What a fine hike! Well-maintained trail, generally soft underfoot rather than rock-strewn, with helpful stairs in some steeper sections. For years we skipped Old Speck, thinking "Wooded summit? No thanks." Big mistake. Old Speck and Speck Pond trip from Route 26 in late August. make sure you allocate the time though and bring plenty of water! Not a quick hike, not for beginners. There was a brook along this trail, so that's probably why. There was definitely a higher presence of flying stuff coming down on the southern part of AT trail (opposite eyebrow), but they weren't biting and couldn't keep up if walking at a decent pace. There were a few black flies at the top around the tower, but biting bugs weren't an issue at all (wore no bug spray! rare). The views at the peak itself were obstructed a little bit by trees, but climbing the tower quickly fixed that for some full, 360 panoramic views. The trail opened up maybe a half dozen more times with expansive, far views before the peak. Took about an hour to get to a good opening where we could see the parking lot. There's a lot of up and down throughout the trail, so be prepared. The trail was wide, well marked and maintained, mostly root/rock along the entire way. There's a lot of early elevation on the eyebrow trail and the AT trail is likely the easier decline was happy with our decision. we went up the eyebrow trail (the northern one), hit the peak at 3 1/2 hours at a leisurely pace, spent maybe 20 mins at top, and took about 2 1/2 hours down. Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, Grafton Notch State Park Visit Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands online for more information and a printable map or contact: View the "Old Speck Mountain - Appalachian Trail and Eyebrow Loop Trail" guide online here. Natural Heritage Hikes is a project of the Maine Natural Areas Program in partnership with Maine Trail Finder. Please be aware that facilities are closed during the off season. Please place the admission fee in the self-service collection canister. Grafton Notch is open seasonally from May 15th to October 15th from 9:00 am to sunset. Off season, visitors may continue to enjoy the park during these same hours. In the winter, adventurous snowshoers and cross-country skiers enjoy exploring ungroomed trails. Grafton Notch State Park is also part of the Maine Birding Trail, birdwatchers can observe peregrine falcons, a wide variety of songbirds, and at higher elevations some northern forest species. View BPL's Grafton Notch and Mahoosuc Public Land map and guide. The Eyebrow may not be achievable for small children, especially in wet conditions. Hikers wanting to avoid the rungs and ladders can go up and back on the AT portion for a 2.6-mile round-trip. While still steep, this avoids climbing down steep sections. It is suggested that users descend by following the Appalachian Trail back to the parking lot and trailhead. Portions of the orange-blazed ascent involve ladders and steel rungs. The trail gently rises as it passes through a stand of hardwood trees until it reaches a steeper cliff section. Following the white-blazed Appalachian Trail southbound for 0.1 miles, look for the start of the orange-blazed Eyebrow Trail on the right. The summit and tower are reached by a 0.3-mile spur reached at approximately 3.5 miles from the trailhead.Įyebrow Loop Trail (2.2 miles round trip, advanced): The Eyebrow Loop Trail rises steeply to a 2,900-foot shelf-overlook on Old Speck Mountain. The trail crosses many streams then ascends the north shoulder, rising out of the woods and offering frequent views of the Notch. From the parking area, follow the white-blazed Appalachian Trail southbound along Cascade Brook. Old Speck Trail (7.6 miles round trip, advanced): Old Speck Trail is a challenging hike with spectacular views from an open observation tower at the summit. Hiking up the steep summit trails rewards hikers with spectacular views, particularly on Old Speck Mountain which at 4,180 feet is Maine's third tallest mountain. The park lies amidst some of Maine's most spectacular mountains, the Mahoosuc Mountain Range, and offers rugged terrain for back-country hikers including close to 5 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Grafton Notch State Park is a premier recreational destination off of ME-26 in Newry. Be considerate of your fellow trail enthusiasts - pass at safe distances, wear masks, and move on from viewpoints if others are waiting. If the parking lot is full when you arrive, please choose another trail. Use Maine Trail Finder to identify other nearby trails. Consider visiting outside of peak periods. This is a busy trail system, especially on weekends between 9AM-4PM.
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