Saxl Park (Bangor)

Saxl Park is a large open grassy field located near the Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center in Bangor.  There are mowed paths through the fields and because they are flat, the paths can get quite muddy.

My son was volunteering nearby so I decided to walk until I had to pick him up, despite the light falling snow.

Here is a map of my walk.  

Saxl Park is a big grassy field.

Just in case one picture of grass wasn't enough, here is another.

Brown Woods (Bangor)

My son and I were in Bangor and wanted to get a quick hike in between errands and before it started to rain and snow. Brown Woods was a great choice as it was nearby but still provided an opportunity to connect with nature.

We hiked on the 3/4 mile loop and back loop trails.  The trails are flat and well defined and despite being in Bangor have a remote feel to them.  

Here is a map of our hike.

Carter Nature Preserve (Surry)

My son was volunteering at an event in Surry so I decided to go for a walk at the nearby Carter Nature Preserve, managed by the Blue Hill Heritage Trust.

This is a mostly flat preserve that winds through a coniferous forest and along a coastal shoreline.  The trail is well maintained and there is parking in two separate lots.  It's possible to make a loop although it requires a short amount of on road walking. 

Here is a map of my hike.

Hatchet Mountain Preserve (Hope)

Hatchet Mountain Preserve in Hope is managed by the Coastal Mountains Land Trust and features a 1.3 mile (roundtrip) trail up a series of switchbacks. 

It was 19 degrees when I started my hike this morning.  The trail up is narrow but well defined and offers great views of the surrounding countryside, including several coastal mountains. 

Here is a map of my hike.

 

 

 

Ice crystals on the trail.

Table Rock Trail, Grafton Notch State Park

I attended a two-day conference at Sunday River this week and since reporting time for the first day was mid-morning, I camped out the night before and got in a quick sunrise hike in the morning.

I hiked Table Rock via the Appalachian Trail and the blue blazed trail which approaches from the rear.   There is a more challenging Table Rock Trail which ascends from the front; however, since I was hiking up in the dark and temperatures were right at the freezing mark, I elected the more moderate route. 

The hike was relatively easy, although near the end there were a series of rungs to climb.  The blue blazed trail was generally easy to follow but I almost missed the rungs (probably due to the darkness).  

Table Rock itself had terrific views.  There is a very steep drop off so care should be used.

Here is a map of my hike. 

Peaked Mountain (Clifton)

My son and I hiked Peaked Mountain this morning in the dark in order to capture the sunrise.   It was a beautiful crisp clear 35 degree morning and we were rewarded with an incredible sunrise. 

The trail itself is an access road that is steep at times.  The total round trip distance of the hike was 2.8 miles.  The mountain has a bald east-facing summit with a cell tower at the top. 

Here is a map of our hike. 

 

 

 

Great Pond Mountain (Orland)

I hiked solo this morning up Great Pond Mountain in Orland.   This is a moderate hike with several incredible open views on the way up.  There is ample parking at the trailhead and the trail is well marked with trail markers and occasional signs along the route.  The trail is well defined although this time of year it was covered with leaves on the lower forested half. 

The total round-trip distance, including the summit trail and an overlook spur, equaled slightly more than 3 miles.  Here is a map of my hike.

This sign was at the trailhead.  The timing was perfect!