I’ve made it easy for you to find the perfect day hike in Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness and the greater Moosehead Lake Region, one of my favorite areas in Maine for hiking, paddling and wildlife viewing opportunities.
The exact trail head parking locations are shown on the map below. (I actually had fun doing this because for some reason I love maps!) If you view this map on your mobile device, then tap on a marker and you can get driving directions to the parking area and trail head.
Tip – Download this area as an offline map in Google Maps so that you can use navigation when you’re outside of cell service. You can also download an offline trail map in hiking apps like Ramblr and AllTrails.
The first 6 hikes listed are featured in the Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit challenge.
Bag all 6 summits at any time and you can be rewarded for your accomplishment with a Moosehead Pinnacle pursuit badge. Learn more about this challenge on the official Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit website.
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15 Best Day Hikes in Maine 100 Mile Wilderness & Moosehead Region
1. Borestone Mountain
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 4.1 Miles | 2,059 ft | Moderate |
Borestone Mountain is my personal favorite of the six hikes featured in the Moosehead Pinnacle Pursuit.
It’s located near Willimantic, about 40 minutes south of Greenville on route 6 by way of Monson.
The first half of the hike has gradual elevation gain as you walk through the woods to the Borestone Mountain Audobon Sanctuary where you’ll pay a $5 per person fee and can take a break at the scenic ponds.
Next is the really fun part, when the elevation gain becomes much more steep, and you climb up some iron rungs to reach the wide open summit with amazing 360 views of Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness. Note: No dogs allowed.
Learn more about hiking Borestone Mountain on my blog.
2. Mt. Kineo
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 3.4 Miles | 1,070 ft | Easy to Moderate |
You’ll take the ferry across Moosehead Lake from the Rockwood Town Landing to Mt. Kineo State Park, unless you have a boat.
The most popular route is to take the steep (but scenic) cliffside Indian Trail up the summit where you can climb up a sketchy fire tower to enjoy the magnificent view of Moosehead Lake and the surrounding mountains, then return to the trail head on the easier Bridle Trail.
For a longer 6 mile hike, from the summit you can take the North Trail around the perimeter of the island and back to the trail head.
Learn more about hiking Mt. Kineo on my blog.
3. Big Moose Mountain
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 4.5 Miles | 2,082 ft | Moderate |
One of the closest hikes to downtown Greenville and Moosehead Lake on this list, (though still very much in the woods!), the hike up Big Moose Mountain is challenging and can be muddy in late spring and early summer.
You’ll be rewarded for your effort with a great view of Moosehead Lake from the viewpoint at 1.6 miles as well as from the summit.
On the opposite side of Big Moose Mountain is Big Squaw Ski Resort.
Learn more about hiking Big Moose Mountain on my blog.
4. Eagle Rock
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 7.1 Miles | 1,749 ft | Moderate to Strenuous |
The trail head for Eagle Rock is just past Big Moose Mountain on North Road in Greenville.
The 7 mile out-and-back hike took me 5 hours to complete (I got a little lost), and although the elevation gain is supposedly 900 feet, my GPS tracker registered a total ascent of 1,749 feet because of all of the ups and downs during the hike.
The views of Moosehead Lake and Indian Pond are great from the rock summit as well as the viewpoint at Raven’s Ledge, but me warned, it’s a long walk through the woods to reach these view points.
Learn more about hiking Eagle Rock on my blog.
5. Number Four Mountain
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 3.6 Miles | 1,485 ft | Moderate |
Number Four Mountain is a moderate 3.6 mile out-and-back hike unless you extend your bike by continuing past the summit on the new trail extension that goes all the way to Baker Mountain.
Number Four Mountain has a wooded summit and there aren’t stairs on the abandoned fire tower, so there aren’t panoramic views, but it’s still a very nice view of Moosehead Lake and the surrounding mountains.
Continue walking past the fire tower to reach a bench with the nicest view.
This one’s pretty remote … Located near Kokadjo. Don’t get lost finding the trail head!
Learn more about hiking Number Four Mountain on my blog.
6. Whitecap Mountain
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 7.7 Miles | 2,738 ft | Strenuous |
This one’s even more remote than Number Four Mountain! In the heart of 100 Mile Wildernes and located just over an hour from Greenville, you’ll drive for a while on a dirt road to reach the parking area, then walk a quarter mile on the road to get the Appalachian Trail junction.
While it’s steep, I found the trail to be in very good condition, and many say that the view from Whitecap Mountain is one of the best in Maine. Unfortunately it was hazy the day I hiked it so go on a clear day and see for yourself!
Walk a loop around the summit to get views in every direction. You’ll be surrounded by the mountains and ponds of Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness.
Learn more about hiking Whitecap Mountain on my blog
7. Little Moose Mountain
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 4.0 Miles | 1,193 ft | Easy to Moderate |
While this is one of the easier hikes listed, there’s enough elevation climb going up the mountain to make your heart beat faster!
There are a few different trail heads to this area. I started at the trail head on the dirt road where the trails begin for Big Moose Mountain and Eagle Rock. (The other trails are longer)
This is a nice lollipop loop to the camping & picnic sites on Big Moose Pond and Little Moose Pond, then up the mountain where you’ll have a nice view of Little Moose Pond and Big Moose Mountain behind it.
Learn more about hiking Little Moose Mountain on Maine Trail Finder.
8. Gulf Hagas
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 8.9 Miles | 1,200 ft | Moderate to Strenuous |
The Gulf Hagas trail traverses past many waterfalls and along the cliff of the largest canyon in Maine. I only rate it as moderate to strenuous because of the long length. This is an all day hike if you do the entire loop. Take your time and enjoy the scenery!
You have the choice of two two trail heads to begin your hike.
The traditional trail head puts you on the Appalachian Trail where you’ll ford the West Branch Pleasant River, then leave the A/T and cross Gulf Hagas Brook to join the Rim Trail, where Screw Auger Falls awaits.
Screw Auger is the most popular waterfall and many just do this short 3.5 mile there-and-back hike to go swimming here, but you should continue on this loop to see the canyon and all of the other waterfalls.
If fording a river isn’t your thing, the other option is to begin your hike on the opposite end of the trail, at Head of the Gulf where no river fording is required. This trail head is located near AMC Little Lyford Lodge.
Either way you start, the entire loop is about 9 miles and will take 5 or 6 hours to traverse, unless you shorten the hike by using one of the many cut-offs on the loop.
I’ve included markers for the parking lots at each trail head in my map.
Learn more about hiking Gulf Hagas and Screw Auger Falls.
9. Indian Mountain (Laurie’s Ledge)
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 3.3 Miles | 1,100 ft | Moderate |
Located very close to AMC’s Little Lyford Lodge and Head of Gulf Hagas, Laurie’s Ledge is a short but very steep hike up Indian Mountain, and will likely take 2 to 3 hours to go up and back.
From Laurie’s Ledge, you have a great view to the east of Gulf Hagas Mountain, Hay Mountain and Whitecap Mountain on the Appalachian Trail, and on a clear day you can see Katahdin in the distance.
At the summit is a view west of Horseshoe Pond and the un-trailed Elephant Mountain.
Learn more about hiking Laurie’s Ledge on Indian Mountain
10. Little Wilson Falls
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 2.7 Miles | 755 ft | Easy |
Little Wilson Falls, a 75-foot slate stepped waterfall, is one of the tallest waterfalls in Maine and is accessible from a 2.7 mile there-and-back hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT) near Borestone Mountain on the southern end of 100 Mile Wilderness.
The elevation gain is moderate (755 ft) and it’s pretty much just a walk through the woods with a few steep hills to climb.
The view from the top of the waterfall is good but you’ll want to carefully climb down the rocks a bit to get the best pictures.
The water flow was minimal when I did this hike in October but in the spring and early summer the falls may be raging.
You may extend the hike by continuing on the Appalachian Trail on Wilson Cliffs.
Learn more about hiking Little Wilson Falls on my blog.
11. Barren Mountain
View from Barren Ledges of Onawa Lake and Borestone Mountain. Photo by ems18 on Flickr
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 7.0 Miles R/T | ≈ 2,000 ft | Strenuous |
“The trail climbs steadily to Barren Slide—a cliff with a large scree slope beneath it. From atop the slide and nearby Barren Ledges, you have fine views east, west, and across Onawa Lake to the south.
From Barren Mountain’s mostly open summit, you have views in every direction of the surrounding 100 Mile Wilderness and the mountains around Moosehead Lake.” – Greg Westrich, Author of “Best Easy Day Hikes, Greenville, Maine”.
12. Third Mountain
Photo by Aislinn Sarnacki, Bangor Daily News
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 4.3 Miles R/T | 850 ft | Moderate to Strenuous |
“Third Mtn., rising 2,069 feet above sea level, is not one of the tallest mountains in its area, but near it’s summit, Monument Cliff offers breathtaking views of nearby ponds and mountains.
To the southwest of Third Mtn. is Fourth Mtn. (2,378 feet tall), and to the east is Columbus Mtn. (2,342 feet tall) and Chairback Mtn. (2,190 feet tall).” – Act Out with Aislinn, Bangor Daily News
13. Chairback Mountain
Photo by Aislinn Sarnacki, Bangor Daily News
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 8.2 Miles R/T | ≈ 2,000 ft | Strenuous |
The difficult hike up to Chairback Mountain begins on the same trail head that is used for Gulf Hagas.
“The hike follows the Appalachian Trail (AT) southbound from the Pleasant River to the summit of Chairback Mountain. The hike climbs steeply to a side trail to East Chairback Pond.
From there the AT roller-coasters over a series of rocky knobs to an open ridgetop with fine views of the surrounding country and Chairback Mountain.
Then it’s a short, very steep climb to the open cliff tops that are Chairback’s summit. The north-facing cliffs offer a spectacular vista.” – Greg Westrich, Author of “Best Easy Day Hikes, Greenville, Maine”.
14. Big Spencer Mountain
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 3.6 Miles | ≈ 2,000 ft | Strenuous |
The reviews on AllTrails warn hikers that this is a very challenging hike. It’s very steep with several ladders to help you climb. The last mile after where the old fire warden tower once stood is said to be especially steep and strenuous.
Some complained that it’s not blazed and easy to get lost. However, nobody complained about the views at the top!
This hike is located near Kokadjo and Spencer Pond Camps. Watch out for moose!
Learn more about hiking Big Spencer Mountain:
15. Little Spencer Mountain
| Distance | Total Ascent | Difficulty |
| 2.6 Miles | ≈ 2,000 ft | Most Strenuous |
Little Spencer Mountain is considered to be one of the most challenging hikes in the Moosehead Lake region. Hiking time will vary between 4 to 8 hours.
It is very steep, with rock slides, boulder scrambling and some sections where rope is used to climb up and down rope nearly vertical sections.
And, of course, it offers gorgeous views from above Spencer Pond and Moosehead Lake.
Hiker discretion is advised!
Learn more about hiking Little Spencer:
More Hikes
There are over 40 hikes to be found in the greater Moosehead Lake Region and 100 Mile Wilderness of Maine, so this is just a start. To find more hikes, I recommend reading Greg Westrich’s “Hiking Maine” and “Easy Day Hikes Greeville, Maine”, as well as AMC’s “Maine Mountain Guide” and “100 Mile Wilderness Map & Guide”.
Several trails are also described on the Maine Trail Finder website. As I do more of the great hikes in this region, I will update this post to include those hikes.
Your trail descriptions are spot on! Happy to have stumbled upon your web site.