Foliage season is here, and the window between now and when the snow flies is perhaps the best time of year to get out onto the backcountry trails for some scenery and solitude. There’s the well-known Appalachian Trail, Baxter State Park, Maine’s White Mountains, the Grafton Loop Trail and the Cutler Coast, sure, but what other options are there? A goodly number, as it turns out.
Consider one of these lesser-traveled places for an easy to moderate overnight backpacking trip. Have fun!
Hidden Valley Nature Center: Two Dog Hut is one of five backcountry structures (four cabins and a yurt). Carey Kish photo
Hidden Valley Nature Center is 1,000 acres of wooded wonderland tucked away in the hills of Jefferson. More than 25 miles of trails snake through the property and connect a host of natural features, like an amazing bog with pitcher plants galore, the mostly undeveloped shoreline of Little Dyer Pond, and craggy ridges of pine and oak. Pitch camp at a pondside tent site (there are two), or upgrade to a rustic cabin (four) or yurt (one). Reservations are required; make yours at hvnc.org.
The Debsconeag Lakes Wilderness Area, just south of the Golden Road and the West Branch of the Penobscot River, is an incredible 46,000-acre ecological reserve owned by The Nature Conservancy. Hike the Blue, Rainbow Loop, and Horserace Pond trails to visit Clifford and Woodman ponds plus Rainbow Lake. Enjoy awesome Katahdin and 100-Mile Wilderness views from several ledge viewpoints, then call it a night at secluded Horserace Pond, where two tent sites await. Find the DLWA trail map at nature.org and search for Debsconeag.
The International Appalachian Trail threads a 30-mile route through Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. Sandwiched mostly between Baxter State Park and the Penobscot River’s East Branch, this 87,500-acre chunk of land has a solidly remote and wild feel to it. Hike the IAT into Wassataquoik Lean-to, hitting the side trail to Barnard Mountain en route for Katahdin and Katahdin Lake vistas. Explore Wassataquoik Stream up to Orin Falls before backtracking your way out. Visit nps.gov/kaww for more information; For a mandatory lean-to reservation, visit recreation.gov and search for KAWW.
Amherst Mountains Community Forest: Partridge Pond is one a series of pristine ponds. Carey Kish photo
The Amherst Mountains Community Forest, with nearly 5,000 acres of rolling hills north of the Route 9 (the Airline Road) in Clifton, is home to a series of pristine ponds, including beautiful Ducktail Pond and Partridge Pond. The latter has a tent site along its granite slab beach a stone’s throw from a sweet little waterfall. Combine Ducktail Pond and Partridge Pond trails for a pretty fine short loop. Before or after, add a day hike on Bald Bluff Mountain for bonus points.
In northern Aroostook County, you’re likely to find more moose than people in the 21,000 acres of Deboullie Public Lands. Tackle Black Mountain, then climb the fire tower on Deboullie Mountain for great views. Descend to Deboullie Pond and meander over to the campsite at the pond’s west end. There’s also a shelter and a tent site on nearby Gardiner Pond. Toodle on to Pushineer Pond and back to the Deboullie trailhead the next day. Include Whitman Mountain on your return leg for extra credit.
Little Moose Public Land: A backpacker enjoys the big view over Big Moose Pond to Big Moose Mountain. Carey Kish photo
Little Moose Public Land features Big Moose and Little Moose mountains among its 15,000 acres just west of Greenville and Moosehead Lake. From the Big Moose trailhead, hike the Mountain Link Trail and the Loop Trail to Big Moose Pond. From there, make a fun lollipop loop that takes in Little Moose Pond and the bumpy, view-rich ridgeline of Little Moose Mountain. Choose from four pretty pondside tent sites along the way. Tag Big Moose Mountain on a day hike on your way out for extra miles and panoramic smiles.
Debsconeag Backcountry Trail: Backpackers pause to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Carey Kish photo
The Debsconeag Backcountry Trail winds for a dozen miles through a 9,200-acre roadless area that’s within an ecological reserve of 11,800 acres, all of which is encompassed by the 43,000-acre Nahmakanta Public Land unit in the 100-Mile Wilderness. Visit five remote ponds – Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Debsconeag – plus Stink Pond, as you meander through dreamy woods on trails lined with beds of moss and lichen leading to bedrock outcrops and super views of Nahmakanta Lake and Nesuntabunt Mountain. Find tent sites at Fifth and Sixth Debsconeag.
Trail maps and more information on Amherst Mountains Community Forest, Deboullie Public Lands, Little Moose Public Land, and Nahmakanta Public Land can be found at parksandlands.com. Use the “Find Parks and Lands” and “Publications and Maps” tabs to locate what you need.
Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island is the author of “Beer Hiking New England,” “AMC’s Best Day Hikes Along the Maine Coast” and the “AMC Maine Mountain Guide” (the new 12th edition is now available). Follow more of Carey’s adventures on Facebook and on Instagram @careykish
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