“Mom. We’re not babies anymore.”
Oh yes, how well I know.
So my family has set our sights on hiking mountain trails, both to challenge the girls as well as help me accept the fact that my babies are growing up (and remind me that that is a good thing!).
Finding trails that are challenging but doable for my tweens (with an average fitness level for their age) has been a bit tricky. I’ve asked many hiking friends and acquaintances (with children and not) for advice about Maine trails. I’ve also inquired about how accurate the ratings are in a popular hiking guide book. In my experience
'easy’ is relative to an adult’s fitness level, not a tween. That’s not a criticism, just a reality check on how to go about choosing hikes that will offer up a challenge and still be a fun adventure for everyone in the family.
So below are a couple of mountain trails my family has hiked recently and our thoughts about them.
BLUEBERRY MOUNTAIN
The summit of Blueberry Mountain is in the Caribou-Speckled Mountain Wilderness north of Fryeburg. With a significant elevation gain, this can be challenging for a 10-year-old but doable if she has an average fitness level and you pack a favorite treat for the frequent breaks you might need to take during the ascent.
On this trip we hiked up the White Cairn Trail to Blueberry Ridge Trail, then looped back down Stone House Trail. The loop was about four and a half miles total. The White Cairn Trail was a challenge for the girls with a steep area that required climbing a couple of large rocks with tricky footholds. We took a short detour off the Stone House Trail on the way down the mountain to visit Rattlesnake Pool. It was an amazingly deep, clear pool and not a spot to be missed on these trails. Your tired feet will thank you for the cool dip.
TRAIL: White Cairn Trail to Blueberry Ridge Trail to Stone House Trail
NEAREST TOWN: Gilead
TRAILHEAD: It’s on Stone House Road off Route 113, about 1.3 miles north of Cold River camp. Park at the steel gate.
ELEVATION GAIN: 1,150 feet
SUMMIT: 1,750 feet
MILEAGE: approximately 4.5-mile loop
DIFFICULTY: Moderate for tweens, difficult for children under 8 years old
NOTE: Because we hiked this trail in mid-August, we were treated to an abundance of blueberries ready to be picked and eaten around the mountain.
ALTERNATIVES TO SUMMIT: The Stone House Trail was an easy, level path with a slight elevation gain just before the spur to Rattlesnake Pool. It would be a doable 2-mile loop from the trail head for young children (we saw several headed there the day we visited).
PHOTOS: See more photos from the trail
KIDS’ REVIEW:
10-year-old: “I liked this trail even though it was kind of steep and long. I didn’t like the big rocks I had to climb because there wasn’t any places for my feet. I packed some candy because it’s like my medicine to keep me going. I had Pop-Rocks this time. I also liked eating all the blueberries on the trail. Now I know why they call it Blueberry Mountain. I loved Rattlesnake Pool and that was my favorite part of the trail. I put my feet in the pool to cool off and it felt really good.”
12-year-old: “At the beginning it was easy and then in the middle of the hike up the mountain it got harder. Once you reach the top of Blueberry Mountain it is a really pretty view. Going down the Stone House Trail was easier. The pool was really cool and it looked like a tropical beach with three shades of different greens with a waterfall. And there were no leeches in there.”
TABLE ROCK AT GRAFTON NOTCH STATE PARK
We hiked the Appalachian Trail to Table Rock last year and I was glad I waited until my youngest was 9 years old before trying this hike. The climb is steep but not too difficult if you plan for frequent breaks with favorite treats. The kids loved Table Rock and felt a
real sense of accomplishment for having hiked to it.
This year we hiked to Table Rock (per the girls’ request) and then continued on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in hopes of reaching the West Peak of Bald Pate Mountain. It was an overly ambitious goal and one we did not think we’d reach on this trip but decided we’d give it a whirl anyhow. We made it to the Bald Pate Lean-to which was a little over half a mile short of the West Peak. The girls enjoyed the hike to Table Rock but after that point it was difficult and strenuous for them. I think we’re still a couple of years away from getting to the west peak (which is at 3,662 feet). The Lean-to, at 2,700 feet, marked about 4 miles of mountain hiking for us that day (and included another couple ahead of us to get back to the car). To our way of thinking it was a good effort and a solid first attempt for the girls to summit such a large mountain.
TRAIL: Appalachian Trail to Table Rock Trail
NEAREST TOWN: Newry
TRAIL HEAD: About 12 miles from the intersection of Route 26 and Route 2 in Newry. It’s marked on the left side of the road.
ELEVATION GAIN: About 900 feet
SUMMIT: (Table Rock is not a summit, it’s a vista point on Bald Pate Mountain at 1,400 feet)
MILEAGE: approximately 3 miles roundtrip to Table Rock
DIFFICULTY: Moderate for tweens, Difficult for children under 8 years old
NOTE: There are metal bars that serve as stairs to climb the rock to get on to Table Rock. Some children may find them scary to climb down but there is an unmarked alternate path around them if you look for it. The view is beautiful on Table Rock but keep kids away from the sheer drop-off. Also, depending on the time of year you visit, you may run into AT thru-hikers (they hike from Maine to Georgia or vice-versa) and many are willing to chat with kids about their hiking adventure. We’ve been lucky enough to run into a few and my kids have enjoyed chatting with the “professional hikers.”
PHOTOS: See more photos from the trail
KID’S REVIEW:
10-year-old: “It was a steep climb to Table rock but it was OK. The metal bar steps are OK but they made me a little nervous going down but the second time it was easier. Table Rock is a great view and you can see the Eyebrow Trail on the mountain across the street. That Eyebrow Trail was scary when I hiked that last year and I'm glad I hiked Table Rock instead.”
12-year-old: “Getting up to Table Rock was steep but it wasn’t too bad. The view is very good at the top. You can see a lot of different mountains. My sister got a little freak-out going down the metal stairs but they are not that bad.”
Originally published in Raising Maine Magazine, September 2008
