South Branch and Howe Brook

So now that my best friend is back in Maine where she belongs, we took a few days off to do some things we hadn't done in a while. This was her first trip back to South Branch Pond in about 8 years, so we took a hike up Howe Brook to the falls. I think we missed peak foliage time by about a week, but that's always the case for me. lol The leaves were still bright in color, though, and we got some nice pictures. The hike is about 6 miles round trip - 2.5 miles to the lower pools and falls, and 6 miles round trip to the upper falls. If you have kids with you, then I recommend only going to the lower falls because when you get above them the terrain gets a bit more rugged. Hope you guys like the pictures!

South Branch Pond

North Traveler from the shore of South Branch

Falls at Howe Brook

Trail around the pond

Trail sign at the mouth of Howe Brook Trail.

Fish River Falls

Last weekend was my boyfriend's birthday, and so we spent it camping at Fish River Falls in Fort Kent, ME. While it's a very easy place to get to with a short hike to the camp-sites, we had the whole place to ourselves. It's not a campground like you would find in one of the parks here in Maine - this one has no facilities. You just go, pitch your tent, and enjoy nature as it was meant to be enjoyed :)

The first night there was spent hanging out around the campfire and walking down along the rocks at the edge of the river to watch the falls. The next day, though, was spent swimming, jumping off mini-cliffs into the river, and enjoying the 80+ degree weather. Fish River Falls is a great pick if you are looking for a campground that is not busy and offers some privacy.

If you do choose to visit this place and camp out, bring ONLY what you need. While the hike is not really that long, it is downhill the whole way to the river and not a very even path. While you may not mind carrying anything heavy down to the river, you probably won't want to carry it back up hill! This is also a carry in/carry out camp-site. Please be considerate and keep the area clear of trash.

Haystack Mountain

I hiked up Haystack Mountain in Mapleton, Maine yesterday. It's not a very long climb, but it is a steep one! It was such a nice day that rather than hitting the gym and doing some cardio, I decided that a hike would be just as good. :)

The weather was nice, but that also meant the black-flies were out in full force. They didn't get bad until I got to the top of the mountain, but still - having any black-flies around at all is not a treat. It's that time of year, folks, so be smarter than me and bring some OFF! with you. It will make for a much more enjoyable hike. :)

For those of you that do not know where the mountain is, it is in Mapleton, Maine. You can get there via Rte 11 though Ashland or you can get there via Rte 1 through Presque Isle. It's a very short hike, and while I would not travel a great distance just for this hike - it is a great one to do if you are in the area. It is even possible to take children with you on this hike, as you can hike the mountain in only a half hour or so. I have been with friends who have children as young as 3 that have hiked the mountain with us - and only had to be carried up the final portion as it was a bit trickier to maneuver.

The photo at the top of my blog was taken from Haystack last fall. Since it is such a short hike, it is a great spot to go to take aerial type photos of the County. You can see many peaks from the top of Haystack, and if you look to the distance on a clear day, you can even see Katahdin.

So in short - it's a great hike if you're looking for a bit of exercise on a sunny afternoon, and it's a great hike if you are in the area and have kids with you :) Happy Hiking!

Fiddleheading in Baxter State Park

I haven't had much chance to do any hiking or camping yet this year, as the weather is still all over the place and hardly ever warm and sunny on a day I can go. I did, however, have the chance to go fiddleheading last weekend. For those of you that do not know what a "fiddlehead" is, see the picture below:

Anyone who is not from or has never been to Maine is going to probably look at that and go "Ewwww - you eat THAT?!" But if you are ever in Maine in the spring, you should definitely give these a try. You can only get them first thing in the spring because as it gets warmer, they turn into ferns (which are most definitely not good eats).

Fiddleheads can be found near brooks, streams, and rivers where the ground wet. Typically they start to come up just as true Spring weather hits, but anyone who has seen a Maine spring knows that you cannot pin-point that with a date. Typically it could be anywhere from mid-April to late May depending on the weather. This year, the fiddlehead season is almost over, and it is only mid-May. If you are ambitious enough to venture out and pick your own batch of fiddleheads, pay close attention to the photo above. There are many different kinds of ferns, but only these dark green ones are actually what Mainiacs affectionately refer to as "fiddleheads."

My only venture with fiddleheading this year was last weekend. I asked my mother what she wanted to do for Mother's Day, and she said "Let's go fiddleheading in Baxter State Park." So last Saturday we put some 5-gallon pails in the back of her truck and headed for the North Entrance. This time of year when the weather is not yet warm enough for camping and swimming, the park is used mainly by fishermen and people looking for fiddleheads. The park season doesn't get into full swing until late June most years, so it was nice to not have much traffic or many other people in the Park with us. We stopped by Trout Brook, and did our fiddleheading there. There was no panoramic mountain view, no trickling waterfall to take photos of - but it was nice just to be in the North Maine Woods.

I think that is something that is lost on many people that find themselves in Maine. Sure the coast is beautiful, but there is an entirely different side to Maine that many miss out on. Maine is so rich in history, but typically people focus on the lobstermen, lighthouses, and islands of the coast. There is a whole other spectrum of experiences in Maine if only you go north of Bangor. The North Maine Woods is rich in logging history, the County has it's farming history, and if you go further to the extreme north of the County - you will find that Fort Kent and surrounding towns have a rich Acadian history. All you have to do is make the drive!

Anyways - back to task - We were in the park for just a couple of hours, but when we left - we had 3 pails of fiddleheads. I literally had to give the away when I got home because I could not eat that many all by myself! I must have given 6- 1 gallon bags away to my friends because I could not cook and eat them all. I found myself posting on FaceBook - "Picked a ton of fiddleheads - let me know if anyone wants any!" To which my friends from Mass, Texas, Florida, etc responded - "What the heck is a fiddlehead?" I guess that's what prompted me to write this blog and share a piece of true Maine with you all.

So in closing - if you find yourself in Maine for a visit this summer, be sure to look beyond Bah Hahbah and take a drive up I-95. Even if it's just to head to Patten (exit 264 or 276) to check out the Lumberman's Museum. Tell them I sent you ;)

South Branch Pond

This place is a must-see for any person that visits Baxter State Park. I grew up next to the North Enterance to the park, and my family spent a lot of time here during the summer. If you are looking for a spot to go in the park and do a wide variety of activities within a short amount of time, this is the place. This site has many camp sites - tent sites, lean-tos, and cabins - but it is such a popular destination that in order to get a reservation you must mail-in or walk-in at least 4 months prior to the date you would like to camp there.

Swimming/Canoeing

The water in South Branch Pond is so clear that some days you can see right to the bottom, so this is a prime place for swimming on a hot day. If you like canoeing or kayaking, the pond is large enough for both and for a small fee visitors can rent a canoe from the park (I believe it is only $2.00 an hour). The ranger station even has it's own supply of life jackets for those visitors wanting to get out on the water. If you take your canoe across to the side of the pond opposite the docks, you will find a small stream connecting the upper pond and the lower. When I was in high school, my best friend and I came up this way in a canoe and jumped from the cliffs at this pond. I'm going to say "Don't try this at home" because I don't want some slap-happy tourist taking the jump and then suing me for damages. So - partake in this activity AT YOUR OWN RISK. There - glad that's out of the way :)

Hiking

There are many different hiking trails around South Branch Pond, and no matter what level of difficulty, how long you want the hike to be, etc - you will always find something for you. Here are several of the hiking trails that you can find around the pond. Some I have been on and some I have not, but all of them are worth a look. :)

Howe Brook

This trail winds around the left side of the pond. Follow the road until you reach the Pogy Notch Trail. This trail ultimately leads to Russell Pond, but you will see several other hikes listed on the same sign - one of these is Howe Brook. The hike is only about four miles round trip, and the terrain makes for an easy, leisurely hike. Once you reach brook, the trail follows it upstream and passes a series of pools and waterfalls. This is a great hike to start on in the morning during the summer, as the pools and waterfalls make for a nice place to stop and eat lunch before turning around and heading back to the campground for a dip in the pond. :) If you're daring enough to brave the ice cold water flowing straight off the mountain, some of the pools at Howe Brook are big enough to swim in - but take it from my first-hand experience....even in a heatwave in August, they are ice cold!

South Branch Falls

This waterfall is not very big, but it's a great place to check out because there are usually not many people there. If you want a little more out of the way place to have a moment of peace and quiet with nature, try taking a side trip down this trail. Once you park at the campground, you will need to hike back up the road you came down a piece to get to the trail-head. The hike is only about 2 miles round trip, and it's a very easy hike for people of all ages. Although the waterfall is small enough that it seems very inviting to take a dip and play - keep in mind that there are a LOT of spiders making their home in the rocks. While Maine does not have poisonous spiders - not many would want to go swimming even with harmless ones. ;)

North Traveller Mountain

To get to the trail head for North Traveller, take the Pogy Notch Trail. A short distance down the trail, you will find the sign for North Traveller directing you to the left and up the mountain. This hike will take the better part of the day. Even though the trail is only 2 miles to the mountain top, the mountain itself is over 2500 feet. This steep incline makes the hike more challenging than it's short distance implies. Most of the trail is exposed, but as a result this makes for many impressive views with the most breath-taking being the view from the summit. Once you reach the peak of North Traveller, you have a clear view across the valley of Knife's Edge on Katahdin. Bring plenty of water when making this climb, and be sure to check out the spring part way up the mountain (clearly marked by the park with signs). When I first hiked this mountain, I was just in grade school and was maybe 10 years old. So if you have a fit grade-schooler and the conditions are good, you should be able to make this hike. Any younger children would probably have difficulty with this one, though. The last time I made this hike, I was 17 years old, and it's been far too long since I've been back! Believe it or not, you are going to have to wait for photos from me because I can't find ANY photos to put on here that I like! haha

There are many more hiking trails to check out around South Branch, and as I explore them - I will definitely pass them along. But for now, this is all you get ;)

The Bold Coast - Cutler Preserve

This hike caught my eye because it travels along 100ft cliffs on the coast, and it would be easy to make a full day of this hiking trip. According to what I've read, the 5.8-9.8 mile loop (depends on the route you take) includes barrens, bogs, maritime forests, and a completely exposed hike along the coastal cliffs. In late summer and early fall, whales can sometimes be seen passing through the Grand Manan Channel on this hike. This really makes me want to wait until late August or September to make this hike, as it would make the trip just that much more awesome to get to see the whales from the cliffs.

Evan's Notch - Blueberry Mountain Loop

This is a moderate 4.5 mile loop hike in the Maine portion of White Mountain National Forest. It is said that it is a particularly beautiful hike during the fall when the foliage begins to change. The hike includes a small gorge known as Rattlesnake Flume, and a popular swimming hole known as Rattlesnake Pool. Although the names do not sound very inviting, be assured - there are no poisonous snakes in Maine :)

Evan's Notch - The Roost

I was thinking it would be a good idea to go on a weekend trip and combine the climb up the Blueberry Mountain Loop with the climb up The Roost. This is a shorter hike of about 1.2 miles that brings you to a view of the Wild River Valley with views of Grafton Notch and Mahoosuc Range. A weekend trip when the foliage changes would make for some spectacular photos!

Mahoosuc Notch

This 6.5 mile round trip hike is considered a difficult hike and has been referred to as "The hardest mile on the Appalachian Trail". This hike includes climbs over boulders and through caverns as you make you way through the notch. Hikers need to pay careful attention to their footing (especially when the terrain is wet) as the terrain is very uneven. What caught my eye about this hike were the massive rock formations on the trail that were created when the glaciers receded from the area during the last ice age (see photo).

Mount Kineo

This is a kayak/hiking trip on Moosehead Lake (the largets lake within one state east of the Mississippi). The hike itself is only about 4 miles round trip, but the only way to the mountain is by water. It is on an island in the middle of Moosehead Lake. You can either paddle across yourself from Rockwood or be ferried over by the Kineo Boat Launch which departs from 8am to 5pm on the hour. If you do not have your own kayak, rentals are available right in Greenville. Not only does this climb boast 800ft cliffs, but once you reach the top of Mount Kineo, there is a restored look-out tower which offers a 360 degree view of Moosehead Lake. Henry David Thoreau made two trips to Mount Kineo and had this to write about it - "The celebrated precipice is so high and perpendicular that you can jump from the top, many hundred feet, into the water which makes up behind the point. A man on board told us that an anchor had been sunk ninety fathoms at its base before reaching bottom! Probably it will be discovered erelong that some Indian maiden jumped off it for love once, for true love never could have found a path more to its mind." This is now one of the trips I am most excited for.

Gulf Hagas

This is probably the one trip that I have been waiting all winter to be able to make. I first heard about the "Grand Canyon of the East" from my soccer coach at University, but at the time I was so caught up in other things that I did not pay it much mind. This winter, it suddenly came back to me, and I started doing research. Gulf Hagas is near Brownville Junction in the 100-mile Wilderness (the most remote section of the Appalachian Trail), and once this wild landscape was also home to Katahdin Ironworks. Iron ore was mined from nearby Ore Mountain and brought here to be turned into pig iron. The iron works succumbed to outside competition and closed in 1890, but you can still see remnants of the blast furnaces used to super heat the ore. The 8 mile loop hike is considered moderate to difficult, and includes side trips to many waterfalls and pools. A site referred to as "The Hermitage" is home to a stand of old growth white pines (see photo).

South Turner Mountain/Sandy Stream Pond

This hike is considered by many to be a great introductory hike to Baxter State Park. It is located at the South Enterance, and it is a good idea to come early because when the parking lot is full - there are no more hikers allowed on the mountain. While South Turner offers a great view of Katahdin, it is from the Millinocket side - and the best view (by a long shot) can be found from the other side of the mountain (try the North Traveller hike for this one). I will say that it is the view that has caught my eye for this hike, though. It offers great views of Russel Pond, Whidden Pond, Basin Ponds, and Little North, South and Great basins of Katahdin. It is a moderate 5.5 mile hike where a camera is a must have.

Adventures in My Own Backyard

So I've been getting all stoked for summer all through this winter, and I figure I'll just put down some of the "adventures" I want to take right here in Maine. Maybe if I share, other people will want to give it a try, too? :) I'll probably blog about the trips as I take them, too, to give an idea of what each trip was like. These are in no particular order because I'm pretty much going to just randomly pick one each weekend :) haha

Saco Heath Preserve
This place sounded kind of cool because it has a "floating" boardwalk over a peat bog. It just seemed like a pretty unique and interesting place. While I wouldn't make the trip to Saco just for the hike, I would like to check it out on my way through - maybe on one of my trips to Boston. What is so unique about this place is that it is one of the few places that you can actually (sort of) explore a peatland bog. Most bogs are too soft on the surface to support a person's weight, and even in this preserve it is important to stay on the boardwalk path - according to the following website, there are some stories of people stepping off the path and sinking out of sight in the "Bottomless" bog. For more information, check out http://www.sacobaytrails.org/sacoheath.shtml.

Salmon Falls River

I'd like to kayak this 6 mile round trip at some point this summer, too. It's supposed to be an easy kayaking trip that takes only 2-3 hours, so it would make for a nice afternoon trip on a weekend camp out. :) There is a historic mansion (The Hamilton House) and a state park (Vaughan Woods Memorial State Park) on the riverside during this trip. So it is possible to make a day of it, as well. The Hamilton House is open Wednesday through Sunday from June 1st to October 15th, and the tours are every hour on the hour. There are also summer concerts most Sundays - which sounds like it would be very cool to check out. :) For more information on the Hamilton House, check out http://www.historicnewengland.org/visit/homes/hamilton.htm.

Monhegan Island

This island is 12 miles off the coast of Maine, so you have to go by boat to get to it (Monhegan Boat Line departs 3 times a day from Memorial Day to Columbus Day). Once you get to the island it's only about a square mile, but it somehow manages to pack up to 7 miles of hiking trails into the island. They do not allow camping on the island, but there are guest houses and inns on the island - and surprisingly they are not as expensive to stay in as you would think if you choose to stay at the Monhegan Inn (which I would LOVE to do! haha). The photos of the hiking trails on the island are breath-taking, and I can't imagine what it would be like to experience it first hand. It seems like it would be a much better trip than Bar Harbor! For more information check out http://www.monheganwelcome.com/index.html.

Megunticook Lake/Fernald's Neck Preserve

This is another kayaking one that I want to check out (hopefully my parents are open to me borrowing their kayak? haha). It's a 3-7 mile round-trip paddle that takes about 3-4 hours near Camden, ME. The preserve is actually on a large island in the middle of the lake, and what caught my eye about this trip was something called "Balance Rock" (see photo). For more information on Fernald's Neck Preserve, check out http://www.coastalmountains.org/conserved_lands/preserves/fernald.html.

The Beehive and The Bowl - Acadia National Park

This is supposed to be a pretty difficult climb due to the steepness of the trail and the exposure while climbing, but it sounds like an awesome challenge so I am all for it! The trip is only 1.3 miles, but it takes about an hour to do because of the degree of difficulty. The Beehive is the name of the climb to get to The Bowl (which is a pond at the top of the climb). The Bowl is one of only two ponds in the park that is accessible only on foot. Once you reach the top of The Beehive, there is a great view of Sand Beach. The trail quickly rises to meet the cliff wall and continues almost straight up with iron rungs and ladders to aid the climb. The Bowl is what is called a "tarn" - which is a pool that forms when glaciers melt. It covers about 9.5 acres at the top of the Beehive trail. For more information on The Beehive Trail and The Bowl check out http://www.acadiamagic.com/beehive.html

I will write more about my plans for the summer as I get time, and starting probably around about the end of May, start watching for posted photos and first hand accounts of all of these places :)