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Old Speck rises nearly 2,700 feet above Grafton Notch, topping out at a lofty elevation of 4,170 feet. The mountain, situated in Grafton Township a scant three miles east of the New Hampshire state line, is the highest point in the wild Mahoosuc Range and the 5th highest peak in Maine.
Abbott Mountain (1,078 feet) and Knox Mountain (830 feet) are both part of the Vernon S. Walker Wildlife Management Area, a 5,617-acre chunk of upland forests and wetlands that is devoted primarily to critter habitat.
Big Spencer Mountain rises sharply from the dense forestland northeast of Moosehead Lake, its distinctive flat-topped profile unmistakable from countless vantage points throughout the region. The 3,206-foot peak and 4,244 acres around it comprise the Big Spencer Mountain Ecological Reserve, one of 18 specially designated land units owned by the state of Maine.
Seasoned peak baggers know there are many climbing challenge lists, like the Appalachian Mountain Club’s New Hampshire 4000-Footers, New England 4000-Footers and New England Hundred Highest.
But a 400-Footer Club?
The view from the ledges atop 3,194-foot Big Moose Mountain is a grand one, taking in the magnificence of big, blue Moosehead Lake and the impressive array of peaks beyond,
Peaks-Kenny State Park comprises 839 acres of natural beauty in Dover-Foxcroft that includes a glorious mile of shoreline on the big lake.
There are hundreds of hikes in Maine’s 10.4 million acres of unorganized townships.
Dedham Bald Mountain, as it is locally known, rises to 1,261 feet. A short 0.6-mile hike via an old fire road gets you to the top.
The ability to read a map and use a compass are essential skills every hiker should have in their toolkit.
