9 Astonishingly Hard Hikes (That You Should Do Anyway)
These 9 difficult hikes will challenge even the toughest backpackers.
Maine Trails
Go hiking in Maine and hope to see a moose in Baxter State Park, Maine
Michael H. Francis
Hiking in Maine, located in the northeastern U.S., is known for its jagged and rocky coastline, as well as its dense forests and spectacular waterways.
Maine is home to Acadia National Park, America's oldest east of the Mississippi, which features old carriage roads and rough-and-tumble trails around weathered granite peaks, giving its 2 million annual visitors a taste of life beside the sea.
Mount Katahdin in Maine marks the northern terminus of the 2,184-mile-long Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, which extends to Springer Mountain in Georgia.
The editors at Backpacker have created an extensive collection of popular trails and trips for hiking and backpacking Maine.
15 Ledge Hikes That Will Make Your Palms Sweat
Get on a high ledge, a crumbly cliff, or a knife-edge ridge and your body will recognize the feeling before your brain catches on.
14 Round-the-Mountain Hikes You Need to Do
We’re all for tagging summits, but the best way to experience a peak? Hike around it. You’ll see a mountain’s many faces on a single, peak-circling loop. These 14 trips circumnavigate the best of the best.
America's Best Huts: Frost Mountain Yurts
Only two types of people stay at huts located less than a quarter-mile from the trailhead: those with kids and those who don’t want to skimp on luxuries.
Hunt Fall Solitude on Maine's Allagash River
Head north in the shoulder season, and you won't have to share.
The Best Day Hikes in America: Maine
Maine carries a rep for being the wildest state in the east.
5 Threatened National Monuments to Backpack While You Still Can
The federal government is considering changes to national monuments around the country. Hike these trails to get a ground-level view of what's at stake.
![Six Husbands Trail, New Hampshire [Photo by Matt Mills]](https://www.backpacker.com/.image/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTQ0OTE0MDE2NTYzODk3OTIx/six-husbands-trail-new-hampshire-photo-by-matt-mills.jpg)
Portland, Maine: Mount Jefferson and Mount Adams via the Great Gulf Trail and Six Husbands Trail
Test out one of the most notoriously difficult trails in New Hampshire's White Mountains.
![Mount Katahdin via Hunt Trail [Photo by Matt Mills]](https://www.backpacker.com/.image/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTQ0OTE0MTQ5OTcyMzIxODU3/mount-katahdin-via-hunt-trail-photo-by-matt-mills.jpg)
Portland, Maine: Mount Katahdin via Hunt Trail
Hike, climb, and scramble your way up the final five miles of the Appalachian Trail and be rewarded with the best views in Maine.
![Traveler Mountain Loop [Photo by Matt Mills]](https://www.backpacker.com/.image/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTQ0OTE0MTUwNTEyMDc2MzUz/traveler-mountain-loop-photo-by-matt-mills.jpg)
Portland, Maine: Traveler Mountain Loop
Bag three peaks in virtual solitude in the middle of summer on this gem atop Baxter State Park in Maine.
![South Branch Mountain Loop [Photo by Matt Mills]](https://www.backpacker.com/.image/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620/MTQ0OTE0MTUwNTExMDI3Nzc3/south-branch-mountain-loop-photo-by-matt-mills.jpg)
Portland, Maine: South Branch Mountain Loop
Find complete solitude and expansive views on one of Baxter State Parks lesser known and lesser traveled loop hikes.
Could the Appalachian Trail Lose Katahdin?
Rowdy hikers and an ultrarunner's clash with park rangers have officials threatening to move the northern terminus of America's most famous trail.
The 20 Best Backcountry Lakes: Wassataquoik and Little Wassataquoik Lakes
Baxter State Park, Maine
Best 100 Miles: Precipice Trail, Acadia National Park, ME
This mile of heart-pounding mountain climbing is among the best 100 miles of trail in the whole national park system.
Baldpate Mountain, Maine
The Appalachian Trail in Maine will take your breath away, both as you climb 3,662 feet to the summit and then your 360-degree view.
Millinocket, ME: Debsconeag Loop
Cross the northeast’s wildest moose country beneath fall’s fiery canopy.
Acadia National Park: Mountain Carriage Loop
This old 11.1-mile carriage loop is a family-friendly adventure complete with lakes, streams, easy walking, and beautiful ocean vistas. Open to cyclists and hikers.
Portland, ME: Southport Island Water Trail
See ospreys, harbor seals, and great blue herons on this 11.3-mile paddle past coves, sheltered islands, rocky coast, sandy beach, and a lobster/ice cream shack.
Acadia National Park: Cadillac Mountain Loop
Take in craggy seaside views from the summit of 1,532-foot Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Atlantic coast, on this 4.4-mile loop.
