Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Gulf Hagas, Bowdoin College Grant East
: Dubbed the Grand Can-
yon of the East, Gulf Hagas sports some of the most spectacular scenery
and most rugged terrain in the state. It is on the National Register of
Natural Areas. The gulf is formed by the West Branch of the Pleasant
River as it drops nearly 400 feet in four miles through a series of rapids
and falls, all wedged between canyon walls that get narrower.
INTERESTING FACT:
At The Jaws, the cliffs are so
close that pulp sticks (less than four feet in length)
would often get wedged during log drives, causing
major backups. Loggers went to work with dynamite
and made the gorge six feet wide.
In places, cliffs tower 200 feet above the water. The trail and side routes
traverse the cliffs and mossy woods and can be very slippery. Several peo-
ple each summer are carried out after breaking an ankle. Most hikers fol-
low a long loop that uses the trail along the river and an old woods road
further back.
Depending on the route you choose distances can range from eight to 12
miles. You can access the site and get information on the latest road con-
ditions, parking areas and campsite rental at the gate house at Katahdin
Iron Works (see page 414). The Appalachian Trail, the Hermitage (a pre-
serve saving old-growth white pine), and other waterfalls such as Screw
Auger Falls, make this an extremely attractive area for adventure.
Mount Kineo, Kineo Township
: Mount Kineo is one of the few moun-
tains of inland Maine which must be accessed by ferry. Take the shuttle
boat across Moosehead Lake from nearby Rockwood and follow the bridle
trail along the Kineo Peninsula's west side. You can access either the
steep Indian Trail or the more gradual bridle trail from this path.
There is a good 750-foot of elevation gain over the trail's 1½-mile length.
The view from the top of this flint monadnock is spectacular and includes
all of Moosehead, Squaw Mountain to the south, Katahdin to the north-
east and Big Spencer to the north. Several side trails from the fire tower
site at the summit lead to dizzying views off the sheer cliffs to the lake be-
low. Strenuous.
Moxie Falls, Moxie Gore
: Maine and New England's highest waterfall,
Moxie Falls, requires some walking effort to see but is well worth the
hike. From a parking area off the Moxie Pond Road, the trail heads
roughly north through relatively flat terrain. About a half-mile from the
start take a trail leading to the right. This will bring you to the top of the
falls, which first fall 40 feet through a series of three cascades and then a
little farther on plunge 90 feet. The trail continues downstream, provid
-
ing excellent views looking back toward the falls. You can go back the way
you came or continue on the loop trail that follows Moxie Stream to its
