Singepole Ridge, South Paris

By Carey Kish

Copyright © 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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Trail name: Singepole Ridge Nearest town: South Paris Region: Western Lakes & Mountains Length: 1.5 miles Difficulty: Beginner Elevation gain: 1,420 feet Other: The trailhead is on Brett Hill Road a half mile south of Route 117 and about three miles from South Paris. Maps: Get driving directions from MapQuest. View a topo map from Maptech MapServer.

Singepole Ridge (1,420 feet) is an interesting little mountain with a pretty quarry and fine views along its summit ridge. The trailhead is on Brett Hill Road a half mile south of Route 117 and about three miles from South Paris. Park near the gate, but please don't block it. A handwritten sign tacked to a tree reads "Singepole Mountain."

Follow the dirt road straight uphill past fields and rock walls. After a half mile, take a left through an area of abandoned trailers, old cars and assorted junk. Continue on the unmarked trail - an old Jeep road - into the woods.

The area has been heavily logged and there are numerous side roads, which can be confusing. Stay on track by following the snowmobile trail signs, which will ultimately lead you to the top. Luckily, we met a local hiker on her way down, Kim Walker of South Paris, who kindly hiked back up with us to an easily missed fork in the trail, about a mile from the start. The right fork is steep and leads directly to the top. On Kim's recommendation, we took the left fork that wound up past an old quarry, certain to make an inviting swimming hole in the heat of summer. Mica, feldspar and quartz crystals in the road glittered in the bright sunshine.

Beyond the quarry, bear right, dip down into a shallow col and follow the wide trail along the ridge to the edge of the cliff overlooking picturesque Hall Pond. Plunk yourself down here, relax and enjoy the fine views of Douglas and Pleasant Mountains and watch the turkey vultures riding the thermals.

It takes about an hour to hike the easy 1 1/2 miles up to Singepole Ridge, provided you don't take any detours along the way.

Carey Kish of Portland is the former president of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. He can be reached at:

happycamper@careykish.com