Poplar Falls via Maine Huts & Trails, Warren’s Trail, & Narrow Gauge Path (Penobscot Free Land)
Hike Type: Figure-8 Lollipop Loop
Distance: 7.30 miles
Elevation: 617 feet
My Time: 2 hours, 39 minutes
Book Time: 3 hours, 57 minutes
Parking: AMPLE parking at Airport Trailhead.
Hiking Challenges: N/A
Hiking Challenges: N/A
The Hike
I had a super easy drive from the Reed Brook Falls trailhead to the Airport Trailhead - my next destination! This hike would follow trails in the Maine Huts and Trails system to Poplar Falls. I didn't know much about this trail system, but it seemed like a perfect hike for a rainy day! The weather was cooperating for now, with storms expected sometime in the 3:00pm hour. At the trailhead, it was brighter out and a little misty. There was a HUGE parking area - I assume it gets a lot of attention in the winter. I was able to fix my hip belt with an old multi-tool that has lived in my car for YEARS, yay!
[12:40pm - Maine Hut Trail]
My hike started on the Maine Hut Trail, which followed a gravel path through a flowery meadow near the airport featuring abundant orange hawkweed. The mist was actually feeling kind of nice! I crossed a junction with another gravel path, continuing straight in this "runway protection zone."
[12:44pm - Maine Hut Trail/William Munzer Multi-Use Recreational Bridge]
[12:46pm - Maine Hut Trail-Airport Trail]
I soon crossed the William Munzer Multi-Use Recreational Bridge over the wide, scenic Carrabassett River. On the other side of the bridge, the Maine Hut Trail turned right and then immedaitely veered left onto the woods, coinciding with the Airport Trail.
The Airport Trail was a little grassy, so I put some bug spray on to attempt tick prevention. The Maine Hut Trail was blazed with white diamonds while the Airport Trail had blue squares. I paralleled the gravel road (Huston Brook Road/Narrow Gauge Path), which paralled the river. There were some deer tracks in muddier spots and a cute little slug racing me (I won). I hiked over a few culverts and maneuvered one step-over blowdown - this was quite a pleasant walk!
I got two mosquito bites, which convinced me to put bug spray on the rest of my body now. I passed an old road, dodged some slugs, and admired an eft! The road started to turn away from the river at exactly 1.0 miles. There were so many slugs at this point where it would be statistically impossible that I hadn't squished one. I slowly began to hear the sound of Poplar Stream, and then I approached the Carriage Road.
[1:09pm - Maine Hut Trail/Carriage Road]
[1:09pm - Warren’s Trail]
I crossed the Carriage Road and decided I would follow Warren's Trail on the left side of Poplar Stream and eventualy make this hike into a lollipop loop. Ahead on the Maine Hut Trail, there was a bridge over the stream, but I would save that for later. I turned left onto blue-blazed Warren's Trail and started my journey on the soft footpath along Poplar Stream.
I realized that the blazing for this trail system is like the Appalachian Trail - the main trail is white and connector trails are blue. Warren's Trail descended to the bank of Poplar Stream which had tannin-dyed water and some large boulders strewn throughout. The trail appeared to have been partially relocated in places likely due to erosion from floods. I meandered around some mossy boulders and then slightly rose above the brook onto a more stable footbed - the water was so pretty down below.
I loved watching the river interact with the boulders, rushing through chokepoints and relaxing as the riverbed grew wider. I was catching a few spider webs and rock hopped across a slippery stream before rambling upwards away from the main stream. I climbed up some stone steps, which was the first time my heart rate rose all day. A sunnier area of trail was full of high ferns - the sun was really trying to poke through the clouds, but the clouds continued to win the battle (and the humidity!).
I caught some tree views to the other side of the riverbed, which was far below me now. I hiked past some really cool lichens that resembled swamp monsters, and later entered a younger forest full of tall, skinny, abundant trees and slightly descended back to the water, ultimately leading me to the falls!
[1:47pm - Warren’s Trail/Poplar Falls]
A side path descended along the river's bank to a nice view of the falls, and another more eroded path just after led toa closer view. These falls were lovely - not as wonderous as Reed Brook, but still an absolute delight! I took a few photos, and then climbed up the trail to join the service road, which crossed the top of the falls on a bridge suitable for cars.
[1:50pm - Warren’s Trail/Service Road]
[1:52pm - Warren’s Trail]
I enjoyed the view down the stream from the top of the bridge, and then turned left just afterwards to hike the remaineder of Warren's Trail towards Larry's Trail. The trail on this side was similarly wet, mossy, and slippery, but pretty! I skipped a side path down to the falls and continued across some SUPER slippery boards. I tired to talk myself out of going to the hut because I was feeling lazy, but I couldn't check in until 4:00pm anyway, so at the terminus of Warren's Trail, I turned left onto Larry's Trail toward the hut.
[1:57pm - Larry’s Trail]
I was immediately rewarded with my decision to not be a baby with a WONDERFUL trail. The footbed was wide and soft, rising easily to moderately at most. It was truly a delight. I made it over a height of land, and Larry's Trail then terminated back at the Maine Hut Trail, which coincided with the Poplar Stream Trail.
[2:01pm - Maine Hut Trail-Poplar Stream Trail]
The trail here was basically a service road with medium-at-best footing. There was a cool breeze, which felt heavenly in this dreadfully humid weather. The Maine Hut Trail neared a branch of the Poplar Stream, passing a decomposing wasp nest on the ground. I entered a clearing with a strange building - must have been some river gauge type thing? Just after there was a peekaview into a gorge-y area, but I didn't get off-trail to explore.
I passed an old blaze that said "Maine Huts and Trails - Mahoosucs to Moosehead" - I wonder if that's an old slogan? Maybe the original goal was to connect the two regions but they scaled down?
[2:08pm - Hut Spur]
[2:10pm - Poplar Stream Falls Hut]
I climbed up to the height of land and turned left to hike the spur to the hut - I had no idea what to expect! The spur was short, and soon I was at the hut area, which was much larger than I had expected!
There was one main building and three seperate bunkhouses. A sign at the main building said it was closed for the season - I wonder what season it's open for? From the Maine Huts and Trails website:
"The Northwoods Nook
Poplar Stream Hut is the closest hut to our Kingfield office and can be accessed from the Airport Trailhead in Carrabassett Valley. Reaching the hut requires crossing land owned by the Penobscot Indian Nation and leased by Maine Huts & Trails. Please be respectful of the land and wildlife as you enjoy a gentle ascent alongside Poplar Stream to some spectacular waterfalls on the way to the hut.
Visiting Poplar Stream
This off-grid eco-lodge is open primarily during our winter season (late December through mid March) for private room overnight stays. During the winter season, day visitors on Saturdays and Sundays can enjoy delicious soups, sandwiches, and beverages from 12:00–2:00 p.m. Overnight winter guests can choose full-service trips on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays (meals included and optional gear shuttles) or self-service trips (pack in/out gear and prepare your own food) on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. The hut is currently not open during our summer season, but the surrounding trails are great for summer day hikes. Don’t miss visiting the two waterfalls along the way! Bring a swimsuit for a refreshing dip under the falling water.
Staying at Poplar Stream
Guests at Poplar Stream Hut will enjoy a quiet woods nook with easy access to some of the most spectacular waterfalls in the area. Poplar Stream Hut utilizes the nearby South Brook for hydroelectric power, and has hot water, heat, indoor plumbing, a full commercial kitchen, and electricity for guests. The hut also offers a unique lofted library and game room. Bunkrooms are kept at temperatures around 55°F during winter. Due to the remote nature of the hut, be prepared for limited access to power outlets and cellphone service. All rooms at the huts are booked as private accommodations, with 7 bunkrooms available at Poplar Stream Hut. We do not book shared rooms with other groups. Please bring a pair of shoes or heavy socks to wear inside when you take off your trail shoes and boots. Removing outside shoes helps us keep the hut clean and ready all our guests.
Getting Here
The Airport Trailhead is the closest starting point for Poplar Stream Hut. The intermediate level Maine Hut Trail from the trailhead takes trekkers through rolling woods and along Poplar Stream to climb up to the woodsy hut. Explore on Larry’s or Warren’s Trail to see views of the waterfalls! All huts are accessible by our trail network by using people-powered modes of transportation like biking, hiking, skiing, fat biking or snowshoeing. We have put together a list of driving directions to the best trailhead for each hut to get your car as close as possible and the best trail route for each hut to get you the rest of the way."
[2:13pm - Maine Hut Trail - Poplar Stream Trail]
Back on the Maine Hut Trail, I continued along, deciding against backtracking to Larry's Trail (even though I'd get a view of one more waterfall) simply because I did not want to backtrack - onward!
I noticed on the trail signs that it seems bikes are no longer allowed, I wonder why? I hiked with some horse prints towards the next height-of-land, which was at a dammed pond that ultimately feeds Poplar Stream. I turned a corner and crossed the stream on a bridge and there were little fish underneath! The trail got grassy here, which was unpleasant, but I was accepting of it.
The trail followed the stream down low on the right with pretty wonderful footing after some wet grass, eventually starting to descend past some massive mushrooms. I walked across some SLIPPERY snowmobile bridges and many frogs, eventually bringing me to the lower junction with Larry's Trail.
[2:38pm - Maine Hut Trail/Larry’s Trail]
The sign read just 1.8 more miles to the Airport Trailhead - yay! The Maine Hut Trail began to near Poplar Stream again with occasional views down to the water.
[2:45pm - Maine Hut Trail/Poplar Stream Bypass]
A few minutes later, the Poplar Stream Bypass trail turns off on the left, which looked more like a snowmobile trail that does not get much summer use. I continued on, running level with the stream, and soon coming to the bridge over Poplar Stream, closing the lollipop loop!
[2:49pm - Carriage Road]
I decided to go rogue to avoid thinking and instead of following the Airport Trail I would do a road walk back. I turned left onto the very quiet carriage road, which featured a needed lovely breeze. The skies were ready to start raining at any moment it seemed! I passed an empty camp on the left as I descended on the Carriage Road, eventually coming to a gate with a sign that read:
“THE CARRIAGE ROAD IS CLOSED UNTIL FUTHER NOTICE. THE CARRIAGE ROAD IS A PRIVATE ROAD AND AN OPENING DATE IS NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME. 5/20/2021” - sign at gate.
After the gate, the road transitioned from gravel to pavement with more homes on the right and the river on the left.
[2:55pm - Narrow Gauge Path]
Next, I turned right onto Huston Brook Road, which doubled as the Narrow Gauge Path. I passed a ton of absolutely adorable A-Frame homes donned with ski memorabilia. Eventually, the road came to the Carrabassett River. I came up to an open gate that was signed as closed, but was clearly open:
“THIS GATE IS CLOSED TO PROTECT THE ROADWAY FROM DAMAGE DURING THE SPRING MUD SEASON BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC. **PEDESTRIAN FOOT/SKI/BIKE TRAFFIC TO CONNECT WITH THE NARROW GAUGE PATHWAY IS ALLOWED**” from sign at gate.
I could sneak a little peek to the Airport Trail through the woods as it paralleled the road, felt a few specks of mist, almost stepped on a small dead snake (and three slugs munching away on it), and spooked a pileated woodpecker.
[3:12pm - Narrow Gauge Path/Maine Hut Trail]
[3:13pm - Maine Hut Trail/William Munzer Multi-Use Recreational Bridge]
I joyfully made my way to the bridge and saw DARK skies downriver - I think I timed this hike perfectly! The crickets were chiping throughout the meadow, and I soon was back at my car!
[3:17pm - End of Hike]
I packed it in and the SECOND I closed my car door, the rain began! I passed a big deer on my drive to Sugarloaf and took a stop at the Mountainside Grocers. My check-in was super easy, and an owl cheered me on as I unpacked through the rain - it was a perfect start to vacation!
Step-by-Step
- Start hike on Maine Huts Trail from Airport Trailhead.
- After crossing bridge, veer left to stay on Maine Huts Trail (coincide with Airport Trailhead)
- Cross carriage road, then turn left onto blue-blazed Warren’s Trail.
- At Poplar Falls, turn right onto Service Road (coinciding with Warren’s Trail), cross bridge, then turn right again to stay on Warren’s Trail.
- At terminus, turn left onto Larry’s Trail.
- At terminus, turn right onto Maine Huts Trail (coincide with Poplar Stream Trail).
- At jct., turn left to Poplar Stream Falls Hut.
- At hut, turn around.
- At jct., turn left onto Maine Huts Trail-Poplar Stream Trail.
- At Carriage Road, turn left onto Carriage Road.
- At jct., turn right onto Narrow Gauge Pathway.
- At bridge, turn left onto Maine Huts Trail.
- Return to car.
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