West Kennebago Mountain

By CAREY KISH

Copyright © 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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Trail name: Firewarden's Trail, West Kennebago Mountain Nearest town: Rangeley Region: Western Lakes and Mountains Length: 4.2-mile Difficulty: Moderate Elevation gain: 3, 705 feet Directions: From Rangeley, take Route 16 west for about 12 miles. Just past the Maine Forest Service facility, take a right on the gravel Morton Cut-Off Road. Follow this for 3 1/2 miles. At a T-intersection, go right on Lincoln Pond Road for 5 1/2 miles to a parking area on the left. Maps: Get driving directions from MapQuest. View a topo map from Maptech MapServer.

The Firewarden's Trail is a 4.2-mile round-trip hike that gains about 1,900 feet in elevation en route to the 3,705-foot peak.

The trail, marked with red paint blazes, starts out as a level walk through a beech forest. Beyond, the trail ascends at a steady grade before tapering off as it passes left under a cliff.

After traversing farther and crossing two small brooks, it climbs again for a short distance through balsam firs to the old fire warden's cabin (now privately owned) in a small clearing.

A faint path leads left 100 yards to a deliciously cold spring. The main trail continues behind the cabin, uphill to the right. At the top of the ridge, bear left and hike easily to the wooded summit and old fire tower.

There are limited views through the trees here, so you may want to climb up the tower steps for a better look around (the lookout on top is locked).

From the upper rungs of the ladder, you'll take in a terrific wilderness panorama of lakes and mountains: Kennebago Lake to the east and Cupsuptic and Mooselookmeguntic lakes to the south; and an amazing skyline of mountains including the prominent ridgeline of Saddleback.

To reach the trailhead from Rangeley, take Route 16 west for about 12 miles. Just past the Maine Forest Service facility, take a right on the gravel Morton Cut-Off Road. Follow this for 3 1/2 miles. At a T-intersection, go right on Lincoln Pond Road for 5 1/2 miles to a parking area on the left.

Carey Kish of Portland is the former president of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. He can be reached at maineoutdoors@aol.com.