Maine Mountains: Highest Peaks, Mountain Ranges & Best Hikes

Maine’s mountains are worth the trip because they combine real wilderness, open alpine ridges, and an easy choice between remote summits and ocean-edge granite. The state has 14 recognized 4,000-footers, led by Katahdin at 5,268 feet, where the Appalachian Trail ends. On Mount Desert Island, Acadia’s coastal peaks rise straight from the Atlantic. In summer, most of these mountains can be climbed on foot without ropes or technical gear. The hikes still feel big, because many trails start low and climb thousands of feet.

This guide covers the highest peaks, the main ranges, the best hikes, Katahdin, Acadia, Western Maine, and the practical details to sort out before you go.

Maine Mountains at a Glance

Category	Details
Highest peak	Katahdin (Baxter Peak), 5,268 ft, Baxter State Park
4,000-footers	14 on the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) list: 3 around Katahdin, 1 in Grafton Notch, and 10 across the Bigelow Range and the High Peaks region
Main ranges	Longfellow Mountains, High Peaks region, Bigelow Range, Mahoosuc Range, Katahdin massif
Best for long ridge walks	Western Maine: Bigelow, Saddleback, Mount Abraham
Best for ocean views	Acadia National Park and Camden Hills State Park
Signature challenge	Katahdin and the Knife Edge
Typical summit season	June to early October (varies by mountain and year)
Reservations to know	Katahdin Trailhead Pass (Baxter State Park); Cadillac Summit Road vehicle reservation (Acadia, seasonal)
Getting there	A car is essential; fly into Portland (southern and western Maine) or Bangor (Katahdin and Acadia)

Are There Mountains in Maine?

Yes. Maine’s mountains are the northern end of the Appalachians, and the state has hundreds of named peaks. They are old and heavily eroded. Long weathering and the glaciers of the last ice age left many summits rounded or ledgy, and the valleys between them hold lakes and ponds.

The highest and wildest peaks are in the west and north. The coast and the south have smaller mountains that are easier to hike.

Mountain Ranges in Maine

Maine does not have one tidy range. Its high country is a loose belt of ranges and isolated peaks:

• Longfellow Mountains. The traditional name for the high country running northeast from the New Hampshire border through western Maine. It takes in most of the state’s 4,000-footers outside Baxter State Park.
• High Peaks region. A cluster in Franklin County that holds eight of Maine’s 14 4,000-footers, including Sugarloaf, Crocker, Saddleback, and Mount Abraham. It has more contiguous land above 2,700 feet than anywhere else in the state.
• Bigelow Range. A long ridge above Flagstaff Lake, protected within the Bigelow Preserve. Its two 4,000-foot summits are Avery Peak and West Peak.
• Mahoosuc Range. Straddles the Maine–New Hampshire border near Grafton Notch. It includes Old Speck and Mahoosuc Notch, a boulder-choked gap that Appalachian Trail hikers often call the trail’s hardest mile.
• Katahdin massif. A single dominant mountain with several named summits (Baxter Peak, Hamlin Peak, Pamola Peak), rising from forest and lakes in Baxter State Park. It is a different kind of terrain from the western ridges.

Maine also reaches into the White Mountain National Forest near Evans Notch, where peaks such as Speckled Mountain draw hikers.

Highest Mountains in Maine

Katahdin is the highest mountain in Maine by a wide margin. Hamlin Peak, the next highest summit, is more than 500 feet lower.

Rank	Mountain / Peak	Elevation	Location	Highlights
1	Katahdin (Baxter Peak)	5,268 ft	Baxter State Park	Northern end of the Appalachian Trail
2	Hamlin Peak	4,756 ft	Baxter State Park	Part of the Katahdin massif
3	Sugarloaf Mountain	4,250 ft	Carrabassett Valley	Ski resort; also hiked in summer
4	Crocker Mountain	4,228 ft	High Peaks	On the Appalachian Trail, next to South Crocker
5	Old Speck Mountain	4,170 ft	Mahoosuc Range, Grafton Notch	Observation tower near the summit
6	North Brother	4,151 ft	Baxter State Park	Demanding hike in the park’s interior
7	Bigelow Mountain, West Peak	4,145 ft	Bigelow Range	On the Appalachian Trail
8	Saddleback Mountain	4,120 ft	Rangeley Lakes area	Long, open ridge
9	Bigelow Mountain, Avery Peak	4,088 ft	Bigelow Range	On the Appalachian Trail
10	Mount Abraham	4,050 ft	High Peaks	Open alpine summit

Elevations follow the AMC’s New England 4,000-footer list, except Baxter Peak, which follows Baxter State Park’s current figure. Several are survey estimates, and sources can differ by a few feet.

The four remaining Maine 4,000-footers are South Crocker (4,050 ft), Saddleback Horn (4,023 ft), Spaulding Mountain (4,010 ft), and Mount Redington (4,010 ft). The first three are reached by maintained trails. Redington has no maintained trail, and the AMC notes that its herd path requires greater skill and a good route description.

Sugarloaf is often called Maine’s second-highest mountain. That is true if you count Katahdin as one mountain, since Hamlin Peak belongs to its massif. Counted by individual summit, Sugarloaf ranks third.

Cadillac Mountain, at 1,530 feet, is far lower than any of these. It is famous as the highest point on the U.S. Atlantic seaboard.

Katahdin: Maine’s Signature Mountain

Katahdin rises abruptly from the forests and lakes of Baxter State Park and is the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. Its high ground is a broad alpine plateau known as the Tableland, which connects Baxter Peak (5,268 ft), Pamola Peak, and Hamlin Peak. It is the most serious day hike in the state.

Difficulty and timing

Baxter State Park calls every Katahdin route very strenuous, with roughly 4,000 feet of elevation gain, and gives an average round-trip time of 8 to 12 hours. Allow at least as much time for the descent as the ascent. The park reports that most of its search-and-rescue incidents happen on the way down. Set a turnaround time before you start. If you are not on top by mid-afternoon, you may not get down before dark.

Major routes

Route	Trailhead	One way	Elevation gain	What to know
Hunt Trail (Appalachian Trail)	Katahdin Stream	5.2 mi	4,188 ft	Passes Katahdin Stream Falls and a boulder section; 2.4 miles above treeline
Abol Trail	Abol	4.4 mi (3.4 on Abol, 1.0 on Hunt)	3,982 ft	Shortest route from a roadside trailhead; steep, exposed, limited water
Chimney Pond Trail	Roaring Brook	3.3 mi to Chimney Pond	1,425 ft	Moderate approach to the starting points of the Cathedral and Saddle trails
Cathedral Trail	From Chimney Pond	1.5 mi (1.7 to Baxter Peak)	2,353 ft	Very steep climb over three rock buttresses; almost all above treeline
Saddle Trail	From Chimney Pond	2.2 mi	2,353 ft	Most gradual route; ends with a loose, rocky slide
Helon Taylor Trail	Roaring Brook	3.2 mi to Pamola Peak	3,413 ft	Extremely exposed; leads to the Knife Edge

The park also lists the Dudley Trail, a short but very steep climb from Chimney Pond to Pamola Peak. Gain figures are the park’s own and count from the trailhead named for each route. Cathedral, Saddle, and Dudley are measured from Chimney Pond.

The Knife Edge

The Knife Edge is a completely exposed granite ridge about 1.1 miles long between Pamola Peak and Baxter Peak. Baxter State Park warns that several people have died or been seriously injured crossing it in bad weather or high wind, and advises hikers not to leave the ridge once they have started. It takes roughly 1 to 1.5 hours one way. Do not attempt it in high wind, rain, fog, or ice. The park does not recommend hiking it across and back.

Logistics matter too. The Knife Edge is reached from the Roaring Brook side. If you cross it after climbing from Hunt or Abol, you finish at Roaring Brook, about an hour by road from your car, and the park does not run a shuttle.

Weather and gear

Conditions on the Tableland and summit can be much colder and windier than at the trailhead, even in summer. Baxter’s own essentials list includes:

• A topographic map
• Extra layers
• A headlamp (required by park rules)
• First aid supplies
• Extra food
• At least 2 quarts of water per person
• An emergency shelter

Water is limited on several routes, and the park says all natural water should be treated.

Parking, reservations, and park rules

Baxter limits vehicles at the three roadside Katahdin trailheads (Roaring Brook, Abol, and Katahdin Stream) through the Katahdin Trailhead Pass, formerly the Day Use Parking Reservation. Under the park’s current rules:

• You need one pass per vehicle if you are not camping in the park the night before.
• Advance reservations open April 1 for the summer season, with a limit of two per calendar month from June through October. Passes are not required in May.
• Passes are non-refundable and non-transferable.
• Pass holders enter through the Togue Pond Gate, which opens at 6 a.m. A pass expires if you are not in line by 7 a.m.
• Without a pass, you may still get a space if lots are not full, but plan for a long wait or a miss.

Other rules to know: out-of-state visitors pay an entrance fee, pets are not allowed, groups are capped at 12, and park roads are slow (around 20 mph). Rules and fees change, so check the Baxter State Park hiking page before you go.

If you cannot get a pass, Baxter has 220-plus miles of trail and more than 40 peaks. Trailheads outside the Katahdin lots are first-come, first-served. The Traveler Loop, a strenuous loop of over 10 miles with about 3,700 feet of gain, starts at South Branch Pond and needs no parking reservation.

Acadia Mountains

Acadia National Park, on Mount Desert Island, has Maine’s best-known coastal mountains. They are low, but they rise straight from the ocean.

Cadillac Mountain (1,530 ft) is the highest point in Acadia and on the U.S. Atlantic seaboard. You can reach the top two ways:

• Drive. The paved Cadillac Summit Road requires a timed vehicle reservation during the busy season, in addition to your park entrance pass. In 2026, the National Park Service (NPS) requires reservations from May 20 through October 25, and dates shift year to year. Most reservations are released two days ahead at 10 a.m. Eastern, and a smaller share is released 90 days ahead. Vehicles over 21 feet are not allowed, and no Island Explorer shuttle serves the summit road. Check the NPS vehicle reservation page for current dates and rules.
• Hike. Hiking or biking up needs no vehicle reservation. The North Ridge and South Ridge trails are the usual routes.

For roughly early October through early March, Cadillac is among the first places in the U.S. to see the sunrise. Sunrise reservations are in high demand. The summit road is closed to vehicles in winter, so check NPS for dates.

Other Acadia peaks include Sargent Mountain, Penobscot Mountain, Gorham Mountain, and the Beehive. The Beehive is a short, steep climb with iron rungs and exposed ledges, and it is not for anyone uneasy with heights. Some cliff trails close seasonally for peregrine falcon nesting, so check NPS alerts before you plan a route.

Acadia suits travelers who want mountains and coastline in one trip. It is not a substitute for Western Maine if you want a long ridge walk or a true 4,000-foot summit.

Western Maine Mountains

Western Maine has the densest cluster of 4,000-footers and Maine’s longest alpine ridges. Most trailheads here do not require reservations, so it is the easiest region to plan around.

Best starting areas

• Rangeley Lakes. The base for Saddleback and its ridge views over the lakes.
• Carrabassett Valley and Stratton. Close to Sugarloaf, the Crockers, and the Bigelow Range.
• Kingfield. The nearest town to the Mount Abraham trailhead, reached by unpaved roads.
• Weld. The gateway to Tumbledown Mountain and Mount Blue State Park.
• Bethel and Newry. Access to Grafton Notch State Park and Old Speck. The park is open seasonally, May 15 to October 15 according to the Bureau of Parks and Lands.

Pick one base and stay several days. Drives between these areas add up.

How the main hikes compare

• Tumbledown vs. Mount Abraham. Tumbledown is the more compact adventure: scrambling, three open summits, and a mountain pond. Abraham is a longer day with a gradual forested approach, then a large open summit and a boulder scramble near the top. Maine’s Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) reports about 350 acres of alpine zone there.
• Bigelow vs. Saddleback. Both are big ridge days on the Appalachian Trail. Bigelow is usually done as a loop over several summits with ponds along the way. Saddleback is mostly an out-and-back with a long, open ridge and views over the Rangeley Lakes.
• Old Speck. The steadiest of the four 4,000-footers in this area, with a lookout tower at the top and the option of a ladder-assisted detour on the Eyebrow Loop.
• Sugarloaf and Crocker. Sugarloaf pairs a summit hike with ski-resort infrastructure at its base. Crocker is quieter and sits on the Appalachian Trail.

For a first visit, Tumbledown or Mount Abraham gives the best balance of views, effort, and trail quality. See the table in the next section for distances.

Best Mountains to Hike in Maine

Difficulty depends on distance, gain, and exposure more than summit height. A short, steep trail can be harder than a taller, gentler one. The figures below come mainly from Baxter State Park, Maine’s Bureau of Parks and Lands, and the AMC. Sources vary slightly, so treat distances and gains as approximate and check a current trail guide before you go.

Hike	Region	Distance	Elevation gain	Difficulty	Why it’s worth it
Mount Battie (Camden Hills)	Coast	About 1 mi round trip (0.5 mi each way)	Short, steep climb	Moderate	Stone tower with views over Camden Harbor and Penobscot Bay; an auto road also reaches the top in season
Mount Agamenticus (York)	Southern Maine	Gentle walking	Minimal (summit 692 ft)	Easy	Coastal views, low effort
Mount Kineo (Moosehead Lake)	North	Indian Trail 0.9 mi one way; Bridle Trail 1.1 mi one way	Steep ledges on Indian Trail	Moderate	Cliff-edge trail, fire tower, lake views; reached by boat shuttle from Rockwood
Pleasant Mountain (Ledges Trail)	Southern Maine	1.8 mi one way	About 1,600 ft	Moderate to strenuous	Ledges with lake views, fire tower; the highest peak in southern Maine (2,006 ft)
Tumbledown Mountain	Western Maine	Loop of roughly 5.5 mi; Brook Trail 1.5 mi to the pond	Roughly 1,800 to 2,000 ft	Strenuous	Open summits, scrambling, and a mountain pond hikers swim in
Old Speck (Old Speck Trail)	Western Maine	7.6 mi round trip	Roughly 2,500 to 2,700 ft	Strenuous	Observation tower and 4,000-foot summit; BPL lists about 7 hours
Mount Abraham (Fire Warden’s Trail)	Western Maine	Roughly 8 to 9 mi round trip	About 2,800 ft	Strenuous	Open alpine summit; allow at least five hours
Saddleback Mountain (AT from Route 4)	Western Maine	11.4 mi round trip	About 2,500 ft to the summit	Strenuous	Long open ridge; extend to The Horn for another 1.6 miles each way
Bigelow Range loop (Fire Warden’s, AT, Horns Pond)	Western Maine	About 12 mi loop	About 3,900 ft	Strenuous	Two 4,000-foot summits above Flagstaff Lake
Katahdin	North	Hunt Trail 5.2 mi one way	About 4,188 ft	Very strenuous	Maine’s highest peak; see the Katahdin section

For easy walks, Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal and Mount Pisgah in Winthrop are other short options.

Which Maine Mountain Is Right for You?

• First-time hiker or family with kids: Mount Battie, Mount Agamenticus, or Mount Kineo’s Bridle Trail.
• Ocean views with little effort: Cadillac Mountain by car with a reservation, or the Camden Hills.
• Moderate effort with a big payoff: Pleasant Mountain’s Ledges Trail.
• Scrambling plus a swim: Tumbledown Mountain.
• A real alpine summit without Katahdin’s logistics: Mount Abraham or Old Speck.
• Long ridge walk: Saddleback or the Bigelow loop.
• One bucket-list climb: Katahdin. Reserve parking or camping first, and pick a clear day.
• Katahdin sold out, but you want Baxter: The Traveler Loop at South Branch Pond.

Maine Mountains by Region

Region	What to expect	Good starting points
Western Maine	The densest group of 4,000-footers, long ridges, many miles of the Appalachian Trail	Rangeley, Carrabassett Valley, Kingfield, Weld, Bethel
Northern Maine	Remote terrain, Katahdin, Moosehead Lake peaks	Millinocket, Baxter State Park, Greenville, Rockwood
Coastal Maine	Low peaks with ocean views, easier hikes	Camden Hills, Acadia (Mount Desert Island)
Southern Maine	Small, accessible hills within reach of Portland	Mount Agamenticus, Pleasant Mountain

Distances between regions are long, so most trips work better when you stay in one area for several days.

Planning Your Trip

Season. Summit hiking is generally best from June to early October. Late spring brings mud, lingering snow, and black flies, and higher trails can stay wet into June. Katahdin’s trails open later than lower elevations, so check Baxter’s conditions report for current status. Late September to mid-October is peak fall color and the busiest stretch.

Winter. Winter conditions vary a lot by mountain and by day, so gear and skills depend on the route. Baxter State Park has its own winter access rules, and other land managers post seasonal closures. Check the managing agency before you plan.

Weather. Conditions change fast above treeline, and summits can be much colder and windier than the trailhead. Check the forecast for the summit as well as the valley, and be ready to turn around.

Gear. For summer day hikes, carry:

• Sturdy boots
• A rain jacket
• A warm layer
• Plenty of water
• Extra food
• A map (paper or offline)
• A headlamp
• Sun protection
• A basic first aid kit

Parking and reservations. Katahdin trailheads need a Baxter Katahdin Trailhead Pass unless you are camping nearby. Driving up Cadillac needs an Acadia vehicle reservation in season. Most Western Maine trailheads are first-come, so arrive early on summer weekends and in foliage season.

Getting there. Portland is the main airport for southern and western Maine. Bangor is closer to Katahdin and Acadia. A rental car is practically essential, because public transportation to trailheads is limited. Kineo requires a boat shuttle from Rockwood.

Safety.

• Tell someone your route and your turnaround time.
• Don’t count on cell signal in the mountains.
• Some Western Maine trails involve stream crossings that rise after heavy rain.
• Ticks and black flies are common in season.
• During fall hunting season, consider wearing blaze orange.

Trail etiquette.

• Stay on marked trails above treeline, where alpine plants recover very slowly.
• Don’t camp above treeline.
• Pack out all trash.
• Keep your distance from wildlife, including moose.
• Check pet rules for each area. Baxter prohibits pets, and Acadia requires leashes.
• Uphill hikers generally have the right of way.

Where to Start

Choose Acadia or the Camden Hills for easy walks with ocean views. Choose Western Maine for long ridges and the largest group of 4,000-foot summits in one area. Choose Katahdin only if you are fit, organized, and ready to plan ahead.

Whichever you pick, give yourself more daylight than you think you need, and check the forecast before you leave the trailhead.

Frequently Asked Questions About Maine Mountains