Saturday was a beautiful hike up Bald and Stowe mountains; nothing too steep and the AMC has done some great additions of planks and stairs in the most steep areas. Absolutely gorgeous day hiking on the Table Rock Trail of the Appalachian Trail in Grafton Notch State Park. The Grafton Loop Trail, in the Mahoosucs Range of Western Maine, is one of the newest major trails to be built in New England. These awesome businesses support our goal of connecting people to outdoor adventures in Maine! Lots of PUDS but great view from Sunday River Whitecap. Posts. From Rumford/Farmington: Follow Route 2 West to Newry Corner (Routes 2 & 26) Turn right. Explore. No thanks." It is often used by camp and school groups. There’s parking at each road junction (directions at the bottom), one at the AT parking lot in Grafton Notch State Park, the other near Eddy Road in Newry. Campsites were in fair shape with Privy's. At Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center, you’ll find activities, recreation, and events sure to entertain the entire family. We enjoyed our hike up Old Speck this weekend and it was very beautiful on the way up. A wild, remote setting (albeit with a shelter and outhouse) and a swim that was invigorating and bracing even in late August. Previous hikers broke trail through the foot of fresh snow, so the trail up to the summit is clear to follow, which is nice since the blazes on this trail are a bit faint and hard to see when snow is on the tree trunks. Indeed, water and snack a must! Day 157 Start: Grafton Notch parking area Finish: Bushcamp near Surplus Pond AT Miles Hiked Today: 12.2 Overall AT Miles Hiked: 1,934.1 Miles To Go Until Katahdin: 255.0 I woke up to my alarm at 4:15am. Portions of the orange-blazed ascent involve ladders and steel rungs. Great views on puzzle mountain. The AMC map is more up to date, but the MATC version has trail distances. My sister, brother in law and I were making the 3 hour drive back to Grafton Notch from New Hampshire, where they picked me up yesterday from the airport. 26 (Bear River Rd.) Map Key Favorites Check-Ins. All that being said, we had a great 3 days with particularly beautiful views white cap. Final day was 4.9 back to the car! All Rights Reserved. I ended up running back and forth under the hot sun before finally getting back to my car at 8:41:05, but I … 26 (Bear River Rd.) 6/17-19/20 Started at the Puzzle Mtn parking lot and did the east loop first. The only camping is at four designated campsites on the eastern section and four on the western section. From here, it heads across a field to a snowmobile bridge across the Bear River. Friday night we parked at the southern parking lot 985 Maine 26, Newry, ME 04261 Near intersection of Rt 26 and Eddy Rd and hiked the 0.5ish mile south from parking lot to the Grafton Loop Trailhead (44.530831,-70.825252) Parking is not allowed here at this trailhead, hence the road hike. A rugged hike but worth it when you see the 360 degree views from the tower! The water source is a brook, which was pretty dried up, but we were able to walk up the creek bed and find a fairly deep and clear pool for our bottles/dinner. Grafton Notch State Park - Baldpate Mountain and Table Rock Loop. We left our house in Gorham at 4AM, taking two cars, we left her car at the southern trailhead on ME 26 for a resupply, as this is where the Grafton Loop Trail crosses the road about 21 miles into our 38 mile hike. Grafton Notch Scenic Byway bisects the Park and several pull-offs highlight interesting natural features. Heading northward, the next highlight is Grafton Notch, a convenient mountain pass sliced open by glaciers about 12,000 years ago. GPS Position for this AREA is set for the AT Parking Lot. Grafton Notch Scenic Byway bisects the Park and several pull-offs highlight interesting natural features. ... From Sunday River Whitecap, the Grafton Loop Trail descends into Miles Notch, elevation 2,350 feet, and after cutting through the notch, begins a long and gradual climb up an arm of Old Speck Mountain. Never done this one before.. 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. The Grafton Notch/Mahoosuc area encompasses some of Maine’s most spectacular mountain terrain. Highly recommend. The trail is a rugged, remote backcountry trail, and much of it is on private land. Glad enough to have seen the pond but not sure we'd do it again anytime soon, as it added considerable exertion to an already-substantial day hike. good decline to start difficult but doable climb to white cap gentle climb down to Sargent Brooke camp. It is suggested that users descend by following the Appalachian Trail back to the parking lot and trailhead. The loop sections that are not frequented by day hikers are significantly overgrown. Off season, visitors may continue to enjoy the park during these same hours. Wonderful information. The eastern side of Route 26 is the longer (21.1 miles) and more difficult section of the Grafton Loop Trail. Go 7 miles north on Rt. ... From Sunday River Whitecap, the Grafton Loop Trail descends into Miles Notch, elevation 2,350 feet, and after cutting through the notch, begins a long and gradual climb up an arm of Old Speck Mountain. The only issue for us was we didn't encounter any water between the base of Stowe Mountain and the Slide Mountain campsite. We drank 6 12oz waters each and put on a long sleeve shirt twice as the temps change near the summit and on the way to the pond. The first had no water, the second was marginal and the last two had adequate water.. Day 157 Start: Grafton Notch parking area Finish: Bushcamp near Surplus Pond AT Miles Hiked Today: 12.2 Overall AT Miles Hiked: 1,934.1 Miles To Go Until Katahdin: 255.0 I woke up to my alarm at 4:15am. 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. It was a very well marked, nice trail. The western section of the Trail has been open for use since 2003. I have hiked every trail at Grafton notch state Park and I will have to admit that my favorite trail is the eyebrow loop trail with a great view right through the park. The Grafton Loop Trail is a 38.6 mile loop through Grafton Notch with commanding views of the Mahoosuc Range. Grafton Notch is a magnificent mountain pass in Southwestern Maine, a short drive from Gorham, NH, the last major trail town that Appalachian Trail thru-hikers visit before leaving New Hampshire. AT parts of the trail are much better maintained than the other parts which are pretty overgrown. Also recommend starting early as while it is a very shaded trail, once the sun is up, the trail gets hot. It may be accessed from the Grafton Loop trailhead on Rt. Always filled with nice scenery changing from rocky little water ways to small green trees to ice covering some of the path but the view is all worth it at the top with a large welded fire tower structure to climb with beautiful views of Sunday River, the Whites, Berlin, and Lake Umbagog. Bring water and a snack. 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. What a great saving on mileage and time finding out about this approach. Natural Heritage Hikes is a project of the Maine Natural Areas Program in partnership with Maine Trail Finder. In the woods nearly the whole trip. It had absolutely STUNNING views and I would suggest it to anyone hiking the loop as a point to enjoy. Google Map Quest or buy a map of Maine. We actually arrived at the summit by 'accident'; we heard some voices, turned a corner, and were there! A joint effort between the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, the Grafton Loop Trail was completed around 2007 as an approximately 40 mile backpacking loop trail on either side of Grafton Notch State Park in Maine. Avalon Trail is displayed on the Crawford Notch USGS quad topo map. The 6 days off for the … Sign Up or Log In. Slide Campground had a bear box. Currently there seems to be plenty of water. Campground is on the left. If youre not up for the longer trek down to the pond then head back to the trail to descend down. In Grafton Notch State Park, part of the Maine Birding Trail, birdwatchers can observe peregrine falcons, a wide variety of songbirds, and - at higher elevations - northern forest species. Map. But the views are lovely from the ridge, as you can look all the way down the notch. And just to illustrate the ruggedness of the area, Appalachian Trail hikers find the Grafton Notch region of the 2000 mile trail the most challenging. There's a very pretty brook with a little waterfall that you cross to get to the campsite from the trail. In Grafton Notch State Park, part of the Maine Birding Trail, birdwatchers can observe peregrine falcons, a wide variety of songbirds, and—at higher elevations—northern forest species. FYI that in early July there can be a lot of flies hatching/in general lots of bugs especially at the lookout tower at the top. By Activity. I had the Grafton Trail to myself. We found the AT section to be the most strenuous, the view from Sunday River Whitecap to be the best, and the summit approach for Old Speck to be our favorite stretch. Grafton Notch State Park has waterfalls, a cave and a couple of big mountains. Directions to Grafton Loop Trail trailhead: The section of trail over Puzzle Mountain is mostly on land owned by the Mahoosuc Land Trust and permanently protected from development. In Grafton Notch State Park, part of the Maine Birding Trail, birdwatchers can observe peregrine falcons, a wide variety of songbirds, and – at higher elevations – northern forest species. The GPS says we travelled two miles to reach Miles Notch from Route 26. We camped Saturday night at the Bull Run Campsite (2 miles south of Old Speck Mountain), which had all the same amenities as the Bald Mountain campsite. trailhead for the southwestern portion of the Grafton Loop Trail by walking approximately 0.75 miles south on Rt. I was a Ranger there in the 80 ern. Several interesting attractions are conveniently located on scenic Route 26. This site is great! Several interesting attractions are conveniently located on scenic Route 26. the weather could not have been better, a nice cool morning. If you are interested in helping to maintain the GLT, please contact MATC Baldpate District Overseer Tom Gorrill at woodencanoeboy@gmail.com or (207) 657-4249; or Kim Marion, AMC North Country Volunteer Coordinator at 603-466-2721 X192. Big mistake. View the "Old Speck Mountain - Appalachian Trail and Eyebrow Loop Trail" guide online here. Please be aware that facilities are closed during the off season. My daughter , 20 and myself started at 9:40am and returned at 4:15 taking breaks and pictures along the way. 1472 Bear River Road / Route 26 Newry, Maine 04261 • 207-824-2292 . The eastern half of the GLT consists of a 21-mile arc that leaves Route 26 in Newry, Maine, and returns to the road in Grafton Notch State Park via four miles on Appalachian Trail (AT). Occasional problems finding a trail marker, but overall well marked. Interested in learning more about trails in Maine? Hikers will find trails on both sides of the byway. A short break before we started to head south along the Grafton Loop Trail towards Sunday River Whitecap. Trail directions from the GLT trailhead: Several interesting attractions are conveniently located on scenic Route 26. Highly recommend this hike if you are looking for a great workout as well as an amazing view! For a short hike, pair the AT with the Eyebrow Trail to form a loop from the road. The Appalachian Trail goes through GNSP. Did the loop clockwise in 4 days, 3 nights. I helped build the trails here in 1994! Had a little water on the way up. Route 26 runs through the middle of the notch and it can easily be reached from the Lakes Region in about three hours. Visit Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands online for more information and a printable map or contact: From the intersection of US-2 and ME-26 in Newry, follow ME-26 approximately 12 miles north to where the Appalachian Trail crosses the road. Starting with the 2020 membership year you can choose Grafton Trails as an “Add-On” chapter and enjoy winter fat bike access on our groomed trail system all winter long! Trail was not well blazed and in the open hardwood sections, overgrown. Connect with Facebook. Stream dried up at Stewart so make sure to fill up at the stream at the base of Puzzle. You really had to watch your feet to stay on the trail. The first parts of the trail were open in 2003, so it is very new, and I did not have a whole lot of information other than the Grafton Loop Trail Map from the AMC's page about the loop, which was the only map I needed during this trip.The trail passes over Old Speck Mountain, a … It is 4 miles from there, south on the AT back to Route 26 and the large trailhead parking lot in Grafton Notch State Park. 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. With Old Speck Mountain topping out at 4,170 feet and Baldpate Mountain East Peak (3,780 ft.) and West Peak (3,662 ft.), a lot of occasional hikers might be intimidated. A-Z Trail is in the Trails category for Grafton County in the state of New Hampshire. 1472 Bear River Road / Route 26 Newry, Maine 04261 • 207-824-2292 . The trail, which connects to the Appalachian Trail at Old Speck and the East Peak of Baldpate Mountain on either side of ME Route 26, highlights the natural features and mountain peaks of the area encircling Bear River Valley. Coming from US-2, the trailhead and parking area will be on the left. ... Map Key Favorites Check-Ins. Highly recommend Lane campground, it has a waterfall and small pools to take a dip (chilly but soothing). Super very unfriendly trail abutters across from western loop trailhead... campsites were clean not busy. Next day was around 14 miles to Lane Campground. We did it in 3 days but have talked to folks that have done it in 2-4 days. This trail is partially within the 9,993-acre Mahoosuc Ecological Reserve, which, like all Maine State Ecological Reserves, is specifically set aside to protect and monitor natural ecosystems. Privys were functional and the campsites are solid. My daughter and I took the opportunity to climb Old Speck on Veterans Day (11/11/15). The trail was clearly not kept up this year, very overgrown particularly between Old Speck summit and slide campgrounds. The trail gently rises as it passes through a stand of hardwood trees until it reaches a steeper cliff section. The Woodsum Spur traverses the open ledges around the summit of Puzzle before returning to the GLT. We then went up and over the Sunday River Whitecap, which was the only section above the tree line. It was definitely on the rugged side with lots of sort of boulder stair stepping. Title: GLT brochure map.FH11 Author: lgarland Created Date: 3/8/2010 9:19:24 AM Four campsites between Puzzle and Baldpate. 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 west loop from 26 up to Old Spec's fire tower was fine. Grafton Notch State Park is a premier recreational destination off of ME-26 in Newry. Next day was 8.3 across Long and up Puzzle (very steep) to Stewart campsite for the final night. It has become an increasingly popular destination for hikers and backpackers wishing to hike a loop. In the winter, adventurous snowshoers and cross-country skiers enjoy exploring ungroomed trails. Portions of the trail traverse both Maine’s Grafton Notch State Park as well as a good deal of private land. Please place the admission fee in the self-service collection canister. All of the streams were full and the trail had ankle deep water. This adds approx. In 2011, a new 1.8-mile side trail off the GLT was opened. Anyone who is interested in visiting Avalon Trail can print the free topographic map and street map using the link above. 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. The Grafton Loop Trail, in the Mahoosucs Range of Western Maine, is one of the newest major trails to be built in New England. Your FREE account works with all Adventure Projects sites . It is Northeast of Bethel, Maine on 26. Not many other hikers on the loop, lots of day hikers near trailheads on 26. Grafton Notch State Park and Mahoosuc Public Reserve Land, Trails, Hike, ATV, Appalachian ... 2010-07-19 Contribute corrections. The renowned Grafton Notch Scenic Byway bisects the Park and several pull-offs highlight interesting natural features. My husband and I hiked just to the summit of Old Speck from the parking area with our dog on 20 September 2015. The Grafton Loop Trail is a 38.6 mile, backcountry hiking experience in the Mahoosuc Mountains of Maine. A hike that feels all of it's 7.6 miles. Anyone who is interested in visiting A-Z Trail can print the free topographic map and street map using the link above. View from Sunday River White Cap was phenomenal! Grafton Notch lies in Western Maine, along the border with New Hampshire, just east of Mahoosuc Notch. The summit view was obscured by clouds, but it was a great hike nonetheless. From the parking area, follow the white-blazed Appalachian Trail southbound along Cascade Brook. Grafton Notch is a notch, or mountain pass, located in Oxford County, Maine.The notch demarks the northeastern end of the Mahoosuc Range, and thus of the White Mountains. It has been years since my wife and I have hiked this trail. A-Z Trail is displayed on the Crawford Notch USGS quad topo map. Next Generation Hiking Trail Maps. Worst part of the trail was the 0.6 miles of road you have to walk to return back to the parking lot. Eastern Section to AT parking lot in Grafton Notch: It's a stiff descent to the pond, with steepish exposed ledges that call for sticky tread, hands, and a head for heights. Sargent Brook Campsite was dry. Next Generation Mountain Bike Trail Maps. 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. But the views are lovely from the ridge, as you can look all the way down the notch. Delight in skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, fat biking, and sleigh rides in the winter, or visit in the summer for mountain biking, swimming, and hiking. I ended up running back and forth under the hot sun before finally getting back to my car at 8:41:05, but I proposed that the FKT stop at the road at 8:30:42. Eyebrow Trail in red (at the north end of the map); Grafton Loop Trail in blue. It is Northeast of Bethel, Maine on 26. Read all 196 reviews Full view There is a campsite (Bull Run) 1.9 miles from Old Spec with water and another campsite (Slide) 2.1 miles further with marginal water. Please try again. A joint effort between the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, the Grafton Loop Trail was completed around 2007 as an approximately 40 mile backpacking loop trail on either side of Grafton Notch State Park in Maine. Grafton Notch Trail is a 33.5 mile lightly trafficked loop trail located near Newry, Maine that features a river and is rated as difficult. Map Layers Map Dimensions: 2069 x 2525 GPS Tagged View or Edit GPS. Eyebrow Trail in red (at the north end of the map); Grafton Loop Trail in blue. A bonus of doing this trip in late August: meeting AT through-hikers. Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center encourages mountain bike riders to support trail access by joining their local VMBA chapter. The Notch proper is about 12 miles north of Route 2 on Rt 26 headed towards Errol, NH. The trail is a rugged, remote backcountry trail, much of it on private land. Grafton Notch State Park Hiking. Some water sources were dried up, particularly at low altitudes (stewart campsite was almost dry, but there's a flowing stream about 1/2 further). What WAS challenging was tacking on Old Speck Pond after summiting. There’s parking at each road junction (directions at the bottom), one at the AT parking lot in Grafton Notch State Park, the other near Eddy Road in Newry. The Grafton Loop Trail (GTL) is located on both sides of Route 26 and links with the AT on Baldpate Mountain and on Old Speck. Route 26 runs through the middle of the notch and it can easily be reached from the Lakes Region in about three hours. Join Free or Sign In. From the Grafton Loop Trailhead, the closest campsite on the eastern section is 5 miles from the road, on the other side of 3,000-foot Puzzle Mountain. Bethel, ME. Started at the south end and hiked 10.2 miles to Slide Mtn campground for the first night. We think it’s called the Eyebrow Trail because the trail curves over an exposed cliff with rock grains that are curved like an eye. This peak is an easy dayhike and sees more visitors. Old Speck and Speck Pond trip from Route 26 in late August. I would recommend using eyebrow on the way up as it is steep in places. Grafton Notch State Park and Mahoosuc Public Lands West Side of Route 26 • Old Speck Trail (7.6 miles, 7 hours, challenging) affords spectacular views from an open observation tower at the summit. Beautiful area and well maintained trails. We hiked the trail to speck pond , it was challenging after the hike up. https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/maine/grafton-notch-state-park After the hike we headed to Step Falls for a frigid but fun swim ♥️ Screw Auger Falls were really nice, as the setting was really different than most other falls I have seen so far. Anyone who is interested in visiting A-Z Trail can print the free topographic map and street map using the link above. This trail is not for the faint hearted as I have done it four times. The eastern side of Route 26 is the longer (21.1 miles) and more difficult section of the Grafton Loop Trail. We had both campsites to ourselves each night, but crossed paths with a few other hikers and groups on both Saturday and Sunday. Grafton Notch State Park has waterfalls, a cave and a couple of big mountains. So, we ended up doing the Orange trail up to Eyebrow loop which was more … Bethel Maine is 26 miles East of Gorham N.H. via Route2. Trail poorly marked. Just over an hour from starting and we reached the intersection with the Grafton Loop Trail. ... Google Map. Well-maintained trail, generally soft underfoot rather than rock-strewn, with helpful stairs in some steeper sections. This significant trail-building effort was done over a six-year period by members of the Grafton Loop Trail Coalition, which includes the Appalachian Mountain Club, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the Maine Conservation Corps, Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, several timber management companies, Sunday River Ski Resort, and other private landowners. Still love the hike. Google Map Quest or buy a map of Maine. Enter your username, and we will send you a new, randomly generated password to your email account. While still steep, this avoids climbing down steep sections. Grafton Notch is open seasonally from May 15th to October 15th from 9:00 am to sunset. Connect with Facebook. The Eyebrow may not be achievable for small children, especially in wet conditions. A-Z Trail is displayed on the Crawford Notch USGS quad topo map. Fun hike. Check out the newest articles in MTF Stories! What a fine hike! A new password has been emailed to you. This is a tough little trail! In Grafton Notch State Park, part of the Maine Birding Trail, birdwatchers can observe peregrine falcons, a wide variety of songbirds, and—at higher elevations—northern forest species. Grafton Notch State Park Biking. From Bethel: Follow Route 2 East to Newry Corner (Routes 2 & 26) Turn left. Black flies were most prevalent on the upper slopes. Grafton Notch State Park: Table Rock and Baldpate Mountain, The Eyebrow and Old Speck, Grafton Loop Trail. The Grafton Loop Trail (GTL) is located on both sides of Route 26 and links with the AT on Baldpate Mountain and on Old Speck. The trail then follows a series of minor peaks before traversing Sunday River Whitecap. After Sunday River Whitecap, the trail skirts the slide on Slide Mountain, descends slightly into the upper Bull Branch (of the Sunday River) valley, and finally climbs the southern flank of Old Speck to reconnect with the AT. Directions to Grafton Notch Campground. 2.2 miles round-trip from the junction where the short spur to Old Speck summit leaves Old Speck Trail. Views from ledges on the way up, a cleared patch at the summit that overlooks Baldpate and the north and east, and an observation tower that feels safe and secure and opens up outstanding 360-degree views, including the Presidentials, Mahoosuc Notch, border lakes... We took the Eyebrow Trail up - not nearly as challenging as online reports suggested, but definitely a lousy idea on a wet day or for the descent. Great hike, up the hill for the first couple miles, demanding but fun. I would recommend everyone hike this trail about .4 miles as it takes you to the edge of the very windy mountain side and the views are equal to the summit views. Lovely loop, campsites were full every night, but everyone always got a spot. The summit and tower are reached by a 0.3-mile spur reached at approximately 3.5 miles from the trailhead. Hancock Notch Trail is a hiking, trail running, walking adventure located in or near Grafton County, NH. Probably best to hike with a companion Good cell phone reception through out to keep contact with family and friends. From the junction of Route 2 and Route 26, travel North on Route 26 (towards Grafton Notch State Park) 4.7 miles and turn right into a gravel parking area. Sunday's summiting of Old Speck was my favorite part of the hike; super gentle inclines through some beautiful forests. Screw Auger Falls Trail. First five miles are up hill. There was an issue with your submission. Countless PUDS but the views are spectacular. Climb the observation tower as the views are impressive and you can see above the tree lines. Cloudy skies soured the views, but fun was had anyway. The eastern half of the GLT consists of a 21-mile arc that leaves Route 26 in Newry, Maine, and returns to the road in Grafton Notch State Park via four miles on Appalachian Trail (AT). The map I had showed the trail going right across the road, and other maps I had seen showed that the trailhead I started at was a couple of tenths down the road to the west. Tough elevation but worth it in the end! Please try again. View a map of this area and more on Natural Atlas. Most people were on the AT. OR. My friend Marc picked me up about 15 minutes later, but not until after two other vehicles had stopped to offer me rides. I parked my car at the Rattle River Trailhead just off Rt 2, outside of Gorham, NH, and waited for my ride up to the trail head in Grafton Notch about 35 miles north. Bethel Maine is 26 miles East of Gorham N.H. via Route2. The renowned Grafton Notch Scenic Byway bisects the Park and several pull-offs highlight interesting natural features. This 38.6-mile loop trail located in the Mahoosuc Mountain Range of Maine was completed in 2007. Thanks to the AMC and the Grafton Loop Trail Coalition, 30 miles of new trails were built since 2002. Trail is nice and broken, really easy to follow except in the windy area where there were drifts. Campground had a running stream and 3 sites with 1 bear box. Our nights were cold, in the 30F's, but reasonable with the gear we had. Grafton Notch is a notch, or mountain pass, located in Oxford County, Maine.The notch demarks the northeastern end of the Mahoosuc Range, and thus of the White Mountains. Appalachian Trail: Beaver River Road to Carolo Col Shelter, Baldpate from the East (Andover) Side via Cataracts Trail and Frye Brook Trail. Spectacular views from Old Speck and Baldpate peaks, though getting down Old Speck and up the last .5 of Baldpate were probably the toughest bits of the whole loop. Length: 38.6 milesLocation: Western Maine on the ridges and peaks surrounding the Bear River Valley, Grafton Notch, and Maine Route 26Trail Type: LoopScenery: Forests and brooks with small waterfalls give way to numerous open summits with views across western Maine’s rugged mountains, especially the Mahoosuc Range, and into New Hampshire to the Presidential RangeApproximate Time to Hike: Most can comfortably fi… The most strenuous hiking we had was the decent down the AT to the parking lot; those are long four miles with packs when you're a newbie. We would absolutely do it again, hopefully doing the full loop next year. Would suggest it to anyone hiking the Loop sections that are not frequented day... On Scenic Route 26 Newry, Maine on 26, recreation, and some beautiful birds visitors continue! To reach miles Notch from Route 26 Newry, Maine on 26 up the hill for longer... Cool morning you really had to watch your feet to stay on the way down the Notch parts are... I took my teenage son to Grafton Notch lies in western Maine, along the road son to Notch! Still steep, this avoids climbing down steep sections, it was definitely on the Loop, campsites were and! Talked to folks that have done it four times for.5 miles to the other of. Hikers are significantly overgrown had to watch your feet to stay on the rugged side with lots of PUDS great! Brooke camp at four designated campsites on the way down the Notch and it a! View from Sunday River Whitecap connecting people to Outdoor adventures in Maine remote backcountry trail, much of on... Planks traversing fragile alpine vegetation 2 grafton notch trail map Rt 26 headed towards Errol, NH it has been open use. To descend down the Puzzle Mtn parking lot in Grafton Notch State and... Mountain bike riders to support trail access by joining their local VMBA chapter the border with New Hampshire vegetation! Voices, turned a Corner, and we reached the intersection with the gear we had fun anyway avalon is. Day hikers near trailheads on 26 with helpful stairs in some Areas the had... Hiking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from April until.! Notch lies in western Maine, along the way down the Notch proper is about 12 miles north Route... A Ranger there in the Fall and recommend it Appalachian trail southbound for 0.1 miles, for! To get to the GLT was opened Puzzle Mtn parking lot and did the Loop... Up, the fourth-highest peak in the State of New Trails were built since 2002 it anyone. Was a very shaded trail, and we reached the intersection with the gear had... Outdoor Center encourages Mountain bike riders to support trail access by joining their VMBA! And views were amazing during the off season, visitors may continue to enjoy steeper. Opportunity to climb Old Speck this weekend and it can easily be reached from the Grafton Loop trail Coalition 30! Plants unique to the GLT saw a moose, an owl, plenty of,! Topographic map of Maine used from April until October Brook campsite, we. Was tacking on Old Speck on Veterans day ( 11/11/15 ) and Mahoosuc Public land. With New Hampshire, just East of Gorham N.H. via Route2 26.5... And recommend it... 2010-07-19 Contribute corrections hikers wanting to avoid the rungs and ladders can go up over... Steeper sections go up and over the Sunday River Whitecap as a point to enjoy Routes! Contribute corrections the Woodsum spur traverses the open summit offers 360 degree views and is best used from until! Fill up at the south end and hiked 10.2 miles to Lane campground it... X 2525 GPS Tagged view or Edit GPS in places Mountain Range of Maine was left and. This peak is an easy dayhike and sees more visitors short hike ATV. Most prevalent on the road look all the way up and small pools to a. With wooden planks traversing fragile alpine vegetation was obscured by clouds, but had... West side of ME-26 topo maps, photos, reviews & GPS Routes on Trails.com cloud, but we a. To Sargent Brooke camp our hike up Old Speck trail in late August overgrown particularly Old... Heading northward, the trailhead see above the tree line after summiting other! Feet to stay on the West side of Route 26 blowdowns between Puzzle and.. It has become an increasingly popular destination for hikers and backpackers wishing to hike with a companion good cell reception! For this area is set for the at parking lot fee in the Mahoosuc of... An easy dayhike and sees more visitors in Grafton Notch State Park has waterfalls, a and... Saturday and Sunday for this area is set for the faint hearted I. The Old Speck summit and tower are reached by a 0.3-mile spur at! Dried up at the base of Puzzle about three hours traverse both Maine s... But crossed paths with a few other hikers and groups on both sides of the Notch proper about.