The Best Hikes in Maine: A Guide from the Coast to Katahdin

From surf-battered coastal cliffs to the mile-high summit of Katahdin, Maine is one of America’s great hiking states. Its trails run the full range — gentle pond loops perfect for families, iron-rung scrambles for the daring, and long wilderness treks for the truly adventurous. Here is a guide to the best hikes in Maine, region by region, with links to many of our favorite trails.

Hiking Acadia National Park

On the coast, Acadia National Park is Maine’s hiking crown jewel. Cadillac Mountain (1,530 feet), the highest point on the eastern seaboard, offers panoramic views of Frenchman Bay and can be climbed on foot or reached by road. For the sure-footed, the legendary Precipice and Beehive trails ascend sheer cliffs on iron rungs and ladders — thrilling, but not for anyone afraid of heights (and often closed in spring to protect nesting peregrine falcons). For an easy, beautiful walk, the Jordan Pond loop circles the water beneath the rounded Bubbles. All of it lies on Mount Desert Island, home to towns like Northeast Harbor.

The Western Mountains and Lakes Region

Western Maine is a land of lakes and rugged peaks. The Bigelow Range rises above Flagstaff Lake to West Peak (4,145 feet), crossed by the Appalachian Trail, while Tumbledown Mountain near Weld rewards a roughly five-mile loop — complete with a squeeze called “Fat Man’s Misery” — with a stunning alpine pond just below the summit. For gentler outings with big payoffs, try Pleasant Mountain, the easy family climb up Hawk Mountain in Waterford, or Mount Tom near Fryeburg. The resort town of Bethel makes a fine base for Grafton Notch and the higher mountains.

Katahdin and the North Woods

The ultimate Maine hike is Mount Katahdin, the state’s highest peak at 5,269 feet and the northern terminus of the 2,000-mile Appalachian Trail. Its Baxter Peak is joined to Pamola Peak by the heart-stopping Knife Edge, a narrow, mile-long glacial arete with sheer drops on both sides — an unforgettable route for experienced, well-prepared hikers only. Katahdin stands within Baxter State Park, a vast “forever wild” wilderness. Nearby, in the 100-Mile Wilderness that Milo guards, lies Gulf Hagas, the slate-walled “Grand Canyon of Maine.”

The Bold Coast, Down East

For hiking with a sea breeze, head far Down East to the Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land, home of the famous Bold Coast Trail. Across some 12,000 acres, roughly ten miles of trails wander through spruce forest, blueberry barrens, and peatland to the edge of dramatic cliffs high above the Bay of Fundy. Remote and often fog-wrapped, it is one of the wildest and most beautiful stretches of the entire Maine coast.

Hiking Maine Safely and Well

• Pick your season. Black flies peak in late spring; summer and the brilliant fall foliage are prime, and winter turns many trails to snowshoe routes.
• Check the weather. Exposed ridges like the Knife Edge and Acadia’s cliff trails become dangerous fast in wind, rain, or fog — turn back if conditions worsen.
• Know your limits. Iron-rung trails and Katahdin are strenuous and exposed; choose a hike that matches your experience, and start early.
• Plan ahead for Baxter. Baxter State Park requires day-use reservations in season and has no services — carry water, a map, layers, and pack out all trash.

Wherever you roam, Maine’s trails connect to the rivers and history that shaped the state. Our own town of Winslow, on the Kennebec, is a fine stop between the coast and the mountains, where Fort Halifax has stood since 1754.

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