Hiking in Maine

Rattlesnake Mountain (1,035 ft) is an approximately 2.6 mile moderately difficult (but family-friendly) out-and-back hike in Raymond, Maine, with two good viewpoints overlooking the Lakes Region on the way to the summit. Allow about an hour or two for this adventure, depending upon the abilities of those in your group. The small, well-marked parking area for the Bri-Mar trailhead is off Webbs Mills Road (ME-85), and open from sunrise to sunset. No dogs are allowed on this trail. The trail is also closed during the month of April.

We completed this hike several times, including as a family during the fall, a warm, early July solo hike, with the field at the beginning of the hike full of wildflowers and bees, and the most recent, a late-December trip about a week after a large storm, with the path mucky, and the field a blend of yellow, orange, and brown. The footpath across the field from the parking lot gives way to a wide, pine-covered road through a swampy area, then progresses upward on a more narrow path.

The forest itself is typically alive with birdsong, from chickadees, woodpeckers, and mourning doves, as well as the chattering and rustling of squirrels and chipmunks. Deerflies were a problem at the beginning of the July hike, but thinned as I climbed. The trail was mostly empty in the morning, as in July I only saw two other trail users, both trail runners, but can be fairly busy on summer afternoons. Even on the winter weekday trip, the small lot was full, and hikers were spread across the trail in various phases.

The Bri-Mar trail, named in memory of Brian and Marlene Huntress, is maintained by the Huntress family. This trail is easily followed in spring, summer, and fall, with red arrows spray-painted on rocks and trees in areas of uncertainty. On the recent December trip following the storm, this proved more difficult due to storm damage and leaves, and I found myself tracing a streambed away from the trail, before correcting myself. The trail is steep in places, but becomes more of a ridge hike at the two viewpoints and summit. Logs over the trail provide fun obstacles for kids to climb over, and several wild blueberry bushes cover the margins of the trail towards the summit.

Rattlesnake Mountain is a great Lakes Region hike for families. Enjoy the southern vistas provided by the two viewpoints on ledges, as the summit itself is wooded, and leads to other trails sloping downward. As a general rule, as you move toward the summit, veer left at trail intersections. The top is marked by a small wooden sign to the right of the trail, which is the turnaround point. After the hike, a great place to stop for lunch or a snack in Raymond is The Good Life Market, at the corner of ME-85 and 302, with all kinds of fresh options for every diet. In the fall, we have also picked apples down the road at Meadow Brook Farm.