How long to hike saddleback

Camping is not allowed above the tree line a very delicate and vulnerable area to hike in , please stay on the trail. In addition, MATC maintains over 60 miles of side trails as well as a system of regularly spaced shelters and campsites in order that wild, backcountry hiking remains accessible in Maine. Please contact the Bigelow District Overseer by email bigelow matc. Visit Maine Appalachian Trail Club online for more information or contact:. Park in the lot situated west of the highway.

Carefully cross ME Route 4 to head northbound on the A. Log in now. Log In. Appalachian Trail - Saddleback Mountain. Add Trail Log. Explore Ethel and Eddy Ponds and hike to the open summit of Saddleback Mountain where hikers are rewarded with sweeping views of the Rangeley Lakes to the west and high peaks region to the east. Trail Activity. Sandy River Plt. Other Information Do not underestimate the difficulty of hiking the mountains of Western Maine.

Current Weather November 14, Nearby Events. Trail Tips Plan Ahead and Prepare. Trail Map. Click on a parking icon to get custom directions. Comments 4. Please Log In or Create Account to add comments. October 13, Lead this hike for a college outing club with 10 students and it was absolutely incredible.

We hiked to Saddleback summit and to the horn, which is an additional 1. Long hike, but very gradual besides some steep scrabbles up rocks, so overall very mellow and very enjoyable!

Remarkable views at the top. Unfortunately there was construction on the mountain. Worth the hike tho. Summit was great, even with the rain and fog. Once we reached the AT the fog broke and was beautiful over to the summit. If you do this hike make your way to The Horn, that is the real treat.

A few simple rock scrambles and a mostly open ridge line over to the summit and the views will not disappoint. I hiked up the ski slope to the junction with the trail which put me onto the AT for the last bit to the Horn. A bit of a slog straight up but pretty flowers on the way.

All well worth it for the great views from the top. Leave the ski lodge and head up the access road for a quarter mile or so before bearing left on the single track up the ski trail. It's not a great experience hiking ski trails, but the lupines made it more enjoyable. This is a fairly short hike but quite steep in places. Once we reached the first peak, the trail to The Horn was much better. Be sure to stop in at the lodge for good food and beer! This is not a hiking trail.

It is the uphill ski route which winds around the perimeter of the ski area to give backcountry skiers access to the peak. Went to hike up this instead of the direct shot to the top up the ski trails because other reviews made it sound like it was more of a hiking trail.

We waded through waist high wet grass for a while and turned around and ended up opting for the direct route up the ski trails instead. This track must be for winter. Straight forward, steep, and very scenic of the beautiful surrounding mountains. Amazing hike. Very steep incline until you reach alpine.

Would strongly recommend using poles or a walking stick. I loved the views. Great hike overall. The description does not seem to correct: it says via the Appalachian Trail, but by the map shown and the distance covered it appears to begin and end the the ski resort lodge. Uphill trail was amazing. Perfect grade. The winds were brutal above the tree line.

Make sure you bring the layers. Uphill access to Saddleback is fantastic. Trail is amazing Very mellow ascent. The Horn is deceiving and whooped my butt! Be prepared for near 9 miles if you out and back with the Horn. Still frantically searching for it, if found would definitely be happy to reward. Hiking it tomorrow from Saddleback ski resort. It Was insane. Was awesome but crazy driving in to finally some sleep after a long late drive!! Trail up the Grey Ghost ski trail was not fun.

It was poorly marked at the base, and with all the construction, vehicle tracks and road crossings, it was hard to tell where it was. The gravel was loose and muddy on the slope and construction work noisy. Once you get near the top of Saddleback, the very end of trail finally enters a natural forested Alpine environment which was very cool. Pretty views of Rangeley Lake coming down, and hiking poles helpful on the loose gravel. Great hike, beautiful views, some small scrambles, take some caution if the rocks are wet.

Easy to navigate, after you hike up the Ski Resort you are on the Appalachian Trail for the rest of the route which is marked. I liked the variety in the terrain on this trail, keeps thing interesting. A little short for me personally at 6.

Saddleback and the horn is one of the best hikes in Maine. Use Navigator in the AllTrails app and join the other outdoor explorers who have completed this trail. Saddleback Mountain via Ski Lodge hard Length 9. Free to park here. Keep your eye out for moose on the roads around the trailhead at dusk and dawn You are at the top of the ridge.

To the north over the open ridge is your next destination, The Horn. No permits or fees are required here. From Route 4, 38 miles north of the town of Farmington, ME look for signs for the ski resort. Make a right on Dallas Hill Road just before you get to the town of Rangeley.

Reviews Sort by:. Sarah Ellsworth. September 11, Bill Hardie. Bob Simek. From this point, continue to the right, following the Main Divide road as it winds up and around the contours of the mountain. At about the 5 mile mark, watch for the Upper Holy Jim Trail , heading sharply left off of the gravel road.

Note that there u to be a sign as shown in the photo below, but SoCal hiker Denis G. From here, the single track trail takes up more directly toward the summit. The trail winds further up the mountain, eventually rejoining the road near the summit. As you catch glimpses of the antennae, you know you are near the summit. You can walk all the way around the fence and on a clear day get views in all directions.

Be forewarned. Conditions at the summit can vary widely. It can be hot, sunny and clear. It can just as easily be cold and even snowy. When we hiked this last January, the summit was covered by clouds. It was extremely windy and bitter cold. And there were long stretches of snow on the trail. Yes, snow in Orange County! Weather conditions on Santiago Peak can be very different.

I usually stop at the summit for lunch, then turn around and retrace my steps to the car. On your way back, take a few extra minutes to stop at Holy Jim Falls. Getting to the Holy Jim trailhead can be an adventure in itself! A high-clearance vehicle is highly recommended. I have taken my 2WD Xterra back there during the rainy season with no problems, but when the creek is running high, 4WD is recommended.

The gravel road to the trailhead is about 5 miles long and crosses the creek several times. After heavy rains, this road can become impassible.

I'm an avid hiker and backpacker. My wife Joan and I are on the trails every weekend. I started SoCal Hiker to share my passion for outdoor adventure.

Great recap! Cool pictures too! Finally found the perfect website for So Cal hiking. Whitney and your site is a great resource for our warm up hikes.

Thanks again. Trabuco Creek Road to Holy Jim is currently impassible by car due to high water level. Creek is very tough to cross, had to turn back just past Holy Jim cabin. Yes, the road out to the trailhead can become impassable by a sedan. A high clearance vehicle is recommended even when it is dry, but after rain, it becomes essential. We missed the summit by 1mile cuz of cramps but overall things went well. Thank you for the information Elevation Profile.

Julio, I know those cramps, and in fact, I had almost the same experience. I was hiking this same trail when I was about 26 years old. I started cramping up severely just before reaching the fire road. Once on the road, I was able to stretch out my stride a bit and I the cramping mostly subsided.

Going down was a breeze, mainly because it used different muscles and it took less oxygen. Great website. I climbed Cucamonga with no problems, but had quite a bit of trouble with Santiago.

I am wondering if it is due to part of the dirt road being closed. Is it typically open all the way to the Holy Jim trailhead? I walked about an hour from where I parked just to reach the trailhead, and I am wondering if I can expect the same if I try to hike Holy Jim again in the future. Both Cucamonga and Baldy are higher elevation, so you have that factor. But Santiago has lots of mileage and significant elevation gain 4, ft.

In my opinion, Santiago, Cucamonga and Baldy are roughly on par as far as difficulty. The trailhead for Holy Jim should not be miles. Is there any way to get to these falls without having to drive out the long dirt road? Some vehicles may pass you, so just stay on the side of the road.

You can hike or bike it, but it adds 8 miles round-trip to your total. And yes, it can be passable with a regular car, but I personally recommend a high clearance vehicle. Just finished this one. Sore but totally worth it. I started about pm too late in my opinion — but I underestimated the time and then got back into my car at about pm.

DavidR, How were the falls right now? Was It pretty dry? Jeff, Great website. I have a friend that swears he saw wild boar.