Hiking The Maine Portion Of The Appalachian Trail

How Much Of The AT Runs Through Maine?

281.4 miles of the AT runs through Maine. With many mountains to cross, Maine Portion Of The Appalachian is considered to be one of the toughest parts of the AT to hike. The trail enters Maine from Berlin NH and ends at the summit of Mt. Katahdin.

How Long Does It Take To Hike The Maine Portion Of The Appalachian Trail?

Due to the ruggedness of the trail, multiple mountain ranges, rockslides, and water crossings. Plan on giving yourself 4-6 weeks to hike the Maine portion of the AT.
Based on a survey of 100 hikers who hiked the complete Maine section of the AT, the majority said the southern half of the Maine section is one of the most difficult sections of the entire trail.

The 100 Mile Wilderness

This section runs from Monson Maine to Abol Bridge which is located at the base of Mt. Katahdin. There are no towns along this portion of the trail, so be sure to pack a minimum of 10 days’ worth of supplies. While cell phone reception is getting better and there are more logging roads that have been created in the area that cross this section of trail repeatedly, keep in mind that it could still be days before someone can find you if you needed help. So pack accordingly.

What Mountains Does The Maine Portion Of The Appalachian Cross?

Dangers Of Maine AT That You Should Be Aware Of

Rain
You are guaranteed that it will rain in Maine while you are hiking the AT. This alone might not sound dangerous. However, depending on the time of year, at a higher elevation, the temperatures can drop enough for you to develop hypothermia.
Granite boulders and slate ledges can become extremely slippery and one misstep can end your hike. Be prepared, pack for rain.

Black Bear
While Maine has black bears, you rarely will see one. If you do, it is generally because you surprised it. A couple of things you need to know when dealing with bears.
1. Never, get between a bear and her cubs. If you see a small cub, walk away. do NOT try and interact with it. Mama bear is not far away.
2. While walking, if with someone, talk a lot, if alone, whistle or sing. You don’t have to be loud. The noise will give the animals a chance to know you are in the area. Bears will generally just go the other way when given the chance.

Moose
Never try and pat one!
In general, Moose are not dangerous. If you encounter one, give them plenty of space. Do not crowd them. Female moose (cow) are very protective of their babies. Never get between a mom and her kid. Males can become aggressive during the later months of the year when they are looking to mate with the females. (rutting season)

Ticks
Maine has become infested with these little buggers over the past few years. While you are in more danger of having one of these attach themselves in southern Maine, they are in fact still a concern as well further north. Ticks carry a variety of diseases such as Lyme disease that can be transferred to humans. Be sure to check yourself once a day and remove any you find. Ticks removed within 24 hours have less chance to infect you. If you have been bit, keep an eye on the spot.

Terrain
The Maine section is one of the most unforgiven sections of the AT. This is due to water crossings, steep climbs and descents, slippery ledges, and tree roots, all of which would love to twist your ankles.
Do not attempt to hike this portion of the trail without properly building up for this type of hiking. Do not expect to be in proper shape by hiking a few weekend hikes.

Follow Along While Red Beard Hikes The Maine AT