of hobblebush and old blowdowns. I caught a bug in my hand and offered it to Christien as a gift. His response was "you are so thanks," which paints a picture of how tired we were. There was a very light passing shower overhead, which was more than welcomed. 

We began to climb a bit moderately again, climbing along a spide with hardly noticeable tree views to mountains on either side. We saw our first and only pile of moose poop and felt something we hadn't felt in a white - a breeze! The trail skirted a cliffy area and then we arrived at the next segment of the trail: the wet scrambles!

The wet scrambles were just as such - wet, and required use of all fours. Thankfully, three points of contact were always achievable, and my upper body is only a little tired today as I am writing this. We started to feel glimmers of hope as we could see a couple very obstructed peek-a-views to Carrigain Notch through the trees. We hit one particularly tricky scramble, but it led to a slightly better view of Carrigain and Carrigain Notch, so it was more than welcomed.

The trail's footing improved afterward (but did not get good), as it climbed through seas of bluebead lily (I am now realizing that I was calling all bluebead and trout lily trouy lily this past spring - who knew there was a difference! The leaves are the main tells). The USDA website describes the berries as such: "These blue berries may look appetizing, but they are not blueberries. Although they are not poisonous, they are quite foul tasting and should be avoided. The appreciation of this plant should be in its viewing, not its flavor."

We soon rounded the shoulder of the mountain, the trail turned into a bedrock sidewalk, we exited the Wilderness, and we made it to the Twinway!

[12:51pm - Twinway]

We did a quick pit stop at the Twinway junction so I could wring out my shirt (NECESSARY) and swap out my water bottles. The Twinway was an absolute delight after twhat we had just hiked! It was wonderfully flat at first and lined in blueberries! We spent a couple minutes descending easily with pretty good footing and then reached the Zeacliff Pond Spur.

[1:11pm - Zeacliff Pond Spur]

[1:14pm - Zeacliff Pond]

As a sucker for a side quest, of course I had to follow the spur. The spur entered the Pemigewasset Wilderness and descend mostly easily with rocky footing down the shoreline of the small pond, which was truly a delight to see. Water levels were expectedly low, but we couldn't walk too far out because the ground was extraodinarly squishy and moist. We watched the dragonflies buzz about, and especially liked the bold red ones (the white-faced meadowhawk). We noticed the rocky knob on the right that we would soon be scrambling up to. 

Our return trip to Twinway was nice and easy, and we were soon back on task!

[1:20pm - Twinway]

Back on the Twinway, we had a brief moment of relatively flat walking before we started to climb-climb again! The trail first got rocky, then it got scrambly, and then maneuvered up a large wooden ladder that is missing it's second rung. We worked our way around some mud and up a slab to the top of the knob seen from Zeacliff Pond. Poking around, there were some views, too! We could make our Stairs, Resolution, and Crawford through one hole in the trees, Mt. Webster through another, Mt. Carrigain a bit further over, and we could make out Zeacliff Pond, which was effectively straight down. I excited said "we can see the pond!" as two thru-hikers passed, and they were just as excited for me!

We descended slightly from the knob and reentered some lovely trail. We saw some tree views to the Twins (with an impressive slide on North Twin) on the right and a minute later could just make out some of the Northern Presidentials, which still had some cloud cover. A topic question came up: how many rocks does one step on during a hike? And to clarify: stepping on a rock means the sole of one's foot touches a rock detached from the earth that is at least one square inch in size. We roughly concluded it was 1.25x or 1.5x the hiker's overall step count for the hike. This is open to refinement.

From here, the trail rambled through some boards and mud pits, keeping a relatively steady pace. We climbed up and over a false summit area strewn with old blowdowns and young conifers that exfoliated our legs. Christien helped me get my visor out since we were facing directly into the sun here, and after a bit more hiking, we were at the Zealand Mtn. Spur trail!

[2:00pm - Zealand Mtn. Spur]

I can't remember if the spur trail had this adorable sign when Gen and I hiked out here in 2021, but I was sure delighted to see it! What I do remember is that when Gen and I hiked it, it was a busy superhighway of day hikers, Bonds traversers, and Pemi Loopers all trying to tag the viewless summit. Plus, last time it had rained a bunch so the full spur was a sloppy, flooded mess. Thankfully, it was more or less a delightful 0.1 miles on this day!

[2:03pm - Zealand Mtn. Summit]

In just a few minutes we were at the top of Christien's first 4000 Footer! I told him that if he gets bit by the hiking bug he'll have fun telling people this was his first one, becuase I feel like this is a relatively uncommon first. We booped the sign and found spots to sit for our snacks and hydration. Christien ran out of water just before here, but I always bring extra, and we had the hut not too far away.

We sat for some good time just enjoying the solitude. There were very obstructed tree views out to nearby peaks, and eventually a juvenile grey jay joined us! I had told Christien about them, but I was glad he was able to see them! The juvenile had more of a speckled pattern to his feathers, and he was very brave! Eventually, two more adult birds joined him - they did NOT get any of our food! 

As we sat, we could feel the cold front beginning to blow in. Some breezes were warm and some were CHILLY. We both got a little chilled up here, so after 20ish minutes we packed up and started our return!

[2:25pm - Zealand Mtn. Spur]

[2:28pm - Twinway]

We cruised down the Zealand Mountain Spur and turned left back onto the Twinway for some backtracking. In the higher, flatter stretches we had a lovely breeze that alternated between warm and cold. We pretty mindlessly made our way to the top of the knob over"looking" Zeacliff Pond, and then carefully worked our way down the wet slabs and semi-tricky scrambles. We caught a few views to the Presidentails that were poking out of the clouds just for a moment. I had a medium loud yawn near the top of the scrambles, and it had the most insane echo I had ever heard. It reverberated incredibly quickly, almost like a yodeling woodpecker? 

[3:06pm - Twinway/Zeacliff Pond Spur]

[3:15pm - Twinway/Zeacliff Trail]

The steep section concluded at the Zeacliff Pond Spur, and then some more easy hiking brought us to the junction with the Zeacliff Trail. Time to continue the loop section of our hike! We noticed a bunch of mountain holly on either side of the trail - not sure how we missed it before. The berries looked so yummy but after a quick search on the computer just now, it turns out that we made the right call to only stick to blueberries. The trail was MUCH warmer here, and I knew we were approaching the Zeacliff Spur when we entered the land of 1,000 bog boards, some of which were rotted and flooded.

[3:18pm - Zeacliff Spur]

The Zeacliff Spur junction was incredibly scenic, formed by a three-way junction of bog boards over water. The spur followed a few more boards and then wonderfully soft dirt. We crossed paths with a duo who told us to enjoy the view, and landed at the viewpoint as another duo was departing. 

[3:20pm - Zeacliff]

For lack of a better word, the view is absolutely insane. I remember when Gen and I were planning out Hale-Zealand-Bonds hike, I read over and over again that Zeacliff is touted as one of the best views in the Whites, and I sure do agree. Similarly to all of my recent White Mountain hikes, I absolutely love revisiting old viewpoints because I know what I'm looking at now, which is just the best!

The first thing we noticed was the Ethan Pond Trail cutting through the talus slope of Whitewall Mountain and then the Whitewall Brook river valley below - we were able to mostly trace our route up on the Zeacliff Trail, which was so much fun. Behind Whitewall was Jackson and Webster, and behind them on the right was Stairs, Resolution, and Crawford. 

Moving to the right, we had the mountains surrounding Carrigain Notch, the Hancocks, and many, MANY more peaks beyond. Far on the left we could see Jefferson, Clay, and Washington, which was back in the clouds. We were both tired and ready for dinner, so we didn't stay too long, but boy did we enjoy the view!

[3:26pm - Twinway]

We backtracked to the Twinway to start our descent, which was ultimately fine but felt a bit like a slog. The grade was moderate with decent, rocky footing basically the whole time. Nothing exciting, nothing dreadful, all of it was just... the same. I noticed my watch was on low battery, which was also a huge bummer! We were tired and in and out of the void, but again, it ultimately was totally fine. 

[3:54pm - Twinway/Enters FPA]

We felt some relief when we entered the Forest Protection Area after crossing a little stream. Just a few minutes later we made it to the crossing of Whitewall Brook above Zealand Falls, which Gen and I had to fully submerge our feet in last time to cross! There were a bunch of guys swimming in a swimming hole a bit further down the trail - it was a BEAUTIFUL day for it! If we weren't hungry for dinner, we would have probably stayed a bit longer. 

[4:03pm - Twinway/Lend-a-Hand Trail]

We crossed another branch of the brook, which was just a sliver of a natural water slide, and then came the junction with the Lend-a-Hand Trail. I joked about adding in Hale real quick, and he said "see you at the car!" From here, the Twinway descended along the brook and falls moderately, soon landing at the beloved Zealand Falls Hut!

[4:07pm - Zealand Falls Hut]

We took a sit at the hut, refilled waters, and enjoyed the falls for a bit. Someone was celebrating their birthday in the hut, so we kept to the outside. I washed my face off in the water and Christien enjoyed staring off into the void. Whatever they were cooking inside smelled wonderful! Again, we could have styaed up there for hours, but we had dinner on the mind!

[4:20pm - Twinway]

The Twinway descended moderarately with more rocky, but stable footing for a few more minutes, passing a wonderful falls lookout on the way, before bottoming out at the outflow of Zealand Pond, which I guess flows both toward Whitewall Brook and Zealand River.

[4:29pm - Zealand Trail]

[4:33pm - Zealand Trail/Departs FPA]

[4:35pm - Zealand Trail/A-Z Trail]

Back on the Zealand Trail, we started our cruise out. We loved seeing folks swimming on the Falls from Zealand Pond, and then we left the Forest Protection Area and passed the junction with the A-Z Trail again. We briefly admired all the views of the ponds, but kept a steady pace.

[4:46pm - Zealand Trail/Boardwalks]

We were absolutely loving the flat railroad beds and had a good discussion on the difference between a boardwalk and a bridge as we crossed... the boardwalk over and through the beaver ponds (we never hit a conclusion). Blue skies were still shining, but there were also some dark clouds rolling in. 

A red squirrel stopped to pose for us for a while, so naturally I took dozens of photos. We then began our wiggle across the two streams and over many, MANY bridges. As we got onto a relocation, the woods became DARK and a light drizzle ensued. My watch tragically died around the 12 mile mark, but thankfully we were amost done! We also crossed a cross-country trail we didn't notice on the way in - I'm curious about the network of cross-country ski trails in the Whites.

[5:20pm - Zealand Trail/Enters FPA]

We enjoyed some flat and then it was back on a rocky, now-wet relocation again, which required just enough brain power to force us to lock in. We rejoiced when we rejoined the old rail bed again and even more at the Forest Protection Area sign. We turned a corner gently, and were soon back at the parking area, with NO TICKET on the car! We did it!

[5:27pm - End of Hike]

We changed into our apres clothes once back at the car, had a very careful drive out (his Civic did NOT care for the dirt roads), and worked our way to the Woodstock Inn and Brewery! We each had a drink, shared some soft pretzles (the beer cheese was to DIE for). He had a mediocre burger and I had a wonderful pulled pork quesadilla. Afterwards we did a quick walk around North Woodstock and started the long drive home. We listened to two episodes of Normal Gossip and I stopped a couple times - once for an energy drink and once for some popcorn. 

That night, I would have the best sleep I would have since the family issue of August 10th!

Step-by-Step

- Start hike on Zealand Trail.

- At terminus, continue onto Ethan Pond Trail (AT).

- At jct., turn left onto Zeacliff Trail.

- At terminus, turn left onto Twinway (AT).

- At jct., turn left onto Zeacliff Pond Spur.

- At terminus, turn around.

- At terminus, turn left onto Twinway (AT).

- At jct., turn right onto Zealand Mtn. Spur.

- Summit Zealand Mountain.

- Turn around and retrace steps on Zealand Mtn. Spur.

- At terminus, turn left onto Twinway (AT).

- At third jct., turn right onto Zeacliff Spur.

- At Zeacliff, turn around and retrace steps.

- At terminus, turn right onto Twinway (AT).

- At terminus, turn left onto Zealand Trail.

- Return to car.

Map

Photo Album

The Bigelows & The Horns via Fire Warden’s & Appalachian Trails (Bigelow Preserve)

The Bigelows & The Horns via Fire Warden’s & Appalachian Trails (Bigelow Preserve)

Hike Type: Lollipop Loop

Distance: 15.30 miles

Elevation: 4,409 feet

My Time: 8 hours, 36 minutes (7 hours, 43 minutes moving)

Book Time: 9 hours, 51 minutes

Parking: Plenty of parking off of ME-16/27 at the AT crossing.
Hiking Challenges: Maine 4,000 Footers, New England 67, Operation Alaska Benchmark Challenge

The Hike 

Time for my third big hike of vacation! My alarm went off at 5:15am and I said goodbye to Sarah (who was going to drive back to Waltham later that morning) before driving the GRUELING seven minutes to my trailhead for the day! My body was definitely starting to feel tired and the back of my neck got ROASTED on Saddleback and The Horn yesterday. On the plus side, I used my brain and packed my boot dryer for this trip so I had dry shoes! I made it to the trailhead just before 6:00am and there were just four other cars, and it seemed like most of them were in the middle of a backpacking trip.

[6:16am - Start of Hike]

I was looking forward to this adventure! It was a chilly 50 degree morning with blue skies. The trailhead had a sign for the Kennebec River Ferry and few informational kiosks that read:

“THE BIGELOW RANGE

The Bigelow. Range, also known as Bigelow Mountain, consists of a several of Maine’s most rugged inter-connected peaks. The mountain is named for Colonel Timothy Bigelow, who rose to prominence as one of the four division commanders in the Continental Army detachment under Benedict Arnold. In October r1775, en route to the failed invasion of Canada, Colonel Bigelow summited the mountain with a small expedition for the purpose of “military observation.”

The entire range resides within the protective boundary of the Bigelow Preserve - over 36,000 acres State of Maine owned land that is open year-round for public recreation and enjoyment. To learn how to access the preserve other than by the Appalachian Trail from this location, contact the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands at (207) 778-8231.

Fact: The Bigelow Range is recognized as an extensive and varied alpine zone with a significant number of rare animals and plants that call it home, including: Bal dealers, rock voles, Bigelow’s sedge and alpine blueberry, Bicknell’s thrush (above right) and fragrant wood fern (above left).

Bigelow Mountain’s two highest peaks, West Peak and Avery Peak are among Maine’s fourteen “4,000-Footers”. Avery Peak, is named for Myron H. Avery, Maine’s most notable driver behind the construction of the Appalachian Trail and the first to fully walk the trail.

Myron Avery’s words regarding the Appalachian Trail: “…it beckons not merely north and south but upward to the body, mind and soul of man.”

 

“WELCOME TO MOOSE COUNTRY

A large number of moose live happily in the high wooded terrain found across the Maine High Peaks Region. These beautiful and shy animals can be spotted along the scenic byway, down old logging roads and on hiking trails. Moose live on a diet of woody plant leaves and twigs, but also seek out salt rich aquatic plants. Visitors can arrange moose safari trips through local guides. 

Fact: There were fewer than 2,000 Maine moose left in the early 1900s; but with strict protections, including a 54 year hunting band, there are not 60,000-70,000 moose in Maine!

Watch out. While typically a docile animal, an adult moose will weigh up to 1,500 lbs with a charging speed of up to 35 mph. Cautiously observe them from a distance and avoid any kind of provocation.

Photograph a Moose. Improve your chances getting a memorable image by being on the lookout near wet boggy places during twilight feeding times from May to July and during the autumn.

Big Antlers:  From April through late summer, Bull moose (males) grow antlers up to 5 ft. and then shed them during the winter."

I immediately got bitten by a bug, so the spray went on no more than five feet from the car. I walked through the parking area to where the Appalachian Trail crosses ME 16/27.

[6:18am - Appalachian Trail & ME-16/27 Crossing]

The crossing was pretty easy this early in the morning, but I can imagine it would be more difficult during a higher-trafficked time of day. I entered the shady woods on the other side of the road and passed a sign indicating the beginning of MAINE SECTION 7 of the Appalachian Trail (19.5 miles) and some signs indicating a "MANAGEMENT SENSITIVE AREA." 

The woods were lovely and naturally full of spider webs. My socks kept falling down into my shoe which was slightly infuriating, but the morning sun and singing birds kept my spirits high! The trail rambled up and down before starting a longer descent - I was not looking forward to doing this at the end of my hike!

I crossed a cute brook around 0.44 miles and then a series of bog bridges before hiking up and over a hump. I crossed another stream on an unsettingly bouncy bridge, meandered through the woods just a little bit more, and then I came to Stratton Brook Pond Road!

[6:40am - Stratton Brook Pond Road]

This was the official start of my loop's lollipop! It was nice to be on a wide dirt road that was free of spider webs for a bit. I passed a logging road that had a small peek-a-view up to the Bigelow Horns, which looked comically far away. There were plenty of daisies lining the road, and I couldn't help but notice that the bugs were liking me a whole lot more without Sarah next to me!

[6:52am - Gravel Road Ends & Esker Trail(?)]

Stratton Brook Pond Road ended at a parking area, Stratton Brook trail kiosk with information about the Bigelow Preserve and the Appalachian Trail, and there was a "ROAD CLOSED" sign in front of a log, marking the discontinuation of the road. There was a piece of plywood over the log, presumably for mountain bikes. There were about five cars at this trailhead. 

Here, I turned left to follow a different woods road, signed on AllTrails as "Esker Trail," but official maps make it a bit more confusing. Either way, it was a lovely, flat, dirt road! I crossed paths with a biker and realized my camera was starting to get low on battery, and I tragically left my camera charger at home (after this trip I put my spare charger in my hiking tote bag that I always have in my car to prevent such a situation in the future), so I would have to start pretending to be conservative with my picture taking. 

The woods road rose to a little spine with a marsh and pond down low on the right and very obstructed tree views up to the Bigelows on the left (which looked ridiculously far away...). The road ended at a slightly more open spot with a blue blaze, and then led on a footpath to Stratton Brook Pond!

[7:02 am - Stratton Brook Pond]

The pond was beautiful! There were crickers chiping in abundance and there was a clear view to Sugarloaf. The air was calm, turning the pond into a mirror while a loon was swimming around. The blue-blazed trail crossed a bridge over the pond's outflow, which was just beautiful.

[7:03am - Campsite]

The trail passed a campsite with a privy and picnic table just after the bridge, and then the trail narrowed to a sidewalk-width. I paralleled the pond for a while, enjoying the sounds of morning bullfrogs, and found myself thanking whatever mountain biker got ahead of me and knocked off the morning spiderwebs.

[7:09am - Campsite]

On the other side of the pond was a near identical campsite with the same amenities - they live luxuriously in these Maine woods!

[7:10am - Fire Warden’s Trail]

Just after the second campsite, the trail split. To the right, the Esker Trail continued (or started?) and was marked by a clear blue sign. To the left was the unsigned beginning of the Firewarden's Trail, marked by traditional blue blazes and a "no bicycles on hiking trails" sign.

I turned away from the streams and pond and started my journey a bit deeper into the woods, passing some wetlands with ducks and more bullfrogs, and then coming to the formal trailhead of the Firewarden's Trail just a few minutes later.

[7:14am - Fire Warden’s Trail Sign & Reigster]

I signed the reigster, which was unique to Maine. In New York and Vermont (and New Hampshire, but i see registers significantly less frequently in NH), the registers are usually a log book, spiral notebook, or simply a binder with loose leaf paper that you sign, but the Maine register was a stack of index cards that one is supposed to fill out and put into a box. Maybe it was just for the Appalachian Trail and adjacent lands since it seems sponsored by the MATC?

The Firewarden's Trail (unclear if there is formally a space or not, as no maps or guides seem to agree) began as a gentle meander through the woods, then it began to easily gain elevation, then it began to moderately gain elevation, and then it became visibly more wild, narrow, and much steeper! The air felt nice and cooler after that first push before the trailbed became slabby and crossed an enormous blowdown.

The climb after the first steep push became more reasoable in a hardwood forest before reaching a height-of-land, which was flat and muddy and featured some bog bridges and a slight descend. There were occasional tree views to the Bigelow's ridge, which was STILL looking ridiculously far away! I apssed a meadow on the left at a low point with even more croaking bullfrogs, I almost stepped on a squirrel, and I almost slipped on numerous boards that ranged from wet to rotted, but then after surviving all of the turmoils, I came to the junction with the Horns Pond Trail!

[7:45am - Fire Warden’s Trail/Horns Pond Trail]

I stopped for a short break to have a snack, have a sip, and take a wee. The color of my wee indicated I needed to up my water intake! The trail sign indicated I had about a mile to the next landmark: Moose Falls Campsite. The word "falls" made me excited! At the junction, there was a Carry In/Carry Out sign and a busted "WELCOME TO THE BIGELOW PRESERVE" notice with trail information that was 35% unreadable.

[7:52am - Fire Warden’s Trail]

Back to hiking, I couldn't help but notice the trail did NOT have an abundance of spider webs, which implied there was somebody ahead of me, which was wonderful! I easily crossed a stream, then another one, and then an old logging road. All the hiking was pretty easy since the junction, which was nice in the moment but I knew would soon become a bummer. I crossed paths with a hiker ahead of me, who I dubbed "Spider Man." 

The trail moderated and my legs were already feeling tired! I climbed mindlessly for a bit, eventually crossing another stream and noticing a couple of trees that had wire embedded in them - I'm guessing it's old telephone wire for the old fire warden's cabin that I'm sure exited at the top of the Firewarden's Trail? It was cool, nonetheless! I said hello to a toad, smashed my knee into a rock, and then had a steep wiggle up some rocks and landed at Moose Falls Campsite!

[8:27am - Fire Warden’s Trail/Moose Falls Campsite]

The campsite was in a really beautiful area. The tent sites and privy were on the left and the spur to the water (and falls?) was on the right. The whole vibe of the forest shifted here in a beautiful, calm way! The walls were more of just a cascade - maybe the water was on the low side? A little underwhelming, bu tnic enonetheless! I checked out the privy, which was LOUDLY buzzing with flies - no thank you! There was a tent at the tent site proper so I did not investigate further.

[8:33am - Fire Warden’s Trail]

Back on the Fire Warden's Trail, I climbed a little and crossed the same brook then went over the falls. The trail began to climb steeper, so I intentionally tried to slow down to prevent certain cardiac arrest. I was cooking! It was super humid out, so my sweat was profilic. I hiked through a very wet stretch followed by a sunny stretch that ALMOST provided tree views. This was turning out to be quite the climb.

To my dismay, the trail steepened again and more and more stairs began to appear (the Strava segment for this was titled something like "dem stairs tho," for reference). I was tired, I was sweat, but I wrote I did "not need a defribulator yet." 

The steepness continued until I could make out baby views to Sugarloaf and Abraham and there was one stretch of terrifyingly loud flies I basically ran up through. I wrote "oh my god that was awful like 15 feet of hundreds of buzzing flies I sprinted up and now might die." Afterwards, I wrote "hell continues."

I sloshed through a wetter stretch that had views behind to the Crockers. I could hear voices, but couldn't tell if there were above or below, which was surprising considering how steep this trail was! It turned out they were above me and coming down from an overnight stay. They complimented my camera! This climb was by far the hardest I had done on my trip so far (and spoiler alert: it was far harder than anything I would hike in the next two days). My next note said "I maintain that I'll take quad steep over calf steep, but this is a stairmaster from hell."

The trail eventually turned a corner and continued between two wet rocks - I could start to see the sky! I began to round the shoulder, the temperature slightly dropped, and I felt a sense of hope fill my body! There were tree views on the right to Avery Peak, which looked cool as hell. I soon passed an unmarked spur on the right to a tent site and privy, there was what looked like an abandoned blue blazed trail on the left, and soon entered Avery Col, which was a beautiful area with tons of sunlight. I think I teared up a bit when I saw the Appalachian Trail!... or maybe it was just sweat?

[9:20am - Appalachian Trail]

There was a group of 7ish backpackers getting ready to hike near the camp site and one of the women said there was a group a slow-moving youths ahead and to feel free to pass them, which gave me a laugh. The Appalachian Trail was flat in the col, which was absolutely delightful on the feet, and the walk was accompanied (finally) by a life-altering breeze. I also noticed a sign for the Kennebec River Ferry again, but this time it was for 2020.

I soon caught up to the group of 8-9 kids and they were well-versed in hiker etiquette. They let me pass, helped their friends get over, and ALL said good morning, which was suprising, but wonderful! The climb was pretty scrambly and views behind to West Peak were already beginning to show.

In my blast off, I crossed paths with another duo and got back to "near cardiac arrest," so I pumped the breaks after passing them. Views back to Flagstaff Lake began to appear next just before breaking through treeline at a "please help us preserve the fragile alpine plants" sign - WOW. 

The views were nothing short of incredible from a false summit. I passed another backpacking duo and gawked at the view in all directions now. I could soon see the summit sign on Avery Peak ahead after one more climb, where I truly felt on top of the world!

[9:33am - Avery Peak]

I didn't have the peak to myself, but it was also not overcrowded. The whole summit area was just incredible. Looking ahead on the Appalchian Trail north I could see old tower remains. Working around clockwise, I could see straight down to the Airport I parked at for the Poplar Stream hike, I could see the Abraham-Spaulding-Sugarloaf range with the crockers further to the right. Maybe Redinton too? Maybe not, though. Continuing clockwise, West Peak was next with Flagstaff Lake after, which was almost loking like an inland sea!

I found FOUR summit discs up here, one gold summit, one browner summit (both summit discs were within the tower foundations), and two arrows. There were some bees around the tower so I kept it moving. Just after the tower there was a plaque dedicated to Myron Avery. This is where I took my big sit!

“MYRON H. AVERY PEAK

OF MT. BIGELOW

NAMED IN HONOR OF

MYRON HALIBURTON AVERY

1899-1952

WHOSE FORESIGHT LEADERSHIP AND DILIGENCE

MADE POSSIBLE

THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

THIS 2,000 MILE FOOTPATH

FROM MAINE TO GEORGIA”

I dried off for a minute and then put on some sunscreen and CHUGGED some water. It was hazy out, but the views were just spectacular. The group of young youths arrived about 10 minutes after I did and the adults soon after that. Everyone at the summit was so nice and friendly and happy to be out and about - it was an absolute delight!

[9:56am - Appalachian Trail]

After eating my food and enjoying the sights, I decided to continue on my journey. I packed up, said a light goodbye to everyone that I passed, and started the trip down back to the col. I took at least 1,000 more photos on the trip down, and I really enjoyed being able to see the summit sign on West Peak from Avery Peak. I ended up wearing my visor like a 90s rapper for maximum sun protection on my burn from Saddleback yesterday. Aside from the humidity during the climb, the weather was unbelievably wonderful, especially up on the ridge!

[10:08am - Appalachian Trail/Firewarden’s Trail]

Back in the col, I hiked past some wild-looking ferns and abundant trout lilies (EDIT: I have since learned that most of these trout lilies I have seen recently are actually bluebead lilies, and the best way to tell the difference is the leaf pattern - the trout lilies are splotched while the bluebead lilies are a solid green). I explored the camp a little bit, read another plaque at a signed reforestation area, and then began my climb up to West Peak.

The trail got right to climbing, soon climbing through a fir wave with tree views back to Avery Peak's craggy ridge. I continued deeper into the woods for some more typical steep climbing, followed by another blowdown patch view and then some more steep climbing. 

[10:20am - West Peak]

All that was followed by a more moderate push and then a steep cramble up the summit cone, bringing me back into the Alpine Zone, full of cotton grass and wonderful views. While this peak is higher than Avery Peak, the grandeur felt a bit dwarfed in comparison. To be abundantly clear, it was STUNNING. I loved seeing back to Avery Peak, which looked like a dorsal fin. I could now see ahead to the Horns in addition to the many distant peaks in the area. I rushed through some flies again, drank some more water, and then started my longer trip over to the Horns.

After a short ridge walk I began to descend on a rocky trail with insane views, a wonderful breeze, and peaceful butterflies. I had to burst through another round of fly hell to get into the scrub, but I was rewarded with another open view up towards the Horns!

The trail descended steeply, and then it began to truly plummet down (I crossed paths with two backpackers that were having a TIME getting up the mountain). The Appalachian Trail flattened for moment in a beautiful mossy forest before starting a brief rollercoaster stretch. Thankfully it was one of those children's carnival roller coasters that never goes too steep in either direction! There was a grown in view toward the Airport from one hump, and there was a nice peek-a-view towards the Horns before the next STEEP descent.

This next steep stretch involved a sit-and-scootch scramble, which eventually led to an easy final descent into the cool, where I caught another nice breeze and saw my first pile of moose poop of the day! Just kidding - not the col, the trail continued to descend! Then it descended moderately... and THEN made it into the col!

I met a ridge runner in the col, which was a first for me! He was super nice and we only briefly chatted. Now, it was time to climb again! Thankfully the climb wasn't too rough. The woods were stunning and mossy and led to an area that was more open and just full of moose poop, but still no moose!

After a delightfully easy climb, I did eventually hit a steeper part, but when I checked my map I realized I was almost there! I caught a few tree views over to Sugarloaf after the first push, which concluded with a lovely walking break before another steeper push. I crossed paths with a lady and soon caught a truly wonderful view back to West Peak, which was incredibly pyramidal. 

[11:31am - South Horn]

Per tradition at this point, the view from South Horn was just spectacular. Looking along the AT North, I could see West Peak and the humps I hiked over, to the right was Sugarloaf and surrounding peaks, and straight ahead were some rough looking masses of land with a glance down to Horns Pond a few feet further on the trail. 

I didn't stay for longer than a couple of photos, and I had another round of fly hell to power my way through to get back into teh trees. I wasn't sure if I wanted to hike to North Horn, but when I saw a peek-a-view of an open summit and summit sign, I felt like I had to! Naturally, it was steep coming off of South Horn, and the spur to North Horn was soon after the top.

[11:35am - North Horn Spur]

The North Horn Spur, a blue-blazed trail, started off with a hardly-noticeable descent before starting to climb. I hiked past a dark-eyed junco before starting the more moderate push of this 0.2-mile spur path. I rambled up a few slabs and was soon at North Horn, which was marked with a no camping and no fires sign.

[11:41am - North Horn]

Once again, the views were just excellent. I decided I would stick to my main plan and NOT go to Cranberry Peak as extra credit because I was officially on my final liter of water and I was FAR from the car! I was loving the views over to West Peak, SOuth Horn, and Horns Pond from here. I sat for a little break, but the flies began to like me so I soon was up and pacing around the summit while I ate. My pee was YELLOW, so it was definitely time to start the return trip. It was definitely warmer out now, but the breeze still felt wonderful. I also found an illegal campsite just past the summit.

[11:58am - North Horn Spur]

[12:02pm - Appalachian Trail]

I had a delightful trip back to the Appalachian Trail and then continued the classic steep descent of the Bigelow Range. I, again, used the word "plummet" in my notes for this stretch, but thankfully the plummet was brown up by a 30ft stretch of flatness, past a spring box, before plummeting again. My feet were hurting by this point in the hike (and week!), and thankfully I hit another flat stretch with some wonderful flat dirt.

I had one more area of descent before slipping gracefully on a wet rock, and soon after I came to a sign that read: "PLEASE HELP PRESERVE THE GROUND COVER SURROUNDING HORNS POND DO NOT CAMP IN THE AREA BETWEEN THIS TRAIL AND THE POND USE ONLY THE PARKED TRAILS TO THE POND THANK YOU M.A.T.C" - I was almost there!

[12:16pm - Pond Loop]

To my delight, or absolute dismay, There was a sign for "Pond Loop" - I had no idea what that meant, but unfortunately I felt like I had to take it! The trail started by paralleling the pond, passing a couple of viewpoints on soft ground. The Pond Loop crossed the outflow of the pond on some loose boards and then a loop began. The pathway narrowed and had PLENTY of webs, but it was blazed! I turned right.

The trail really just meanders narrowly through the forest. I kept hearing some frog or fish splashing about, especially when I got near to the pond towards the end of the loop. It was definitely a fish! I think trout are jumping out of the water trying to eat bugs?? How cool!

I stopped again on the way out to watch some more jumping fish, and I actually caught one (barely) on camera! I enjoyed this little loop much more than I thought I would!

[12:33pm - Appalachian Trail]

[12:35pm - Appalachian Trail/Horns Pond/Horns Pond Lean-To]

[12:39pm - Appalachian Trail/Horns Pond Trail]

I hiked back to the Appalachian Trail and passed another sign for the Kennebec River Ferry, for 2023 this time, and soon was at the Horns Pond Lean-To, which was FULL of backpackers. There was a spur for "water," which was just the pond, and the privy was off in the woods. I enjoyed a few last peeks to the pond and then continued my hike - I had just a bit more elevation to conquer before I was firmly on the descent!

I hated hiking past the group that was in the lean-to, but that was fully a me-problem. The trail followed the pond, soon traveling away. An AT sign pointed out that I was still 5.1 miles from my car... bummer! A few minutes later was the junction with the Horns Pond Trail. The Appalachian Trail began to gain elevation again, soon steeply climbing up rock stairs pass some neat moss-covered boulders. I was taking the ups slowly at this point to preserve what life I had left in me. 

[12:46pm - Appalachian Trail/View Spur]

There was a slightly tricky Mahoosuc-esc scramble, I was grumpy, and then I came to view spur that made me angrily happy! It showcased an absolutely wonderful view of Horns Pond and The Horn. It looked like I was on top of one of the craggy knobs that I could see from the pond. SO PRETTY!

[12:59pm - Appalachian Trail/View Spur]

I got back on the AT and hiked along some more flat, pretty ground, continuing to climb. I was grateful the trail was so pretty becuase I was NOT thrilled to be climbing still! I rambled, I descended, and like clockwork, began to climb again! My notes read: "flattens and then scrambles (jesus) to top of knob." The knob had a view to the Horns and the previous knob (and Sugarloaf, per usual)!

I was tired, I was sweaty, and I was ready to be showered and done! This was definitely the hottest and most humid day of my trip, and I was also hiking faster because I had nobody to yep with, which meant I was working harder. I was cooked! I eventually passed a group of 8-10 late teens who were all super kind. One asked me what my "hiker name" was and I said "oh just Matt haha" and after hiking away from each other, I heard him shout "THAT'S ONE!" - I interpreted this as I definitely look and smell horrible!

I was FINALLY descending now. I worked my way down a short, super slippery ledge followed by a series of wet slabs and then began to scramble down some boulders as the trail plummeted. The trail momentarily landed in an area full of giant mossy boulders and I wrote: "at least if I die here it's stunning." I worked through a flat mud pit and descended more reasonably through a massive blowdown patch before another gnarly, steep stretch (I found myself thinking "at least the Fire Warden's Trail had stairs..."). 

I had a wonderfully wild interaction on my way down a steeper part. I caught up to a woman that was butt-sliding down, which I felt was unnecessary, but who am I to judge! I said hello and started to scootch past her but she said "do you have any rope or ties?" I was confused, but then she explained her 20+ year old leather boots finally called it quits on this hiking trip, with both of her soles literally falling off during her hike. Thankfully, I had both ties and some paracord! She was super kind and apologetic, and I was just happy I finally got to use the emergency kit I've been carrying for years! I had to use a combination of two dinky scissors and she used her teeth to cut the chord, but she was thrilled, and now I have quite the story to tell!

Afterwards, I hiked down some spooky cave-like boulders, and to my DELIGHT, hit the junction with the Bigelow Range Trail just after!

[1:37pm - Appalachian Trail/Bigelow Range Trail]

This junction marked 2.3 miles to Stratton Pond Road and 3.2 to my car - I was going to live! I was TIRED. From here, the Appalachian Trail descended normally (thank god) and made a sharp turn around a grassy meadow/bog situation, providing a little view as the trail followed the border. This was a delightful (and necessary) walking break for me!

I hiked past a cute little snake and am always confounded as to how they actually move. I was also back to sweating since it was much warmer and more humid down here. The trail descended again before easing near a stream and crossing a series of boards.

The trail went uphill maybe five whole feet but it was enough for my body to emotionally give me a big slap! Did I mention I was tired? I passed the official 2000-mile marker of the Appalachian Trail at a stream on the right (which was fun to see after seeing two more unofficial 2000-mile markers on the Sugarloaf hike).

[2:11pm - Appalachian Trail/Cherry Stream Campsite]

The Cherry Stream Campsite was just after the 2000-mile marker, and it was a delight to finally feel closer! This stretch wasn't that long in the grand scheme of things, but it felt like it was! There were a few tent spots and a privy at the campsite - now I had about a mile to Stratton Brook Pond Road and then another mile to the car.

A gnat lovingly flew into my eye as the trail very easily rose to cross more boards in a dreadfully humid area, which in turn caused me to slip and take a pretty spectacular (and painful) fall. It was a "whole body hurt" kind of fall! I couldn't even stop to catch my breath because of all the bugs! I was DONE.

[Edit from the future: I would like to add this this section was actually totally fine and borderline easy to hike, I was just tired and exceptionally cranky from the heat and bugs and overall exhaustion].

To add insult to injury (literally), there was a brief uphill afterwards followed by a register box before the next downhill. I simply could not stop to sign it for a myriad of reasons. My shirt was splotchy with salt stains as I approached a mysteriously large bridge.

[2:27pm - Appalachian Trail/Dick Brown’s Bridge]

The bridge was labeled as "Dick Brown's Bridge" and hiked over a meadowy stream that was quite pretty. There was more information about the Kennebago River Crossing soon after (this time from 2024) on top of some wooden stairs at a woods road and then I could see Stratton Brook Pond Road! Thank GOD.

[2:32pm - Appalachian Trail/Stratton Brook Pond Road]

Truly, I think I blacked out this final bit of my hike because I was so equally exhausted and over the hike. From my notes I: finished my water, "power hiking this trail I might die," went over the boards slowly to prevent another fall, got yelled at by a squirrel for making it move off trail, wrote "oh my god" three times, and was never so excited to cross a highway in my life. My hike is complete!

[2:55pm - End of Hike]

My drive back was ridiculously close and easy. I drove around the base lodge area since I had never seen it before, and it had a great view back to what I had just hiked! I got back to the condo and my body said it was TIME to use the bathroom, which was exquisite timing. I had arguably the best shower and had a plethora of taquitos from the market at the base of the access road for dinner on top of a cheeseburger and some chips. I did a little Lightroom importing, watched My Roommate From Hell, and was tucked in and cozy in bed at 7:00pm! I have two more days left of vacation - tomorrow I'm hoping to visit The Crockers and Redington, and then I want to hike Burnt Mountain right here at Sugarloaf on my final morning before driving home to Boston - let's see how it goes!

Step-by-Step

- Start hike by carefully crossing ME-16/27 on the Appalachian Trail Northbound.

- At jct., turn right onto Stratton Brook Pond Road.

- At terminus, turn left onto what might be the Esker Trail.

- At split, turn left onto Firewarden's Trail.

- At terminus, turn right onto Appalachian Trail Northbound.

- At summit of Bigelow Avery Peak, turn around.

- Summit Bigelow West Peak, then continue.

- Summit South Horn, then continue.

- At jct., turn right onto North Horn Spur.

- Summit North Horn, then turn around.

- At terminus, turn right onto Appalachian Trail Southbound.

- At jct., turn right onto Pond Loop.

- At end of lollipop loop, turn right onto Appalachian Trail Southbound.

- Follow AT Southbound all the way to the car.

Map of Bigelow Preserve

Photo Album

The Horn & Saddleback via Fly Rod Crosby, Berry Picker’s, and Appalachian Trails (Saddleback Ski Area/Appalachian National Scenic Trail)

The Horn & Saddleback via Fly Rod Crosby, Berry Picker’s, and Appalachian Trails (Saddleback Ski Area/Appalachian National Scenic Trail)

Hike Type: Lollipop Loop w/ Spurs

Distance: 13.65 miles

Elevation: 3,409 feet

My Time: 8 hours, 56 minutes (7 hours, 36 minutes moving)

Book Time: 8 hours, 31 minutes

Parking: Parking for 3-4 cars at Fly Rod Crosby trail, parking for hundreds of cars at Saddleback Mountain.
Hiking Challenges: Maine 4000 Footers, New England 67, Operation Alaska Benchmark Challenge

The Hike 

Vacation Day 3! Sarah and I were up at 6:00am and out sometime around 6:30am for a beautifully scenic drive to our beloved Rangeley to hike our even more beloved Saddleback (and The Horn)! We stopped at Lakeside Park in downtown Rangeley becuase of how stupidly beautiful the morning was (and we made some plans to visit after our hike to soak up some bonus views (and our feet). It was a sunny morning in the mid 50s with some fog over the lake - it was pretty spectacular.

We did the familiar drive up to the Saddleback base area. I remembered reading to park in the ski area parking lots, but just to investigate we drove all the way to the trailhead, and found parking just after the dumpsters! I'm thinking they don't want hikers parking here in the winter, but summer appeared to be fair game! We got suited up, threw on some bug spray, and started our hike!

[7:48am - Saddleback Spur of Fly Rod Crosby Trail]

Our hike began on the Saddleback Spur of the Fly Rod Crosby Trail, explained at a kiosk a few minutes down the trail. We hiked through an absolutely stunning field of purple lupines (with a few pink ones for good measure) and then hiked through the "Morning Glory" ski run - a trail Gen and I followed on our first visit to Saddleback, not knowing there was a road crossing and a LONG skate section. After crossing the ski trail, we arrived at the kiosk for the Fly Rod Crosby Trail, written as "FLYROD CROSBY TRAIL."

[7:51am - Fly Rod Crosby Trail Kiosk]

A bit of information about the Fly Rod Crosby Trail was found on a brochure online:

“Welcome

The Saddleback Spur is a branch off the main Fly Rod Crosby Trail, leading to/from Saddleback Ski Resort. This 1.9-mile spur passes Midway and Rock Ponds, offering stunning views of the surrounding mountains. It also connects with the Appalachian Trail.

Who is Fly Rod Crosby?

Cornelia “Fly Rod” Crosby, 1854-1946 was Maine’s first registered guide. She was a flyfisher extraordinaire who promoted the Maine woods as a tourist destination. Crosby grew up in Phillips, guided in Rangeley, and is buried in Strong. The FRCT is linked to the landscape of her life. The blue and white trail sign sports the image of a fishing fly.

Is this section of trail on public land?

No. Most, but not all of the Saddleback Spur trail, is on land that is privately owned. The landowners have granted permission for passage through their roland. Stay on the designated trail and practice array-in carry-out ethics.”

The initial plan was to just follow the Saddleback Spur to the main trail and then follow that to the Berry Picker's Trail, but the little map at the kiosk sparked some curiosity in us (mostly me). We continued along the trail corridor, which was now wet and grassy, very slightly uphill with a few bog bridges to keep things interesting. 

[8:02am - Saddleback Spur/Rock Pond]

Our first stop was to a viewpoint along Rock Pond, which featured three canoes!We could hear a symphony of bullfrogs over the rippling water. We also noticed a metal sign that read "In loving memory of Ernie the Big E, 1959 - 2024," maybe someone who used to fish here? We half-joked about taking the canoe out for a spin, but we reminded ourselves that we had a full day's hike ahead of us, so back to the trail we went!

[8:06am - Saddleback Spur]

We followed the Saddleback Spur past another viewpoint of Rock Pond. We saw an old blaze for the trail and admired the light green new growth on the trailside evergreens. Footing remained good, and we soon came to a split. The originally planned route had us going straight to stay on the Saddleback Spur, but if we turned left we could visit an Overlook and Midway Pond. Sarah wasn't convinced about the side quests, but once I said I wanted to and she was welcome to chill out or get ahead, she said "noooo I'll get FOMO I'll come." My plan worked!

[8:13am - Bobcat Cut]

This turn was called the Bobcat Cut, I guess a relatively newly cut trail, and it hiked like one! The spider webs were abundant on this trail, but it was also beautiful and lined with young ferns.

[8:16am - Overlook Trail]

A few minutes later we turned onto the Overlook Trail, which we truly knew nothing about. Again, Sarah wasn't overly convinced, but the fear of FOMO had her coming along with me! The trail meandered upward at reasonable grades with a variety of blazes (faded paint, new paint, and some small wooden signs) to a point where a sign pointed right to the "Rangeley Overlook." There was more trail to the left that seemed to descend from the mass we had just climbed, but there was no evidence of it on any maps, so we kept to the (current) plan.

The trail was lovely from this point on - it was just a lovely flat meander. We hiked over a small moose poop and then a BIG moose poop! We passed a log with "trametes cinnabarina," aka "pycnoporus cinnabarinus," aka "cinnabar polypore" (thank you, Seek!), which was a shelf-looking mushroom of a beautiful burnt-orange color. 

The forest was young up here and it was unclear how long ago it was blazed (and how often it was traveled), but I loved it! Sarah... it's not so clear how she felt!

[8:32am - Rangeley Overlook]

We soon arrived at the Rangeley Overlook, which was simply a nice view of the Rangeley Lake. We could see some nearby hills and a light fog over parts of the lake. The lower part of the view was obstructed by trees, but overall it was nice! Nothing to write home about. Sarah said she would not be back. I said "me neither, becuase when are we going to be hiking out here again."

Our return trip was nice and easy, and soon we were back at the Saddleback Spur!

[8:48am - Saddleback Spur]

[8:49am - Midway Pond Spur]

We were on the Saddleback Spur for less than a minute before turning again onto the Midway Pond Spur to... Midway Pond! The trail initially descended easily with rocky footing and then became dreadfully muddy once closer to the pond. Thankfully, the pond was absolutely stunning. Again, there were three canoes with life preserveres. We enjoyed the view (better than Rock Pond, in our opinions) and soon turned around to actually make some mileage on our hike. Also worth noting: we were in a TIGHT game of fart baseball!

[8:59am - Saddleback Spur]

Now officially back on the Saddleback Spur, we were hiking on some truly DELIGHTFUL trail. It followed Midway Pond for a bit and then made a scenic, mossy descent. The trail was decently wide, but we were still catching spider webs. This was a moment where we went "wow, what a shame that we need to climb a moountain still). 

[9:21am - Saddleback Spur/Stream Bed Trail]

We crossed a bridge and turned right - on the left was the Stream Bed Trail, which our original route followed. The trail was now following a very old, VERY eroded road. Thankfully the footing was decent, even with the wet ground and taller undergrowth. 

[9:32am - Fly Rod Crosby Trail]

We soon turned left again onto a large dirt road - this was the main Fly Rod Crosby Trail. A sign at the junction read:

"NOTICE

Fly Rod Crosby Trails

After a thoughtful review, the High Peaks Alliance has changed the Fly Rod Crosby Trail.

Open Hiking Trails: Sandy River Railroad Trail (Phillips), Reed's Mill Loop (Madrid), Saddleback Spur Trail (to Midway & Rock Ponds).

These sections will now receive improved maintenance and care.

All other sections of the original hiking trails are discontinued.

Please respect the closures and follow the open trails only.

Thank you for your understanding.

More information & maps: https://highpeaksalliance/projects/fly-rod-crosby-trail/"

Naturally, this piqued my interest. What trails were discontinued? Why? Maybe landowner stuff - a mystery!

Continuing on the main Fly Rod Crosby Trail, we were on a wide dirt road, and saw a little snake! This stretch of trail was pretty featureless. We were mostly shaded, at least for the first bit. The road was relatively dry, to our delight! We passed some signage for ITS 89 South and ITS 84 East with snowmobile, ATV, and hiking icons just before crossing a bridge, and then we began to rise pretty gently for a while. This trail must get heavy use in the winters and on weekends, because it's huge!

We eventually rose into more direct sunlight. It was an absolutely stunning day, but the we sure did feel the sun! We passed another snake sunning itself and at the height of land, we turned right to follow the AT briefly to Eddy Pond!

[9:54am - Appalachian Trail]

[9:55am - Eddy Pond]

The AT followed some slippery boards through mossy woods to Eddy Pond, which, per tradition, had three canoes! It was breezy here now and the pond was stunning with a hill in the background. One of the canoes was in-use by a fisherman - we saw his ATV parked on the side of the trail! The bullfrogs continued their silly song and we were most delighted at the absence of bugs - thank you, wind! We took a brief break here and just enjoyed the tranquility. 

[10:14am - Fly Rod Crosby Trail]

We could have followed the AT up and over Saddleback, but we opted to continue around the Fly Rod Crosby to make the hike as much of a loop as possible! We passed a memorial site for two members of the Holbrook Family on the left and caught very small tree views to Saddleback's ridge. 

[10:28am - Fly Rod Crosby Trail/Moose & Deer Pond]

We passed Moose & Deer Ponds on the right, which were nice but nothing compared to Eddy or Midway! Overall, it was a fantastic day for ponds! Along the road, the sun was starting to feel increasingly warm, but that was made up for when we started to catch views out to Abraham! It was really cool and a little geographically confusing to see Abraham from here, but we were thrilled!

Two side-by-side ATVs passed us kindly, but they seemed to pull over at a sharp corner of a trail at a nice view ahead. When we caught up, Sarah offered to take their photo for them (she's so nice). We chatted a bit about the Rangeley area, and the dad of the group really tried to convince us to get into snowmobiling! We exchanged a few laughs and eventually Sarah and I were on our way, with the side-by-sides passing us soon after with waves.

Later on we passed an American flag on trail with a sign that read "in honor of all veterans, in memory of Alfred Bachelder" and the man who was canoeing on Eddy Pond drove past us. Saddleback's ridge that the Berry Picker's Trail follows slowly came into view right as we were starting to feel all done with this stretch, and then lo behold we were at a bridge and the Berry Picker's Trail!

[11:22am - Berry Picker’s Trail]

A sign at the upper terminus of the Berry Picker’s Trail read:

“THE BERRY PICKER’S TRAIL

(OPENED 17 SEPTEMBER, 2016)

WHAT IS THIS TRAIL? THIS IS A SIDE TRAIL BETWEEN THE FLYROD CROSBY MULTI-USE TRAIL AND THE APPALACHIAN NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL THAT FOLLOWS, IN PART, A ROUTE USED BY LOCAL RESIDENTS FOR MORE THAN 150 YEARS TO HARVEST MOUNTAIN BLUEBERRIES AND CRANBERRIES ON SADDLEBACK MT. THIS WAS ALSO THE ROUTE ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL IN 1933.

LOCATION OF THIS SIGN: THIS POINT MARKS THE JUNCTION WITH THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL. FROM HERE, IT IS 0.4 OF A MILE TO “THE ERRATIC” (A PROMINENT GLACIAL BOULDER ON OPEN LEDGE), 0.8 OF A MILE TO BOUNDARY LEDGE, AND 1.7 MILES TO THE FLYROD CROSBY TRAIL.

TRAIL MARKING: EXCEPT FOR OCCASIONAL DOUBLE BLAZES, WHICH INDICATE SHARP OR UNEXPECTED TURNS, THE TRAIL IS MARKED BY SINGLE, RECTANGULAR BLUE BLAZES AND ROCK CAIRNS.

TRAIL DIFFICULTY: THE TRAIL DESCENDS STEADILY, BUT MODERATELY, FOR A TOTAL ELEVATION DROP OF 1,480 FEET BETWEEN HERE AND THE FLYROD CROSBY TRAIL. MUCH OF THE ROUTE FOLLOWS OPEN LEDGES WITH OUTSTANDING VIEWS.

WATER, STREAM CROSSINGS: YOU WILL FIND NO WATER ON THIS TRAIL UNTIL YOU REACH WINSHIP STREAM ABOUT 1.5 MILES FROM HERE.

LAND OWNERSHIP: THE TRAIL BEGINS ON A.T. CORRIDOR LAND OWNED BY THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, THEN CROSSES LANDS OWNED BY THE MAINE APPALACHIAN TRAIL LAND TRUST, CROSSES BRIEFLY NEAR BOUNDARY LEDGE ON TO LAND OWNED IN COMMON AND UNDIVIDED BY LINKLETTER AND THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL CONSERVANCY , AND FINALLY CROSSES ORBETON CONSERVATION EASEMENT LANDS OWNED BY THE LINKLETTER TIMBERLANDS LLC.

HUNTING SEASON: DURING HUNTING SEASONS, ESPECIALLY DEER SEASON (USUALLY EARLY NOVEMBER TO EARLY DECEMBER), WE STRONGLY URGE A.T. USERS TO WEAR FLUORESCENT ORANGE.

PLEASE HELP US TO KEEP THIS TRAIL A PLACE THAT YOU WILL WANT OT RETURN TO.

GOOD HIKING!

MAINE APPALACHIAN TRAIL CLUB

BOX 283, AUGUSTA, MAINE 04332

www.matc.org”

The first stretch of the Berry Picker's Trail was quite lovely. We were in the shade and following a lovely, cascading brook. The trail is blazed in blue and we did find a few piles of moose poop!

Phase II of the hike initiated when we turned and began to steeply climb on relatively soft ground with a few scrambles and tons of moose poop dispersed around. 

Phase III was the longest phase, and by far the best. The rest of the climb from here would be on relatively open slabs, just like climbing up my beloved Mt. Monadnock! Even this open stretch was littered in moose poop, which was really cool to imagine! We caught a few views up to Saddleback's summit ridge as we came to Boundary Ledge.

[12:07pm - Berry Picker’s Trail/Boundary Ledge]

Boundary Ledge is simply a ledge with yellow paint marking a land boundary, but with wonderful views! We admired some small collections of blooming sheep laurel as we ascended the slabs, which were never too steep. We were absolutely floored by the views to Saddleback, especially as one of our favorite ski mountains. Once we were higher up, Abraham began to peek up over the other side, too!

The Horn was the next mountain to join the view party. Even though Sarah and I were roasting in the sun (our skin, that is, the temperature was wonderful), we were absolutely loving this climb! We saw some flowering mountain cranberry higher up, and I'm sure there would be blueberries in-season. 

[12:37pm - Berry Picker’s Trail/The Erratic]

At this point of the climb, we had pretty consistent views of Saddleback to the left and The Horn to the right with Abraham further over. I cannot stress how beautiful this hike was! We could even see some hikers on the ridges. A few clouds provided us a nice break from the sun as we arrived at The Erratic, which is simply a rock in the middle of a flat slab. Great views, though!

The next flower for our list was the bushel of white flowers that make up the American mountain ash, bog labrador tea, and of course the Canadian bunchberry. The trail eventually turned into the woods on a very soft, somewhat wet stretch of narrow trail that gave us a little peek-a-view over to Sugarloaf and Spaulding. The final bit of uphill brought us to the sign written out above, and then we were back on the Appalachian Trail!

[12:59pm - Appalachian Trail]

We turned right to hike on the Appalachian Trail northbound towards The Horn. My notes read: "immediately into the open and holy shit." We caught views right away towards both Saddleback and The Horn. It was sunny with a lovely breeze truly the whole way, with only a passing cloud to break it up. There were a reasonable number of people out, maybe we crossed paths with someone(s) every ten-ish minutes, but we pretty much had the trail to ourselves!

We hiked past some bog pools with beautiful cotton grass blowing in the wind. There was an occasional butterfly flying about. There were a few moments where we dipped back into the woods, which was usually accompanied by a scramble or slightly steeper climb. On one scramble I hurt my already-hurting wrist, which did not feel great! Sarah and I hiked together and apart, both of us just in a wonderful void. 

Some of the more open stretches were marked with scree walls, and one wooded section had an iron ladder to climb! Higher up, Saddleback looked absolutely ridiculous with the Berry Picker Trail's ridge in full view - including The Erratic! 

The climb to the top of The Horn felt somewhat never ending, but it was also so outrageously beautiful that neither of us needed it to ever end. Once we could see the summit sign, we noticed some of the Saddleback ski trails behind us (hello, Green Weaver!). 

[1:43pm - The Horn Summit]

We joyfully gave the summit sign a firm boop and found a perfect spot for our break. There were a few other hikers up top, but the summit area was pretty big so we had some nice privacy. The views were just amazing - 360 degrees. We could see our whole hike from yesterday - from Abraham to to Spaulding to Sugarloaf. Saddleback Junior looked adorable and slightly tempting, but not tempting enough for this trip. 

In the not-too-far distance we could see some showers heading toward Sugarloaf the Bigelows - thankfully none near us! The ski trails in the Green Weaver/The Pass area of Saddleback were in full view, and the White Mountains were mostly hidden behing a summer haze. 

We enjoyed some snacks, caffeine, and delightful silence. We ultimately decided to start moving again when we started to get chilly, and when there was a suspicious cloud on the horizon!

[2:19pm - Appalachian Trail]

It was more cloudy than sunny for our descent, which was kind of nice on the sunburnt skin! We looked back down toward The Erratic, and I used PeakFinder to learn that we could see Carter Dome to the left of Saddleback and Waumbek/Cabot on the right, which was cool! I managed to fall on a rock almost immediately after starting the descent, but we were moving well! The rain was starting to look like it was coming for us, and it wsa sure starting to look spooky!

[2:57pm - Appalachian Trail/Berry Picker’s Trail]

I will admit, I was moving QUICKLY up Saddleback due to the spooky clouds. Definitely a little faster than Sarah would have liked! I did take photo breaks to let her catch up, though! The Horn and Saddleback Junior were standing broud, and the long, talus-covered ridge of Abraham was looking mighty fine behind them. The trail up Saddleback was full of slabs and some fun scrambles with a few breaks in the woods!

It seemed as if more an dmore storms were starting to pop up, and then I heard a rumble, which had me fully spooked! I think I saw on TikTok that you can be struck by lightning 7(?) away from a storm (EDIT: I just Google'd it - it's actually up to 25 miles from the storm!). I didn't vocalise this, because that wouldn't have solved really anything, but I was definitely feeling a bit stressed!

After some quicker climbing, I could see the summit sign in the distance! I was STRESSED. Thankfully, the views were still spectacular! I was ahead of Sarah, so I ran further ahead to get the pictures I needed, but at this point, being the tallest thing in the area, I wanted to be DOWN. 

[3:25pm - Saddleback Mountain Summit]

Sarah caught up, but she also stopped leisurely for photos, and I stressed it was time to GO. She was not thrilled with my rushing, but I am also not going to explain to her mom that she got struck by lightning on my watch! I thought we were in the clear, but we still had a few more minutes of hiking on this high ridge before we dipped into the woods. Saddleback is basically a double-breasted peak - the first breast is the summit, and the second is the spur to the ski area (thank goodness).

[3:31pm - Spur to Saddleback Mountain Ski Area]

We started to follow the spur down and it was once the trees were taller than us when I told Sarah "I guess now is a good time to tell you that I'm absolutely terrified of lightining." She switched from being a little miffed at me to very understanding, which I appreciated! I will say, all in all, I held it together better than I thought I would! She said I could have gone ahead to get off the ridge, but I told her that simply wasn't an option because I would have panicked when she wasn't right behind me!

[3:36pm - Top of Saddleback Mountain Ski Area/America Ski Trail]

The spur trail was short and we were soon at the top of our beloved Kennebago Quad! I was REALLY hoping the patrol shack would be unlocked as a storm shelter... nope! There was a DENSE rain cloud coming right out way - I guess this is our new fate! It would have been so nice to wait out the storm in the safety of a mountain top shelter, but I guess that wasn't in the cards...

[3:43pm - America Ski Trail/Rain Gear On]

It seems the most common route down via ski trails is Tri Color to Green Weaver or Grey Ghost, but Sarah and I opted for our favorite trail on the mountain: America (not for the name, but for the views!). It was absolutely crazy seeing it this time of year, and almost surprising to see how tall the trees actually are! This route was listed as a hiking route on the Saddleback Hiking Map, but it clearly is less traveled/maintained as a hiking route.

When the trail turns, we put our rain gear on and my camera away, and not soon later it began to absolutely downpour. But that wasn't it! It also began to thunder overhead again. But that wasn't it! It also then began to hail?! It soon became VERY silly. I was still mighty stressed about thunder, but the precipitation and the sopping wet ground was enough sensory input to moderately distract me. 

The trail was absolutely soaked, which was ultimately fine. Once I was rightfully drenched I simply did not care anymore! It was even too wet to worry about ticks!

[4:01pm - Hudson Highway Ski Trail/Rain Gear Off]

Less than 20 minutes later, the storm was officially passed us, and it was a... beautiful sunny day? We turned onto the Hudson Highway ski trail and I took off the rain gear that I was now sweating through. Hudson Highway was initially a nice gravel road (thank goodness). We came to the junction that gave me a run for my money as a beginner skier, and then the trail became full of vegetation again. It looked like The Pass was more traveled/maintained, but it would have added mileage, so we opted just to suffer through the sopping wet undergrowth. 

Overall, it was fine. Wildly unpleasant, but totally fine! The sun was back to making my skin nice and crispy as we worked our way down. We liked the signs for the Woolly Bugger Glades and the Uphill Route (we were hoping the Uphill Route would be maintained as a summer hiking trail, guess not!). Further down, we passed what we believed to be a sopping wet gopher sunning itself on a rock (I didn't know there was a difference between a groundhog and gopher until I saw this animal with a groundhog-like face and a rat-like tail). 

Further down, we began to follow MANY moose prints, but sadly no moose. The trail was somehow even more wet in the flat stretch, and we had to watch carefully for our trail back to the car, as a few condo trails began to branch off to the left. 

[4:36pm - Morning Glory Ski Trail]

Thankfully, the return of the stunning lupines marked our turn! We turned left onto the Morning Glory ski trail, followed whatever drainage we could to not be sucked into the mud, and were soon back on the Saddleback Spur! 

[4:41pm - Saddleback Spur]

The hike out through the lupines was again, stunning, but my skin was DONE with the sun! After just a couple minutes we were thankfully back at the car!

[4:43pm - End of Hike]

I had officially won fart baseball in a close-knit 5-to-4 match. We threw on some dry clothes, drove by the base area just to see it (more amazing lupines and a few art pieces and mowed areas likely for weddings), and then went into town and got dinner at the Rangeley Inn, which was just short of phenominal! We drove back to the lake to soak our feet for a minute before driving up Quill Hill for one last batch of views. Our drive home was pretty easy and we stopped again at the Mountainside Grocers for some dessert. Once back at the condo, we ate our respective desserts and did some parallel play on our phones before passing out! Tomorrow I'm back to hiking solo.

Step-by-Step

- Start hike on the Fly Rod Crosby Saddleback Spur.

- At jct., turn right onto Bobcat Cut.

- At jct., turn right onto Overlook Trail.

- At overlook, turn around.

- At jct., turn right to complete Overlook Trail.

- At terminus, continue right toward Midway Pond.

- At Midway Pond, turn around.

- At jct., turn right onto Saddleback Spur.

- At terminus, turn left onto Fly Rod Crosby Trail.

- At jct., turn left onto Berry Pickers Trail.

- At terminus, turn right onto Appalachian Trail.

- At The Horn summit, turn around.

- Summit Saddleback Mountain, then continue on the Appalachain Trail southbound.

- At jct., turn right onto Ski Area Spur.

- At terminus, turn left onto America.

- At terminus, turn left onto Hudson Highway.

- At jct., turn left onto Morning Glory.

- At jct., turn right onto Saddleback Spur.

- Return to car.

Map

Photo Album