Trout Brook Mountain, Baxter State Park

By SCOTT ANDREWS

Copyright © 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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Trail name: Trout Brook Mountain, Baxter State Park Nearest town: Millinocket Region: Katahdin/Moosehead Length: 1.3 miles Difficulty: Intermediate Elevation: 1,767 feet Other: Parking is at the Trout Brook Farm lot which holds 12 cars. Directions: From Millinocket, go north on Route 95 to Sherman. Take Route 11 to Patten, then Route 159 to Shin Pond. From there, it's a long dirt road in to the north gate of Baxter State Park, Matagamon Gate. For more information, visit the Baxter State Park Web site. Maps: Get driving directions from MapQuest. View a topo map from Maptech MapServer.

Maine's largest park roughly divides into two sections. Most visitors flock to the southern half, where they queue up for camp sites and parking spaces at the Mount Katahdin trailheads.

The northern half feels truly remote, and 1,767-foot Trout Brook Mountain is one of Maine's less-visited peaks. It's a moderately easy two-hour outing and the vistas from the open summit ledges encompass much of the park's most out-of-the-way acreage.

Start opposite Trout Brook Farm Campground and ascend through mixed hardwoods before reaching the summit, where 360-degree views stretch between Grand Lake Matagamon to the north and the Five Ponds area and Traveler Mountain to the south.

Scott Andrews, from Portland, is a Registered Maine Guide and freelance writer. This article first appeared in the Vacationland Guide.