2020…a year which has already gone down in infamy in the history of the world. Nationally, we have endured a global pandemic, which has sickened and cost the lives of hundreds of thousands of our citizens. For those of us fortunate to have stayed healthy, our lives are not the same as they were prior to mid-March. We think twice about gathering with friends, we aren’t able to attend sporting events, and have restricted our lifestyles in ways we took for granted pre-COVID 19. Some of us have lived through economic difficulty due to job losses or cut backs. We have witnessed social unrest, which we have not seen since the great civil rights movement of the 1960’s. To top it off, the political climate has pitted friend against friend, neighbor against neighbor, and family vs. family.
We have all made sacrifices in 2020. For the past twenty-five seasons, I have served as the public address announcer and scoreboard operator at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor, until this spring, that is. Up until early October, the last sporting event I worked was the Class B Girls Basketball State Championship at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Oh, I had a grand pity party for the first month plus of the coronavirus restrictions.. Once the calendar switched to May and with the weather warmer, albeit a snowy day thrown in, because it is 2020 after all, it was time to dig out the hiking boots and hit the trails. I had an epiphany that if I was going to stay sane during this pandemic, I needed to keenly focus on what I could do rather than dwell on what was stripped away.
Over the past several months I have crisscrossed The Pine Tree State and New Hampshire exploring our region’s natural beauty, much of which I have not seen before. This week I thought it would be fun to look back on some of my more memorable adventures in the great outdoors. I explored areas from mountain peaks, waterfalls, scenic ocean views, and historic lighthouses. So here are my favorite hikes from 2020: As an aside, Mt. Katahdin was not part of my journeys in 2020. I hiked the grand mountain in 2003 and still remember how lame I was for days afterwards. I still maintain every able bodied Mainer should climb Maine’s highest peak once in their lifetime.
My first sojourn of the spring took me to Little Wilson Falls, which is located near Monson. The trail is located in close proximity to the popular Borestone Mountain. The trailhead is located on the other side of the small bridge which leads to Borestone. Follow the trailhead for approximately 3/4 of a mile, at which you will come to the junction of the Appalachian Trail. Bear left for about another 1/2 mile and you will come to a spectacular waterfall. I hiked this in mid-May and there was still some ice on the trail.
Camden Hills State Park is one of my favorite spots for a good hike. Mount Battie is the most well known summit in the park as an auto road snakes its way to the top. At the peak is an observation tower, although it was closed on this day in June while hiking with a friend due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The other peak in Camden Hills State Park is Mount Megunticook, which actually has a higher elevation than Battie. The view at the very top is limited but the overlook near the top is spectacular, overlooking Mt. Battie and the Camden harbor. We tackled both summits, I recommend hiking to the top of Megunticook first then taking the trail which connects over to Battie. From Mt. Battie there is another trail which leads back to the parking lot. To do both summits and the return is about 6 miles. If that wasn’t enough walking for a day, we walked the Rockland Breakwater, which is located behind the Samoset Resort in Rockport. The 3/4 mile breakwater leads to a lighthouse at the end.
If I want a short, local hike, Chick Hill in Clifton fits the bill. The view from the top is spectacular although it’s not my favorite hike, due to the trail being more akin to a four-wheeler road rather than a rustic trail. It’s fairly short and quick, although there are some steep parts on the road. The calves will get a good workout. To access the trail, take route 9 through Clifton, take a left onto Chick Hill Road, which is just beyond Parks Pond Campground.
One of my favorite hikes of the season, took me to Orland on the 4th of July. With the traditional Fourth of July festivities canceled, what better way to spend the 4th than on the trails? Great Pond Mountain, which is located beyond the fish hatchery at Alamoosook Lake, provides tremendous views of nearby Bucksport and beyond. The Penobscot Narrows Bridge can be clearly seen from several miles away.
Acadia National Park is home to some of the state’s most iconic hiking trails. Some of the best spots, though, are located outside the park. As the park became more congested in the latter part of summer, these other trails on MDI, were a better option. Parkman Mountain in Northeast Harbor is a well-maintained trail near Northeast Harbor and provides great views at the top. To access the trail, take Routes 3 and 198 before coming to Northeast Harbor, the parking lot is located on the left.
One of my favorite adventures of 2020 was hiking Mt. Kineo with a couple friends in mid-August. I say adventure because the trip combined numerous experiences into one fun-filled day. Mt. Kineo is located in the middle of Moosehead Lake overlooking the village of Rockwood. To access the mountain, park your vehicle at the Rockwood marina and take the 7-8 minute shuttle boat ride over to the island. There is a $13 round trip fee for the shuttle. There are a couple trail options but I would recommend taking the more difficult trail up and taking the longer, more gradual trail down. The steeper trail follows the rock ledges along the way, providing much more scenic views. The top of Mt. Kineo doesn’t provide much of a view but there is a high fire tower at the summit. There are four flights of stairs to access the top of the tower, which provides great panoramic views. My hiking companions and me got a little uneasy as we approached the top of the tower but the climb was worth it.
The hike, including the time at the summit took about 2 hours round trip. From there we made our way over to Jackman and down to The Forks, where we explored another of Maine’s wonders in Moxie Falls. This trail is an easy walk in and back and offers a spectacular waterfall at the end.
One of Maine’s jewels is Quoddy Head State Park in Lubec. The highlight of the park is the candy-striped Quoddy Head Lighthouse. The park boasts five miles of hiking trails, offering pristine views of the Atlantic Ocean, while taking one inland to a bog boardwalk. Topping off the day with a stop at Helen’s Restaurant in Machias for a lobster roll and homemade onion rings was the cherry on top.
Tunk Mountain near Cherryfield proved much more challenging than expected but the views at the top were well worth it. The mountain provides views of the topography of the region as well. Prior to the summit there was a tour of small ponds before the steady climb to the top.
Mount Chase near Patten offered breathtaking views of the area’s mountains, including Mt. Katahdin. The beauty of this hike is two-fold. There are two options but I highly recommend taking the waterfall trail up and the mountain trail down. The waterfall trail is just that, it followed a waterfall for about a half mile, before rejoining the mountain trail for the ascent to the summit. Speaking of the summit, it seems to take you by surprise. What seems like forever through tree-lined forest, wow, there you are and the view is phenomenal. The trail and summit were loaded with chipmunks on this October day and I ended up sharing some lunch with a couple of them.
The White Mountains of New Hampshire have long been a favorite vacation spot of my family. In my opinion, there is no better spot to be during fall foliage season. On Columbus Day, I made the trek to Arethusa Falls and Frankenstein Cliffs in Crawford Notch. The leaves changed and fell early this year but the hike still was one of my favorites. From the parking lot on Route 302, I ascended to the base of the falls and looked up in awe at the water cascading over the towering ledge. From there, I made my way to the Frankenstein Cliffs, which provided tremendous views over the Mount Washington Valley. The entire length of the hike was just over five miles.
The next morning, I embarked on a couple short waterfall jaunts due to showers in the region. Glen-Ellis Falls off Route 16 near the base of Mt. Washington was recently renovated and was beautiful. Sabbaday Falls, located off the Kancamagus Highway, is a short 3/10 of a mile stroll but offers a phenomenal experience. From there it was on to Franconia Notch State Park, which was pretty well fogged in by the time I arrived. I made my way to The Basin, viewing the falls along the way. Since it started pouring when I headed back to my vehicle, it was my signal to start heading home.
By the way, what’s better on a rainy day than some good comfort food. Before making the four-hour drive home, I made a little detour south on Route 3 to Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant in Meridith. I was hungry so ordered the jumbo turkey dinner. When they say jumbo they mean “jumbo”. Turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, squash, cranberry sauce, rolls, and cornbread, there was enough for two meals afterwards.
With the weather getting colder and the days shorter, my hiking boots are likely put away until next spring. While I missed my announcing duties this year, the extra time afforded me the opportunity to explore the great outdoors more than ever before. I hope and anticipate 2021 will look more like normal, I’ll be back at Mansfield Stadium, and won’t have as much time. That said, I’ve started making a list of places I want to explore next year. If you have any suggestions, feel free to drop a line or comment.
