World Travel Zone: Best View in Maine: Every Hiker’s Dream Trail

Best View in Maine: Every Hiker’s Dream Trail: "

There are a lot of ways for you to explore Maine. It’s the hiking capital of the US, and if you only have a chance to hike there once and you want the best experience you can ever have, then you better follow our trail.

Managing the Appalachian Trail, Northern Maine

You can always explore the Appalachian Trail any other way, but this particular trail is far removed from civilization. It will make you forget that you’re near any city, and isn’t that what hiking’s all about, to be one with nature and to forget the crowds and the concrete buildings? In this trail, you go straight to Maine’s backwoods. There are no honking horns, not signs of city slickers (save for you), and the best part is, you’re still in control.

This trail is also called the 100-mile Wilderness. It’s quiet, remote enough, and undeveloped (no tourist marks anywhere) that if you read Thoreau and his essays which were written back in 1864, you’d think he was just here last week. (The collection is called “The Maine Woods”, so he was, indeed, here, more than a century ago.)

However, once you step into this trail, you must be armed with food and basic supplies because it’s going to be a very long hike. Expect to stay on this trail for seven to ten days. After all, a hundred miles is not exactly an easy distance to cover. Begin your hike at Monson and make sure that you have enough food and flashlight battery from there. You’ll reach Abol Bridge and its country store after a week on foot if you’re smart and don’t get lost.

Skill Requirement

The distance and the trail’s name may seem quite frightening, but you shouldn’t be frightened. Even average hikers did well on this trail. The week-long trail included campouts and a number of activities. You can enjoy this trail even if you’re not used to climbing mountains. Some first-time hikers even said that the trail was easy enough for them, and the scene made the long walk all the more worth it.

You may be more challenged during the first half of your journey, though. Watch out for the Barren Chairback Range and the White Cap Range. They’re 2,670 ft. and 3,654 ft. respectively. You’ll be climbing most of the time (and consuming a lot of water) while you cross these sections. Let more experienced climbers in the group guide you through the first half.

The second half of the trail will make you forget you had a hard time climbing the Appalachians during the first few days. Much of the terrain here is level, and you’ll be in for a lot beautiful scenery, that’s not so frighteningly isolated from civilization as you first thought.

This latter half of the trail is accessible by road, so if you’ve had a small accident (which is also least likely), other hikers would probably run into you and help you back on your feet. There are private logging roads just through the trees, so if you think you can’t complete the hike anymore, there’s an easy way home. Of course, you’ll respect yourself so much more if you did complete the journey.

Expectations

Long journeys are only worth it if they have something more to give. You’re least likely to walk 100 miles and not feel bad about yourself if you didn’t get anything out of it. It’s a good thing that this trail is very rewarding, as long as you’re prepared for the adventure.

First off, check your food supply. Will it be enough to feed you and your troupe for seven days, maybe even ten? Also, check your sleeping bag and your clothes. Just make sure that it will be warm enough to protect you at night. Even if you’re hiking in the summer, summer nights in the woods can be pretty cold. Nights during this season can be as cold as 35ºF.

Just to keep yourself well-informed, but one of those “official” trail maps with a lot of data about the best times to go, the best trails to take, and camping basics. Even if you’ve climbed mountains in the past, these trail maps can make your life easier.

Trail maps also help you determine how many miles you should cover in a day. Take note of the distance between marked campsites, and don’t pitch tents anywhere else. The worst thing that can happen to you is to be in the middle of two campsites once the sun sets. Know when to take a break for the day because you would want to stay out of the trail once the sun’s out.

There are also a lot of trail journals online. Find the time to read them before your trip. It will help you dodge difficult spots once you’re on your trip. Trail maps can be outdated, and these online journals can help you revise your hike schedule, as needed.

In the Best Season

While you would want the trail to yourself when you hike, it always pays to go there during the best season. You’ll have other hikers with you, but at least you’re there when it’s also the safest time to go. Autumn is by far Maine’s best season. The leaves are fire-red, the weather, dry enough, and the trail, clear from snow. Try to book between May and November. Just make sure that you’re not hiking in the winter.

Authorities say that there can be deep snow between October and May of the next year, so try to dodge that. Also, if you’re planning to climb Baxter State Park, sign up before October 15. Technically, the park is outside the 100-mile trail, but it’s an important side trip you shouldn’t miss out on if you want to see the best of Maine.

Bear bag, Purifying water, and Finding a Trail Name

You’re in the wild, so you can expect to run into one or two hungry bears. Don’t worry because they’re least likely to attack out of nowhere. They will be attracted to your food, though, so make sure that you set up a bear bag somewhere far from your campsite and off the ground. Hang this bear bag at least ten feet off the ground and look up a technique that will work well for you.

You can’t carry a dozen or so water bottles while you’re hiking, either. Most likely, you’ll be carrying a flask, and there’s no way that a single flask can last you for a week or more. Invest in a steri pen. This nifty little gadget makes sure that the water you refill your flask with from a spring along the trail is free from germs and bacteria. You won’t be suffering from tummy aches on your trip.

Lastly, have fun and name your own trail. Everyone has their own trail name, even if they’ve based it on someone else’s trail map. Do the same with your camping trip and you’ll want to keep on coming back to Maine just to follow the trail again.

Squat and Skeeter

Now comes the necessary but unpleasant part of the camping conversation: the art of digging your own catholes and watching out for bugs. It’s going to be a week-long trip and there’s no escaping the need to go when you have to go. Just make sure that you pack enough toilet paper and a light plastic shovel or trowel to help you dig your litter. If you’re a beginner, make sure that you know where it’s safe to do your business without getting interrupted by nasty critters of wild animals.

Speaking of critters, Maine is notorious for its mosquitoes and black flies, at least from May to July. You can bring a head net to breathe easier, buy a bug repellant, and wear something that would protect most of your body from bites. Even during the bugs’ low season, you’re still bound to run into them. Practical hiking clothes and bug repellants are necessary all-year-round.

Swim

You probably wouldn’t want to hike all the way through the 100 mile trail if all you’re getting is beautiful scenery. Don’t worry, though, because it’s so much more than that. The trail is filled with lakes, streams, and ponds. There’s plenty of room for you to wade around and fish for dinner during the afternoons. If you’re hiking during the summer, then this is the perfect way to cool down.

Make sure that you pack ample swimwear. Just remember where you put your clothes last, because you wouldn’t want to lose it after a dive down a manageable waterfall. Just make sure you’re not diving into a pile of rocks because that can be pretty deadly.

Swim with a group, and make sure that you’re in the company of good swimmers if you can’t swim well yourself. If you packed an inflatable board, riding it through a stream is never out of the question. Just run free and imagine that you’re a child again. That’s why you chose to hike through Maine, anyway.