Big Moose Mountain is one of the more difficult hikes in the Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit challenge. The 4.5 mile hike has an elevation gain of about 2,000 feet but it rewards hikers with wonderful views of Moosehead Lake and the surrounding mountains from its summit.
Finding the Trail Head
From the blinking light in the center of Greenville travel north 5.1 miles on Route 6/15. Turn onto the North Road (a dirt road) marked by a sign for Maine Public Reserve Lands – Little Moose Unit. At 6.6 miles on this road look for the trail head and parking on the right.
Hike Description
I completed this hike on July 2nd, 2017. I don’t recall there being that much rain in the prior days but the trail sure was muddy! The trail mostly consisted of a rocky & muddy creek bed going up the side of the mountain and it didn’t help that many of the bridges needed repair (Hopefully those repairs have been made by now!) But the view at the end … Amazing!
The Big Moose Mountain Trail starts off easy enough through the woods on a dirt (mud) path but at about the 1 mile mark I can see on my tracker that I slowed down as the elevation picked up.
At 1.25 miles, there’s small waterfall just off the trail … You’ll hear it from the trail if its roaring.
At 1.4 miles you’ll reach the old abandoned fire warden’s cabin. At the summit there used to be a fire tower but it has since been removed. From the fire tower to the summit is the steepest section. There are rock steps along the path to help you make the ascent.
At 1.6 miles, there’s a nice viewpoint just off the trail. You get a partial view of Moosehead Lake and a view of Moosehead Mountain itself to your left. If you’re already wiped out at this point, you can take in the views here and head back, but I suggest you keep going for another 0.7 mile and 500 feet elevation to reach the summit for better views.
Like many of the mountain hikes in this region, you’ll have a wonderful view of Moosehead Lake and the surrounding mountains at the peak of Big Moose Mountain, though the view to your left is blocked by tall trees and a communication tower & shed. You’ll see the remains of the old fire tower here. If you continue past this clearing and past the cell phone tower, you may find better views.
I hoped to reach the the other side of the mountain, at the top of Big Squaw Ski Resort, for even better views of Moosehead Lake but I gave up after not finding a trail to get over there.
I almost made it back to the trail head without slipping but eventually my feet went out from under me and I fell on my butt in the mud. So, my advice is to do this hike later in the summer when it’s typically drier! The hike is challenging enough without the mud!
Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit
The loop described here is one of six hikes that make up the Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit challenge. The other five hikes, in order of difficulty from easiest to hardest (in my opinion), are Mount Kineo, Borestone Mountain, Number Four Mountain, Eagle Rock, and Whitecap Mountain.