Appalachian Trail: ME 4 to Caribou Valley Road

This rugged 21.6-mile route links five summits and passes a plague honoring the final section of the Appalachian Trail.

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Shelters: Piazza Rock Lean-to; sleeps 8. Poplar Ridge Lean-to; sleeps 6. Spaulding Mountain Lean-to; sleeps 8.

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Trail Facts

  • Distance: 34.8

Waypoints

WPT006

Location: 44.973201751709, -70.40625

AT follows Sluice Brook; small waterfalls/flume

WPT001

Location: 44.970085144043, -70.4458999633789

Poplar Ridge Lean-to

WPT016

Location: 44.9956321716309, -70.3410491943359

Trail to Spaulding Mtn. Lean-to. AT continues .1 mi. to the spring and another spur trail that leads back to the shelter

WPT010

Location: 44.9762153625488, -70.3830642700195

Open maple forest

WPT005

Location: 44.9085006713867, -70.5237503051758

Ethel Pond

WPT004

Location: 44.9048500061035, -70.5292358398438

Trail to The Caves

WPT007

Location: 44.902717590332, -70.5356369018555

Saddleback Stream

WPT007

Location: 45.033634185791, -70.3303298950195

View Mt. Washington

WPT009

Location: 45.0390815734863, -70.3426971435547

South Branch Carrabassett river

WPT010

Location: 44.9176826477051, -70.5232009887695

Inlet Stream to Eddy Pond

WPT014

Location: 44.9851989746094, -70.3509674072266

Mt. Abraham Trail to Mount Abraham

WPT005

Location: 44.8921508789062, -70.5350189208984

Gravel road

WPT004

Location: 44.9733848571777, -70.4072036743164

Orbeton Stream

WPT017

Location: 44.9469909667969, -70.4939117431641

Saw Big Moose with calf

WPT005

Location: 45.0240821838379, -70.3210830688476

View of the valley to SE; look for Sugarloaf Mtn. and tower

WPT008

Location: 45.0348014831543, -70.3342819213867

Rock slide; AT reroute

WPT003

Location: 44.9770011901856, -70.4143142700195

Views to the N

WPT013

Location: 44.9736671447754, -70.3626327514648

Lone Mountain

WPT002

Location: 44.9716148376465, -70.4426498413086

Poplar ridge

WPT014

Location: 44.9347343444824, -70.506950378418

Orange Trail to Saddleback Ski Area Lodge

WPT009

Location: 44.9766502380371, -70.3850860595703

Trail

WPT018

Location: 44.9514389038086, -70.4869766235352

The Horn

WPT012

Location: 44.9198989868164, -70.5243988037109

Gravel road

WPT003

Location: 45.0033340454102, -70.3358154296875

Trail to Spaulding Mtn.’s summit (150 yds.)

WPT009

Location: 44.904167175293, -70.5300521850586

Piazza Rock Lean-To: Large shelter with skylight near the Piazza Rock; double privy with cribbage board. This area is a great hike with long stretches above tree line and lots to see. Elevation gain and loss is quick and dramatic. Fair amount of rock scrambling past Saddleback Mtn.

WPT006

Location: 44.9019508361816, -70.5358963012695

Snowmobile Trail

WPT003

Location: 44.9043159484863, -70.5307312011719

Trail to lean-to; water

WPT012

Location: 44.9749984741211, -70.3757476806641

Perham Stream

WPT020

Location: 44.9580497741699, -70.4571304321289

Saddleback Jr.

WPT002

Location: 44.9048347473144, -70.5312347412109

Piazza Rock: A large boulder jutting out of the hillside

WPT009

Location: 44.9170684814453, -70.5235137939453

Eddy Pond

WPT016

Location: 44.9388656616211, -70.5023345947266

Second marked peak of Saddleback Mountain

ZZZ003

Location: 44.8869018554688, -70.5404663085938

AT continues straight across ME 4; parking. To reach Rangeley, ME, turn L onto ME 4 (1.7 mi. one-way)

WPT008

Location: 44.9960517883301, -70.3408966064453

Spring and trail to shelter

WPT004

Location: 45.0157165527344, -70.3268203735352

Memorial plaque where last AT section was completed

WPT007

Location: 44.9786834716797, -70.3964309692383

Cross Sluice Brook

WPT001

Location: 44.9957504272461, -70.3413467407226

Spaulding Mtn. Lean-to

WPT021

Location: 44.9595336914062, -70.4528503417969

Small stream

WPT011

Location: 44.975025177002, -70.3759002685547

Gravel road

ZZZ010

Location: 45.0395317077637, -70.3446197509766

Caribou Valley Rd.; park in pullouts on side of road

WPT006

Location: 45.026782989502, -70.3207168579102

Trail to Sugarloaf summit and warming hut with picturesque views of the sunrise and sunset

WPT015

Location: 44.936450958252, -70.504768371582

Saddleback Mountain: Southernmost point from which you can see Mt. Katahdin

DSCF9147

Location: 44.9738349914551, -70.4034652709961

DSCF9158

Location: 45.0392990112305, -70.3428497314453

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