Maine Hiking Adventures: Summiting Mt Bigelow in the Carrabassett Valley
The wilderness of Maine hides many secrets. The Bigelow Range overlooking Flagstaff Lake offers truly breathtaking views. The Bigelow preserve spans across 36 thousand acres.
Join us as we hike Mt Bigelow’s Avery and West Peaks’ and discover the secrets of the Maine wilderness for ourselves.
Transcript
The Bigelow Preserve is in the Carrabassett Valley region of Maine and took about 3 hours to reach from Southern Maine.
Camping at Bigelow Preserve
The two main features are the Bigelow Range and the adjacent Flagstaff Lake. Most campsites are first come, first serve and there’s no reservation system.
Some campsites require a small walk from the parking area so keep that in mind. While they might have privies, picnic tables and fire pits, they won’t offer creature comforts such as potable water, showers or electrical hook-ups.
We found maybe the prettiest campsite in New England at Round Barn on the Northern side of the Bigelow Range and right on the shores of Flagstaff Lake.
Being close to the 4th of July, we were extremely lucky to snag a space. Had we arrived a few hours later we likely would have been out of luck.
If you’re planning to visit during busy holidays and summer weekends, I highly recommend getting there 2-3 days early or visiting during less busier times.
Hiking Mt Bigelow
Mount Bigelow contains two main peaks: Avery topping out at 4,090 feet and West Peak topping out at 4,145 feet.
We hiked 9 miles total round trip with an elevation gain of 3,400 feet.
I would consider this a difficult hike due to the length, elevation gain and the gnarly terrain once you reach the Appalachian Trail.
Stratton Brook Trail
Overall the Stratton Brook Trail was the easy part of the hike with gradual elevation gain and no rock scrambles. You can tell this trail isn’t as popular as there was a lot growth spilling onto the trail.
We also took an older trail at the trailhead which was a little more overgrown and not as well marked as the newer official trail. However, we made it to the same place in the end so this wasn’t an issue.
Appalachian Trail
After 2 miles, we made it to the junction with the Appalachian Trail and this is where things got gnarly with lots of rock scrambles. This was an extremely fun part of the trail that wound its way through a massive boulder field including some optional boulder caves.
The ascent up to Avery had plenty of rock scrambles as well as some side trails leading to spectacular views.
At the Summit of Avery Peak
At the peak we were greeted with an awe inspiring ridge walk above treeline in the alpine zone offering unparalleled 360 degree views of Flagstaff Lake, Sugarloaf and the surrounding mountains.
At the Summit of West Peak
We continued on the Appalachian Trail and the descent down Avery was the hardest part of the hike. Going up West Peak was a little easier. Once at the top, West Peak had equally stunning views. We then started our long hike back to camp and rewarded ourselves by jumping in the lake to cool down and wipe the sweat from our bodies.
Final Verdict
Mt Bigelow was an epic hike that I highly recommend to those looking to get away from the crowded coastal areas of Maine and into the wilderness. This was my 58th and 59th mountains hiked of the New England 67, or the 67 mountains over 4k feet in New England. Just 8 left.
Brad Brad
Best Easy Hikes in New Hampshire: Mt Parker
The White Mountains in New Hampshire are a hiker’s paradise. While tourists love to flock to iconic peaks such as Mt Washington or Lafayette, there’s hundreds of additional hikes at your disposal.
One such hike is Mt Parker, which on the New Hampshire 52 With a View list. This is a list of 52 mountains under 4000 feet that offer stellar views despite their lower stature.
Join us as we hike Mt Parker in the Presidential Range of the White Mountain National Forest.
Transcription
The Mt Parker trail head can be found near Barlett, New Hampshire near Attitash Ski Resort right on the banks of the Saco River.
Overall, the hike is 7.3 miles round trip with 2,700 feet of elevation gain. Overall, this was a pretty easy hike. Unlike most New England trails, the trail was almost void of rocks and roots for its entirety and there were no technical sections that required scrambling up rocks.
There were even some switchbacks. Am I in Colorado, or am I in New Hampshire?!
In terms of grade and technicality, there’s not many trails easier than this one in the White Mountains.
I just recommend bringing a bug net and an ample amount of bug spray if you’re doing this hike in the summer.
Hiking Mt Parker
You start out on the trail following an old logging road which quickly turns into a proper trail with two minor creek crossings.
This was where the bugs were the worst which motivated us to go faster.
The trail never got too steep and was mostly a gradual ramp the entire way up with a handful of rooty sections.
In order to get to the peak, you must first hike over a ridge which means you’ll descend by ~500 feet until you start to go uphill again.
Eventually, you’ll get higher in elevation, the tree types will change and the bugs almost completely disappear for the last mile and a half or so.
At the Peak of Mt Parker
At the peak, you’ll be met with a grand view of the Presidentials, including Mt Washington, its boot spur as well as nearby mountains such as Webster, Stairs and Resolution.
This is a very unique viewpoint, especially if you don’t want to hike a mountain like Mt Isolation which is a much much longer day.
The skies were a little hazy due to wildfires out West and in Canada but was still a beautiful day nonetheless.
When we got back to the car we dipped our feet into the Saco River. This is also a popular swimming spot so don’t be surprised if the parking lot is full of swimmers.
Moat Mountain Brewing
Afterwards, we went to one of our favorite places in the White Mountains, Moat Mountain in North Conway. This brewpub not only has a great selection of brews such as the blueberry ale shown here, but has an extensive menu of great food to choose from. We ordered the Spicy Chicken Sandwich and a Cajun Burger, but pretty much everything on the menu is above average. I’ve been to Moat Mountain at least a dozen times now and have never been disappointed.
Castles in the Clouds Part 1: Hiking Mount Roberts & Shaw
On a hot and humid day in late May with the threat of an afternoon rain shower, we arrived at Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough, NH. Situated on the slopes of a mountain overlooking...