Acadia National Park Destinations Stories Maine Classic Adventures in the National Parks: Sargent Mountain Portland, ME Portland, Maine: Mount Jefferson and Mount Adams via the Great Gulf Trail and Six Husbands Trail Test out one of the most notoriously difficult trails in New Hampshire's White Mountains. Portland, ME Portland, Maine: Mount Katahdin via Hunt Trail Hike, climb, and scramble your way up the final five miles of the Appalachian Trail and be rewarded with the best views in Maine. Portland, ME Portland, Maine: Traveler Mountain Loop Bag three peaks in virtual solitude in the middle of summer on this gem atop Baxter State Park in Maine. Portland, ME Portland, Maine: South Branch Mountain Loop Find complete solitude and expansive views on one of Baxter State Parks lesser known and lesser traveled loop hikes. Maine Trips Ski Coastal Peaks in Winter Acadia National Park, Maine Maine Natural Hazards News News and Events Three Hikers Rescued from Appalachian Trail

Appalachian Trail Long Trails Maine Trips Could the Appalachian Trail Lose Katahdin? Rowdy hikers and an ultrarunner's clash with park rangers have officials threatening to move the northern terminus of America's most famous trail.ogio newt laptop backpack 13 Maine Trips The 20 Best Backcountry Lakes: Wassataquoik and Little Wassataquoik Lakesmcculloch backpack steam cleaner Baxter State Park, Mainebackpack zooka Acadia National Park Maine Trips Best 100 Miles: Precipice Trail, Acadia National Park, MEmsi hermes backpack price This mile of heart-pounding mountain climbing is among the best 100 miles of trail in the whole national park system.npc backpack svargrond

Appalachian Trail Maine Grafton Loop, Maine Summit nine peaks and graze on trailside blueberries in Maine.oliveve backpack Maine Trips Baldplate Mountain, Maine The Appalachian Trail in Maine will take your breath away, both as you climb 3,662 feet to the summit and then your 360-degree view.Looking to get out on the trail for an overnight camp-out in the Maine backcountry this summer? A hike in to a quiet tent site in the wooded wilds among the moose and loons? Below are six suggestions for backpacking trips from the coast to the mountains, with a range of appeal for everybody from novice hikers to experienced trekkers. Hike a couple easy miles in and out, or try as many as 10 miles up a mountain and back. Hikers heading away from the road should be properly prepared for their camping adventure in the Maine woods. Warm and weatherproof clothing, good footwear, tent, sleeping bag and insulating pad, cookstove and fuel, food, and the  “Ten Essentials” – a classic list of emergency gear, including navigation tools, first-aid supplies and more – are a must for your comfort and safety on the trail.

If you’re unsure what to pack, consult the Appalachian Mountain Club’s “Essential Backpacking Gear Checklist” online. More good planning information, as well as descriptions and maps of these hikes and many more are found in the AMC “Maine Mountain Guide” and “Best Backpacking in New England” guidebooks. Stop in at your local outdoor retailer for some personal advice and a look at the latest available gear. Carry what you need, but don’t burden yourself with an unnecessarily heavy backpack. The backcountry campsites mentioned here are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and are mostly unimproved earthen pads, although you may find tent platforms in some areas. There may be a fire ring and a privy. If there’s no fire ring, fires are prohibited. If there’s no privy, please dispose of human waste per “Leave No Trace” principles. There are no fees except as noted. , or through the “find parks and lands” tab. AMHERST MOUNTAINS COMMUNITY FOREST

This rugged 4,974-acre tract of woodland in Amherst encompasses six remote ponds, streams and wetlands and a hodgepodge of low hills. Combine the Ducktail and Partridge Pond trails for a nice 4-mile circuit.From the Indian Stream trailhead, follow blue blazes to Ducktail Pond. Enjoy a swim, then carry on to the little waterfall and sloping granite beach at Partridge Pond. Pitch your tent nearby and enjoy the solitude, the crying loons and the coyotes yipping in the night. Complete the loop in the morning. GETTING THERE: From the junction of state routes 9 and 181 in Amherst, drive west toward Bangor for 1.5 miles. A blue sign on the right marks the somewhat obscure entrance to the forest. Just before the guardrail, turn right onto the old road and follow it 2.3 miles to Indian Stream Day Use Area and parking. TRAILHEAD GPS COORDINATES: 44.8483,-68.3880 Photo by Carey Kish CAMDEN HILLS STATE PARK Hike into 6,200 acres of state-owned backcountry on the Multi-Use and Bald Rock trails to reach the craggy ridgeline of 1,200-foot Bald Rock.

The total ascent is just 550 feetHere you'll find two log shelters, one a stone's throw north of the summit, the second just beyond. The shelters are old, so carry a tent as a hedge against aBoth sites afford stunning views eastward over Penobscot Bay to Islesboro, North Haven, Vinalhaven and a host of smaller islands. Come dawn, grab your coffee and a front-row seat for a sublime Maine coast sunrise. There's no water, so pack in what you need. The loop hike is 4 miles total; add to that with a side trip to Mount GETTING THERE: From the junction of U.S. Route 1 and state Route 173 in Lincolnville, take Route 173 west. In 2.3 miles, bear left on Youngtown Road, and in 200 feet, turn left into the trailhead parking lot. Deposit your park day-use fee (currently $4/day) in the iron ranger at the start of the trail. TRAILHEAD GPS COORDINATES: 44.2800,-69.0449 CUTLER COAST PUBLIC RESERVED LAND Five miles of bold ocean headlands interspersed with pocket coves and cobble beaches, plus windswept meadows, peat bogs and maritime spruce-fir forests characterize this

bine parts of the Coastal, Black Brook Cut-off and Inland trails for an outstanding 9-mile round-trip hike that hits all the geographical highlights, as well as three nicely spaced tent sites near the promontory of Fairy Head. mountains on this route, but plenty of short ups and downs will test your stamina. Pitch camp and enjoy the view over the Bay of Fundy to Canada's Grand Manan Island. There's boggy brown water nearby, but you may want to pack in your own supply. GETTING THERE: From the junction of U.S. Route 1 and state Route 191 in East Machias, turn south on Route 191 and drive 16.4 miles, passing through the tiny village of Cutler, to the large trailhead parking area on the right. TRAILHEAD GPS COORDINATES: 44.6987,-67.1581 GRAFTON LOOP TRAIL - EAST SIDE Switchback your way up the Grafton Loop Trail to the 3,133-foot summit of Puzzle Mountain, a strenuous climb that gains 2,400 feet over 3.6 miles. After a well-deserved break, continue on to spend the night at Stewart Campsite, perched at 2,500 feet on the mountain's north side.

From Puzzle's craggy summit, enjoy the big vista north over Long Mountain to the peaks of the Baldpates. The steep flanks of Old Speck stand out at the head of Grafton Notch, while the bare slopes of Sunday River Whitecap beckon across the Bear River Valley.Retrace your steps from Stewart Campsite the following day for an out-and-back hike totaling just under 10 miles. GETTING THERE: From the junction of U.S. Route 2 and state Route 26 in Newry, drive north on Route 26 for 4.9 miles to trailhead parking on the right. TRAILHEAD GPS COORDINATES: 44.5391,-70.8295 LITTLE MOOSE PUBLIC RESERVED LAND It's an easy 1.5-mile hike into Little Moose Pond, but you'll feel far from the road in this prime wildland covering 15,000 acres in Moosehead Junction and Big Moose townships near Greenville.Set up your tent at any of several campsites around the pond's shoreline. After settling in, hike the loop trail around both Little and Big Moose ponds (a detour to Papoose Pond is a bonus).

Climb the scenic ridge of Little Moose Mountain for a look down on your pondside camp. This easy loop around camp is about 1.5 milesThe next day, relax in camp or pack out early and day hike nearby 3,196-foot Big Moose Mountain for grand views over Moosehead Lake, a 7-mile roundtrip. GETTING THERE: From the center of Greenville, drive north on Route 15 for 5 miles. At the blue-and-white sign for Little Moose, turn left onto North Road and go 1.6 miles to a fork. Bear left on Mountain Road, and proceed another mile to the trailhead parking. TRAILHEAD GPS COORDINATES: 45.4557,-69.6919 NAHMAKANTA PUBLIC RESERVED LAND This 43,000-acre expanse is a remote and lonely place in the heart of the 100-Mile Wilderness, that long stretch of Appalachian Trail corridor between Monson and Baxter State Park.Northeast of pristine Nahmakanta Lake, the Debsconeag Backcountry Trail covers a dozen scenic miles over a series of hills and ridges that hide five pretty little ponds.