Peary Mountain, Brownfield

By CAREY KISH

Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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Trail name: Peary Mountain Nearest town: Brownfield Region: Western Lakes & Mountains Length: 2 miles roundtrip Difficulty: Moderate Elevation gain: 958 feet Directions: Take Route 113 about a mile or so past the junction with Route 160. Take a left on the gravel Farnsworth Road to a bridge crossing and a clearing on the right. The trail begins across the road. Maps: Get driving directions from MapQuest. View a topo map from Maptech MapServer.

The trail up Peary Mountain (958 feet) starts out on a logging road, a steady but gentle hike for about a mile. At the height-of-land look for a trail junction on the left. The junction should be obvious, said McAllister, but look for an old cellar hole and a clearing with a fire pit and you'll know you're in the right place.

Go left into the woods on a well-worn path that leads a few hundred yards to a bald peak and a beautiful spot overlooking the Saco River Valley with views of the White Mountains. If you're feeling ambitious, you can bushwhack another half mile to several other outlooks farther down the ridge.

To find the trailhead, take Route 113 about a mile or so past the junction with Route 160. Take a left on the gravel Farnsworth Road to a bridge crossing and a clearing on the right. The trail begins across the road. Peary Mountain is a two-mile round-trip hike.

Carey Kish of Portland is a Registered Maine Guide and has hiked and camped extensively throughout Maine. He can be reached at maineoutdoors@aol.com