Freezeout Trail to Webster Stream Grand Pitch

November 16, 2024Undercover Hiker1 Comment

Falls at Grand Pitch of Webster Stream, Baxter State Park, ME

The Freezeout Trail at Baxter State Park (BSP) starts from the Day-Use Parking at Trout Brook Farm Campground, crossing a sturdy wooden bridge over the brook, which was mobbed by honking Canada geese when I hiked it in mid-September. The Freezeout Trail itself is a long one-way trail (14.4 miles) connecting Trout Brook Farm to the outlet of Webster Lake in Baxter’s Scientific Forest Management Area, and often included as a loop with the Wadleigh Brook and Frost Pond Trails, and/or as a backpacking trip utilizing the campsites along the way.

I navigated using AllTrails, on a route from Hiking Waterfalls Maine that took me to the Grand Pitch of Webster Stream, which the book accurately described as, “a long way from anywhere.” To the waterfalls and back was 12.86 miles, which I did in about four and-a-half hours, with a stop at the falls to cook a chili-mac meal on my JetBoil. The hike is usually described by guidebooks and BSP rangers as very buggy, but the chilly early fall morning made mosquitoes and flies a non-factor on this hike. After the third walk-in Trout Brook Farm tent site, there is a sign-in box for hikers.

Wildflowers on Freezeout Trail, Baxter State Park, ME

The trail was flat and fast, and a beautiful carpet of moss and princess pine lined the path. I had the trail to myself, with the pleasant chirping of birds throughout, and now and then the view of Grand Lake Matagamon to the right of me through the trees. At about one and-a-quarter miles I crossed a bridge over a small bog, passing aster and goldenrod flowers, and disturbed a small brown bird, a least flycatcher or pee-wee.

Beaver dam across large bog on Freezeout Trail, Baxter State Park, ME

At a little under 2.5 miles I crossed another bog over a large beaver dam, and saw one of the beavers working about 100 yards away, weaving its way in a slalom between the flooded tree trunks. A side trail at 3.2 miles led to a large pile of sawdust remaining from mill operations, springy underfoot on the shores of Grand Lake Matagamon. I stopped here for a snack on jerky and looked at the waters, while a solitary belted kingfisher plied the shoreline. A drifting loon joined the chorus of bird sound, and then dove under silently.

Sawdust pile on shore of Grand Lake Matagamon, Freezeout Trail, Baxter State Park, ME

As I turned up the shore to continue north on the Freezeout Trail, I noticed fairly clear, new bear tracks in the sawdust, and bear scat on the trail. At about 4.2 miles, the Frost Pond Trail came in from the left, and I continued to see the lake through the trees. The trail here was a little wider as I continued towards Webster Stream. At about 5.2 miles I stopped at the Northwest Cove tent site to take a look at the lake where a cormorant was drying its wings on a log extending from the water, then I continued up the Freezeout Trail.

At about 5.7 miles, I turned hard left towards Grand Pitch Falls, which I could already hear through the trees. The trail followed a worn path on the bank above Webster Stream, which moved quickly below. At about 6 miles I took advantage of an overlook to the right to watch the stream flow down towards me and downstream, around an island in the middle.

Shortly thereafter, I veered right on a small trail which rode the rock lip over the river, emerging to the Stream crashing through the canyon with a deafening roar, which was awesome to behold. Just above the wild falls, a large crayfish waited in a quiet pocket of rock.

Crayfish in pool above falls of Webster Stream, Baxter State Park, ME

I prepared myself a freeze-dried chili mac here and sat by the falls for quite awhile, then packed up everything and turned and walked the 6.4 miles back to the trailhead. On the way back across the beaver dam, I noticed a small ramp midway across, covered with mud, and clearly used by the beaver to slide back-and-forth between his properties. This is a truly remote hike – despite covering almost 13 miles, I didn’t see a single person until I got back to the parking area.

Grand Lake Matagamon from Freezeout Trail, Baxter State Park, ME

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Sugarloaf Mountain (Mount Chase, ME)

November 7, 2024Undercover HikerLeave a comment

View from Sugarloaf Mountain summit, Mount Chase, Maine

Sugarloaf Mountain (the smaller one, not the ski resort), is located in town T5 R7 WELS, near Mount Chase, Maine. From northbound ME-159, turn left onto Grondin Road, and stay on Grondin Road until you reach the trailhead (a little over 7 miles). I used the directions from AMC’s Maine Mountain Guide, and climbed this mountain in mid-September on the way into the north entrance of Baxter State Park. You will (and should) second-guess yourself on this drive, as the road is more of an ATV trail.

Sugarloaf Mountain Trail, Mount Chase, Maine

It’s probably best to park at the last four-way intersection and then walk down to the trailhead. The trail itself enters a beautiful deciduous forest dappled with light on a slightly inclined but manageable grade. At some point, the leafy green gave way to mostly evergreen, and the trail continued to become more steep, as I started to catch views through the trees of the surrounding mountains.

View from Sugarloaf Mountain Trail, Mount Chase, Maine

Shortly before the summit a series of rock ledges and boulders faced west with great views of Katahdin and its attendant mountains. From here, it’s a pretty short scramble over some steep rock to the summit.

I enjoyed the breeze at the top and the views of the marshes, lakes, ponds, mountains, and forest all around. Then a quick drink of water, and back down, about 1.92 total miles in 42 minutes. There are very few switchbacks – this is basically a mile up and a mile down for a beautiful view.

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Bradley-Sunkhaze Preserve

October 30, 2024November 7, 2024Undercover Hiker4 Comments

Bradley-Sunkhaze Preserve, located in Milford, Maine, is 12,710 acres owned by The Nature Conservancy (TNC), adjoining Sunkhaze Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Maine Parks and Lands Bradley Unit. On a cool mid-September morning, I hiked in this remote, quiet preserve, using the Birch Stream Trail. TNC’s website has a trail map, but the scale is problematic (Derek Zoolander would loudly ask if this is a map for ants), and the trails are overgrown and unmarked. I used AllTrails to navigate, and had downloaded the map well beforehand, as there is little to no cellular signal in this area.

Birch Stream Trail, Bradley-Sunkhaze Preserve, Milford, ME

There is a small parking area next to where Birch Stream crosses County Road, across from the Oak Point trailhead at Sunkhaze Meadows NWR. The Birch Stream Trail starts as an overgrown woods road with a small path in the center hemmed in by wildflowers, ferns, blackberry, and other clinging, thorny plants. A large boggy meadow lit by the sunrise opened up to the left, full of songbirds, and plenty of white birch lined the trail.

Boggy meadow, Bradley-Sunkhaze Preserve, Milford, ME

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Chaffin Pond Loop (Windham, ME)

October 25, 2024Undercover Hiker1 Comment

Chaffin Pond, Donnabeth Lippman Park, Windham, ME

Chaffin Pond is located in Donnabeth Lippman Park, a 123 acre community park owned by the Town of Windham. A map and more information is located on this Town of Windham website. The park is tucked in on the north side of Route 302 off bumpy Chaffin Pond Road. No hunting is allowed in the park, but fishing is permitted.

Chaffin Pond from south end, Donnabeth Lippman Park, Windham, ME

In late August, Pig and I checked out the quiet, shaded trails in late August. The wide, flat Yellow Trail circumnavigates the 10 acre pond, departing a large parking area with a restroom and picnic tables. We used this loop for an easy 1.25 mile hike that took about half an hour.

Yellow Trail, Donnabeth Lippman Park, Windham, ME

Small side trails lead to the shoreline from the wooded path, and I heard a pileated woodpecker call loudly through the nearby forest, as well as many northern cardinals. A wooden boardwalk spans the swampy inlet at the north side of the pond, surrounded by wildflowers, dragonflies, and bees.

Boardwalk at inlet to Chaffin Pond, Donnabeth Lippman Park, Windham, ME

Pig managed to get into the mud on the side of this elevated walk and splash around. The west side of the pond has many good viewpoints, with plenty of water birds and long, bumpy logs full of turtles. We only saw one other hiker, but there were plenty of people at the south end of the pond.

Pig looks out over Chaffin Pond, Donnabeth Lippman Park, Windham, ME

Partridge Pond and Ducktail Pond Loop (Amherst, ME)

October 14, 2024October 25, 2024Undercover Hiker2 Comments

Pig wearing her blaze orange Carhartt, Partridge Pond in fall, Amherst Mountains Community Forest

The Amherst Mountains Community Forest are a Public Land reserve of almost 5,000 acres, located east of Bangor in rural Hancock County on the way to more famous Downeast destinations. On a quiet mid-August day after rains, I took Pig the dog for the Partridge Pond and Ducktail Pond Loop, which I clocked at about 3.4 miles, taking about an hour and a half. It is an out-and-back on Partridge Pond Trail to the Ducktail Pond Trail, and then back on the logging road. On a recent mid-October 2024 day, I also encountered a full lot at the Partridge Pond parking area, and just reversed the hike (as an out-and-back) from the Ducktail Pond parking area, which was just a little under 3 miles. Each time, I used AllTrails to navigate, and there is also a great description and map in Dog-Friendly Hikes in Maine (pets under control are allowed).

The state of Maine has a comprehensive map and guide to the Amherst Mountains Community Forest, including campsites and the Bald Bluff Mountain hike, here. The turn off Route 9 onto Ducktail Pond Road (22-00-0 road), marked by a blue Amherst Public Lands sign, is a tricky hairpin off a busy road from either direction. The road is a typical logging road, dirt and gravel with some washouts and protruding rocks, but much better on the October 2024 visit than the previous one.

Pig exploring a stream next to plank bridge on Partridge Pond Trail, Amherst, ME

We went to the Partridge Pond Trailhead first, where the loud buzzing of mosquitoes and various assorted flies was ominous, but never quite materialized into a problem (and obviously not in October, either). The trail, well-marked with blue blazes, started with a section of slippery plank bridges, and a slight uphill into woods that were rocky and dark. The trail crossed a series of small brooks and wound over rolling terrain with low, wet spots mostly traversed by plank bridges. About 3/4 of a mile in, just before the trail split to the right towards Ducktail Pond, the forest opened up to a series of sunny, moss-filled glades. We continued straight to go to to Partridge Pond first.

Ledges on shore of Partridge Pond, Amherst, ME

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Black Brook Preserve Loop (Windham, ME)

October 12, 2024October 14, 2024Undercover HikerLeave a comment

Black Brook Preserve is owned and maintained by the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust (PRLT). This 105-acre preserve in Windham is accessible through a small, clearly marked parking area just to the south side of Black Brook and Route 202 on Windham Center Road, with another small trailhead on Route 202. PRLT has the best map and description of the well-maintained hiking trails, accessible here. Dogs on leash are allowed, and as hunting is permitted, blaze orange is recommended for all in the fall.

Pig and I took the Hawkes Trail to the Deer Trail and Diamond Trail to make an easy clockwise lollipop loop of about 2.1 miles that took just under an hour at a leisurely pace in late August. Plank bridges span muddy areas and small streams along the route, which is mostly shaded (a nice feature in the summertime, especially along the Family-Friendly Loop. Chipmunks, squirrels, and birds chattered in the surrounding forest. At about a half-mile, we switched over to the Deer Trail to continue the loop, and the trees opened up a little bit, letting in more sunlight.

Field Loop, Black Brook Preserve, Windham, ME

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Five Ponds Loop (Baxter State Park)

September 25, 2024October 12, 2024Undercover Hiker3 Comments

The first time I chose to take the approximately six and-a-half mile Five Ponds Loop at Baxter State Park was the day after a strenuous Traveler Mountain hike, both for its relative ease and for early morning opportunities to see wildlife. I recently explored it again in mid-September as a last, long walk before sunset, after other more difficult hikes. A detailed description of the trail can be found in the AMC Maine Mountain Guide and Falcon Guides’ Hiking Maine’s Baxter State Park.

In 2020, my hike was in a clockwise direction from the trailhead at the Trout Brook Farm Campground, familiar to me from my hike of Trout Brook Mountain two days prior (park in day-use parking near the sign that reads, “Park Orderly”). The ponds, in that east to west sequence, are Littlefield Pond, Billfish Pond, Round Pond, High Pond, and Long Pond, accessed through a series of side trails spanning the shoulders of Trout Brook Mountain. Billfish and Long each have canoe rentals (through the ranger at Trout Brook Farm campsite).

High Pond, Five Ponds Loop, Baxter State Park

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Seboeis River Trails

September 19, 2024October 12, 2024Undercover Hiker4 Comments

I first passed the sign for the Seboeis River Trails in 2020 on the way through northern Penobscot County to Baxter State Park’s north entrance, and made a mental note to check them out. Not much existed online at the time regarding this riverside hike from Grand Lake Road, part of the Seboeis River Gorge Preserve in T6R7 WELS, except the description of a 1.1 mile out-and-back trail along the Seboeis River, ending at the Grand Pitch. I had seen the sign, then saw that it was in the guide book Hiking Waterfalls Maine for the section of ledges at the Grand Pitch. Fast forward to 2024, and Penobscot River Trails has consistently improved this hike, which now extends 7.2 miles, crossing Shin Brook and following the Seboeis downstream to Grondin Road, with maps and descriptions at their site.

This is one of those secluded, beautiful hikes that I have to think twice before writing about, to see if I actually want to share it. One parking area, marked by a large wooden sign, is on the east bank of the Seboeis, shortly before the north entrance to Baxter State Park. A picnic table and a flat grassy area overlook a bend in the river, along with tent sites and a screened-in area, and an outhouse is available on a small hill above it in the woods. The trail itself begins across the street, from a larger parking area and kiosk on the south side of Grand Lake Road. Well-crafted wooden markers show the distances in kilometers along the path in both directions.

The trail starts as a flat gravel path, and then becomes a winding footpath, climbing above the riverbank on a small ridge, with a variety of frogs and toads hopping out of my way, and the continuous calls of woodpeckers and songbirds. The Seboeis becomes louder as it narrows and descends, and the scent of the bent and twisted riverside cedars wafts up through the river mist. A portage trail is marked by a sign in a tree for canoers to walk around the rapids. The trail turns inland next to a large rock outcropping and a bend in the river.

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Horse Mountain (Baxter State Park)

September 14, 2024Undercover Hiker2 Comments

Horse Mountain (1,589 ft) is the first trail you will encounter through Baxter State Park’s Matagamon Gate, with high cliffs visible from the Grand Lake Road heading into the park. This hike, about 3.3 miles, taking about an hour and twenty minutes with the inclusion of the East Spur Overlook, starts uphill on a narrow track through a forest dominated by birch. Map and description are available from two indispensable books – the AMC Maine Mountain Guide and Falcon Guides’ Hiking Maine’s Baxter State Park by Greg Westrich. Throughout Baxter State Park, I used Map Adventures’ Katahdin Baxter State Park Waterproof Trail Map to navigate. Baxter’s great website also has downloadable/printable trail maps, and the Trout Brook Farm map covers this area.

Horse Mountain Trail near summit, Baxter State Park

The sparsely recorded trail log and spiderwebs across the trail attest to its lesser-used nature. In fact, as I was getting ready to hike it the first time in September 2020 at the tiny parking area, a man stopped his vehicle and told me that he had hiked every mountain in Baxter State Park except Horse Mountain. I don’t know why he stopped to tell me this, but it provided the proper motivation for me to do something that he had not. In September 2024, I hiked it in a steady rain, and did not see any other hikers.

Footings of old fire tower at Horse Mountain summit, Baxter State Park

Maybe it’s too close to the Matagamon Gate, too low, no summit views (from Horse Mountain itself – views are from the East Spur), but I loved this hike. The beginning of the hike has a sort of a green tunnel aspect to it, but in the most positive way – there’s an artist’s palette of green with blueberries, princess pine, and hobblebush. This was a silver lining of the rain – I was able to notice the tones that sunlight would normally wash out. I bypassed the spur trail (1.2 miles in) on the way up, headed to the summit, planning to hit the views on the way back. At the peak, I found only the footings of what was once a fire tower, and scattered chunks of the rhyolite that comprises the volcanic mountains of the northern side of Baxter State Park.

View from East Spur Overlook, Horse Mountain, Baxter State Park

This wooded mausoleum was somber and peaceful, and I paused briefly to enjoy the silence. For those looking for a longer hike, the Horse Mountain Trail continues south to some backcountry campsites, the Billfish Pond and the Five Ponds Trail. The East Spur Overlook (.4 miles), which I took on the way back, provides an outstanding overlook of Grand Lake Matagamon and the East Branch of the Penobscot River. As an aside, this is one of the lowest mountains/easy hikes in Baxter that will give you sufficient elevation and line-of-sight to use cellular signal to send a proof-of-life text and maybe download an updated weather report.

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An Amateur’s Guide to Hiking Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness

January 14, 2024October 12, 2024Undercover Hiker24 Comments

View from Barren Ledges on Barren Mountain, 100 Mile Wilderness.

Overview

With the right preparation, the 100 Mile Wilderness (100MW) can be a challenging but enjoyable eight-day hike (and for thru-hikers and experienced “speedhikers,” who can rip off 20-mile days, substantially less). Dad (then 41) and daughter (then 12) completed this in two segments in 2017 and 2018. We definitely allowed ourselves extra time to enjoy places we liked, or to recover from wet gear or injuries, so plan on ten days. Our 100 Mile Wilderness journey finally complete, we took a look back and came up with a better plan of attack. So, here is our guide, with a suggested itinerary, and a packing list.

Direction: There are arguments for going south to north (like we did), or alternately, starting at Abol Bridge, and finishing in Monson. The northern part is substantially flatter (read: faster) terrain, so starting with a heavy pack might be easier north-south, eating up food weight as you move south. But starting from the south, and climbing over the Barren-Chairback and White Cap ranges might make your tired legs want to finish with the more gently rolling terrain of the north.

Timing: When we started the 100 MW, we did so at the end of June/beginning of July. Once we got down from the higher elevations, the heat was oppressive, and the bugs were brutal. We later finished the 100 MW at the end of September, and it was cold at night, but pleasant during the day, and there were no bugs. I think a happy medium would be the beginning of September (assuming your work/school/life allows this), which would still be warm enough to enjoy dips in the lakes and streams, cool enough at night to sleep well, and at the very tail end of bug season. One caveat to this plan – AT Lean-To’s and tent sites may be fairly full, as many thru-hikers will be making their last push to Katahdin. Check out this summary from The Trek of thru-hiker tips for the 100MW, including a 5-day itinerary. Some water sources may also be dry by this time of summer, depending on the rains. Speaking of which, watch the weather forecast – water crossings can be treacherous after heavy rains further upstream.

Resupply: We didn’t do this, but it’s worth considering. Some purists believe that it’s cheating, but lightening your pack enough to enjoy your walk in the woods might help a great deal, and it’s your hike. Shaw’s Hiker Hostel (Monson), the Appalachian Trail Lodge (Millinocket), and 100 Mile Wilderness Adventures and Outfitters are reputable providers who can coordinate food drops for you along the 100MW. They can also provide advice, shuttle service, Baxter/Katahdin permits, help you stage your vehicle at either end, and provide a place to stay before and/or after.

01df1e0a7be2ac53df360898bcd475d90277489006 — East Branch, Pleasant River, 100 Mile Wilderness.

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