The first stop was a wide ledge that looked up Grafton Notch to Old Speck and Baldpate Mountains, morning clouds still clinging to both. Neither provided enough motivation, alone, for a trip; too far away. more, River Rafting & Tubing, Boat Tours, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Kayaking & Canoeing, Things to do near Grafton Notch State Park. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Grafton Notch State Park in Maine is a popular destination, providing a backcountry climbing atmosphere with a full range of ice climbing and mountaineering objectives. There’s parking at each road junction (directions at the bottom), one at the AT parking lot in Grafton Notch State Park, the other near Eddy Road in Newry. If they are the kind to run ahead, I would probably do one of the lower elevation hikes. We left our house in Gorham at 4AM, taking two cars, we left her car at the southern trailhead on ME 26 for a resupply, as this is where the Grafton Loop Trail crosses the road about 21 miles into our 38 mile hike. The mountain, situated in Grafton Township 3 miles … The Grafton Notch/Mahoosuc area encompasses some of Maine’s most spectacular mountain terrain. Its a vigorous climb of about 900 feet with an. February 4, 2020 by Lone Stranger. 26 from the parking area. The park is abutted by the eastern and western sections of the Mahoosuc Public Reserved Land, which total 31,807 acres (12,872 ha). We are locals...we took our 4 yr old granddaughter there yesterday (again) so much fun, beautiful and perfect! Maine State Route 26 passes through the notch. 2 and Rt. Grafton Notch is a notch, or mountain pass, located in Oxford County, Maine. A joint effort between the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, the Grafton Loop Trail was completed around 2007 as an approximately 40 mile backpacking loop trail on either side of Grafton Notch State Park in Maine. Beautifully maintained, not crowded and awesomely, 1941 Bear River Rd, Bethel, ME 04261-3640, We drove up to this from Portland Maine during Oct foliage time. Baldpate – Two Nights in January. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Grafton Notch, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Grafton_Notch&oldid=970674048, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 August 2020, at 18:52. Visited Screw Auger Falls, Moose Cave, and Mother Walker Falls. The state park occupies 3,129 acres (1,266 ha) surrounding Grafton Notch, the mountain pass between Old Speck Mountain and Baldpate Mountain. Grafton Notch State Park has waterfalls, a cave and a couple of big mountains. In fact, the scenery on this ride rivals any you can find in New England. The Notch is beautiful and also offers a variety of winter ice climbing. I think I would skip Mother Walker Falls if was nothing special is you have limited time. The hollow ice section has no pro and is steeper. Maine's Grafton Notch State Park includes the land along the bottom of the notch, and extends as far south as the summit of Old Speck Mountain on the southwest side of the notch. Explore the Grafton Loop Trail, Length: 38.6 milesLocation: Western Maine on the ridges and peaks surrounding the Bear River Valley, Grafton Notch, and Maine Route 26Trail Type: LoopScenery: Forests and brooks with small waterfalls give way to numerous open summits with views across western Maine’s rugged mountains, especially the Mahoosuc Range, and into New Hampshire to the Presidential RangeApproximate Time to Hike: Most can comfortably finish the loop in three to five days Leaves are just beginning to change color, and the early autumn air showed not a hint of haze. 26 North in Maine. Grafton Notch Campground - CampMaine - Nestled in the woods near the Bear River in Newry, this is the perfect location to set up camp for a series of day hikes. We visited Screw Auger Falls, the Mother Walker Falls, the Moose cave and hiked the Table Rock loop (taking the gentler Appalachian Trail approach). Old Speck Mountain faces the notch from the south and Baldplate from the north, both rising 3,000 feet to their summits with shear cliffs. Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center: Grafton Trails & Outdoor Center is a 2,000+ acre recreation center located in historic Grafton Village. This section of the trail is quite rugged hiking, even more strenuous than the Presidential Range in the White Mountains … Show more Show less Grafton, NV (11990’) and Notch Peak (9664’), UT. In addition to being the shorter of the two halves, the western section is the easier of the two hikes. The parking area is in Grafton Notch State Park, along Rt. Posted in Maine - Other than Baxter | Tagged Backpacking, Grafton Notch, Hiking, Mahoosuc Mountains, Maine, Maine Hiking, Mountains, Puzzle Mountain, Snowshoeing | 2 Comments. But a trip to this state park does not need to include a summit experience. Bridging the White Mountains and Southern Maine, The Mahoosuc Trail is part of a 31 mile section of the Appalachian Trail that runs from Gorham, NH to Grafton Notch in Maine. This was a true gem hidden away in the area with a nice hike, and some awesome waterfalls and areas to swim and relax - canât wait to come back here again. All reviews table rock screw auger falls grafton notch hiking trails beautiful area orange trail picnic area nice hike picnic lunch short hike large boulders cold mountain difficult trail scenic drive coming down great hiking bug spray experienced hikers three hours moderate hike few hours cave. It was only 11 degree and very cold. The notch demarks the northeastern end the Mahoosuc Range, and thus of the White Mountains. Old Speck Mountain guards the passage through Grafton Notch, one of many hidden scenic treasures in western Maine and a major sight on this challenging 53-mile ride. 26, on the east side (left hand turn when heading north). This unique climbing destination is steeped in natural history and impressive geologic features. On the northeast side, it includes the lowest slopes of Baldpate Mountain.[2]. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. I saw a few school aged kids, but you would sure want to stay ahead of them so they don't take any turns straight off a cliff edge. It was so worth it. Take water and have good tread on your shoes! The park lies amidst some of Maine's most spectacular mountains, the Mahoosuc Mountain Range, and offers rugged terrain for back-country hikers including close to 5 miles of the Appalachian Trail. You can reach the trailhead for the southwestern portion of the Grafton Loop Trail by walking approximately 0.75 miles south on Rt. The trails are marked and there are steps and platforms plus signs that tell al. Old Speck rises nearly 2,700 feet above Grafton Notch, topping out at a lofty elevation of 4,170 feet. This byway follows along the Bear River for much of the trip. Is this a must-do if you are traveling with a, Are the prices for this place or activity, Would you recommend this place or activity to a friend looking for an, Is this a place or activity you would suggest for, Is this a romantic place or activity that you would suggest for, I love this place so much to do and see, there are hiking trails, places to swim, waterfalls and picnic areas to eat at. Sunday River is also located 8.9 mi (14.3 km) from Grafton Notch State Park, and Goose Eye Mountain is 6.5 mi (10.5 km) away. It also contains the mountain with the best views in Grafton Notch—and no, I’m not referring to Old Speck. Once a route marked by swift-moving rivers flowing through the mountain valley, the Grafton Notch scenic byway begins in Newry, just north of Sunday River Ski Area, and travels along Route 26 to Grafton Notch State Park and Lake Umbagog, which crosses the New Hampshire border. These two mountains have been in the back of my “to-do” list for some time. The Appalachian Trail, a 2,170 miles (3,490 km) National Scenic Trail from Georgia to Maine, crosses the notch between Old Speck and Baldpate. Grafton Notch State Park: Tickets & Toursâ, Sunday River Ski Resort: Tickets & Toursâ, Sunday River Covered Bridge: Tickets & Toursâ, Maine Mineral and Gem Museum: Tickets & Toursâ, Mount Will Walking Trail: Tickets & Toursâ, Table Rock Arts Center-TRAC: Tickets & Toursâ. The entrance is approximately a dozen miles north of Newry, which is at the northern junction of Rt. These lands offer rugged terrain for backcountry hikers and include 12 of the most … Grafton Notch State Park and the Mahoosuc Public Lands are a premier recreational destination lying amidst some of Maine's most spectacular mountains the Mahoosuc Range. The eastern side of Route 26 is the longer (21.1 miles) and more difficult section of the Grafton Loop Trail. The notch demarks the northeastern end of the Mahoosuc Range, and thus of the White Mountains. The trailhead is located in North Newry, Maine within Grafton Notch State Park. The park is managed by the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Grafton Notch State Park is a public recreation area in Grafton Township, Oxford County, Maine. North of the drainage divide, the notch drains into the Swift Cambridge River, then into the Dead Cambridge River and Umbagog Lake, the source of the Androscoggin River, which drains into Merrymeeting Bay, the estuary of the Kennebec River, and thence into the Gulf of Maine. Grafton Notch State Park and Mahoosuc Public Lands West Side of Route 26 • Old Speck Trail (7.6 miles, 7 hours, challenging) affords And as it traverses such a gorgeous set of mountains, the trail quickly finds some great places. Keep children close by, rocks can be slippery. From Newry, western Maine Grafton Notch Byway travelers will follow Route 26 to Upton and the New Hampshire border. While you're in town visiting Grafton Notch State Park, you can discover the sights within a few miles of the area. The eastern half of the GLT consists of a 21-mile arc that leaves Route 26 in Newry, Maine, and returns to the road in Grafton Notch … The Grafton Loop Trail (GTL) is located on both sides of Route 26 and links with the AT on Baldpate Mountain and on Old Speck. Get on Rt. 42 pics and some babbling from a three day adventure in the deep freeze. I dressed too warm and wish I would had short sleeves on. Grafton Notch is a notch, or mountain pass, located in Oxford County, Maine.The notch demarks the northeastern end of the Mahoosuc Range, and thus of the White Mountains. Maine State Route 26 passes through the notch. Grafton Notch State Park is a premier recreational destination off of ME-26 in Newry. We hiked Old Speck Mountain in Grafton Notch State park in Maine during the thanksgiving weekend. (But fun!) Grafton Notch offers a plethora of highlights, including one of Maine’s most heavily visited waterfalls, Screw Auger Falls. amazing rewarding view at the end. I was going to Mount Ritter in CA, hoping to scope out the area for a more aggressive trip at summer’s end. 26. If you are interested in maintaining a section, please see the Baldpate District in the current vacancy section of our Trail Maintainer Page. Winter: 15k groomed Nordic trails for classic & skate skiing with 5k of snowmaking capabilities; 20k snowshoe trails; maintained fat bike trail network Just east of the New Hampshire border, this is Maine's 4th highest Sorry, there are no tours or activities available to book online for the date(s) you selected. The 23-foot cascade is located 1.0 mile north of the Grafton Notch State Park entrance and accessible via an easy 0.1-mile jaunt off ME 26 from the large parking area (complete with picnic tables and bathrooms), and it’s easy to see why crowds are drawn here. With Old Speck Mountain topping out at 4,170 feet and Baldpate Mountain East Peak (3,780 ft.) and West Peak (3,662 ft.), a lot of occasional hikers might be intimidated. The eastern portion of the park offers two rugged terrain, back-country hiking experiences. Grafton Notch is a notch, or mountain pass, located in Oxford County, Maine. Screw Auger Falls were really nice, as the setting was really different than most other falls I have seen so far. The view is very impressive and enhanced by the remoteness of the location. - Whitney and I celebrated Independence Day with a bang by hiking the Grafton Notch Loop. June 23-24, 2010 . All reviews table rock screw auger falls grafton notch hiking trails beautiful area orange trail picnic area nice hike picnic lunch short hike large boulders cold mountain difficult trail scenic drive natural beauty great hiking moderate hike few hours cave speck moose loop. We did the Table Rock trail which is across the hwy from parking. The 1 mile orange blazed trail gains about 900 feet as it makes its way to the viewpoint on Bald Pate Mountain, with lots of boulder scrambling and even a cave that you’ll climb through along the way! The Table Rock trail in Grafton Notch State Park in Maine is short but sweet, and very steep! The trail is a rugged, remote backcountry trail, and much of it is on private land. Bethel (11.7 miles from Grafton Notch State Park) This Bethel, Maine inn is 5.2 mi from skiing at the Sunday River Ski Resort and has free WiFi available throughout the property. Grafton Notch State Park is one of Maine's premier recreational destinations, lying just off of Maine Route 26 in Newry among the Mahoosuc Mountain Range. the trailhead for Puzzle Mountain). 80+ feet of hollow thin ice on the west side and thick (WI3,3+) 40+ feet of ice on the east side of the Notch. Please choose a different date. A visit to Speck Pond is worth the trip when you're visiting. Note: Printable trail maps are available from the MATC and AMC. Very short hikes to the point of interest. pics by Harlan W.S. Reported to have been formed by glacier melt off, created interesting rock formations. This is just a parking lot along side of road, completely uncommercialized!! This is a family fun place, no shops or restaurants, just pure outdoor fun in beautiful surroundings. Good state park for family afternoon adventure. To the south, the notch drains into the Bear River, then into the Androscoggin. The thick stuff is practically on the road and has lots of ways up it. 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