Hiking In Maine

Mahoosuc Notch

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Directions At the trailhead, ready for the big adventure into the notch. Notch Trail trailhead image

The trail starts as an easy walk in the woods.

The trail follows a brook up quite a ways with many brook crossings. Connie is making her way carefully across the mossy rocks. Connie crossing brook image

Linda makes her way across the brook a short distance later.

Gradual uphill for a while and then the trail levels off for a leisurely stroll through mostly hardwoods. Easy stroll in the woods

A few wet areas with nicely maintained log walkways.

Pretty section of the stream as it runs down over smooth rock. Stream over smooth ledge image

After what seemed to be an easy hike we arrived at the Appalachian Trail. Joyce and Connie pose at the sign pointing back to the Notch Trail and Success Pond Rd.

	Getting a group picture before heading into Mahoosuc Notch
	Now where did Connie go? She was here just a second ago!!
	The Mahoosuc Trail sign. Head the other way and you'll be going toward New Hampshire.
	From the sign the trail immediately goes down into the notch and the temperature noticeably drops.	From there it's all about navigating rocks.
	In one deep crevice there were a pile of moose bones. And looking down between the rocks we could see ice in the middle of August.
	At the beginning the cliffs/banks on our right were eerie looking and covered with moss.	More rocks to navigate.
	On our left were the steep cliffs of Mahoosuc Mountain.
	The trees just let their roots go anywhere they could	Steep tight spot to get up through. We saw a lady thru-hiker try to go up through with a huge backpack on and get stuck for twenty minutes.
	An almost flat rock to take our lunch break on. We have a great view of Fulling Mill Mountain as you can see from the picture below.
	Group picture from our lunch rock. Fulling Mill Mountain is the mountain on our right as we head east through the notch.
	Joyce has her own little spot there!	Some rocks you go over and others you go under.
	Joyce and Linda have found another spot to check out.	Joyce is going to check the cave for bears.
	Linda is maneuvering through a tight spot again.	Joyce loves caves; hence the trail name Cave Girl.
	Yes, we are still on the trail, I think. It's pretty much just finding a path through the rocks that you think you can navigate.
	More rocks, what more can I say!	Great view from up there. Just a small boulder with Mahoosuc Mountain in the background.
	We are looking east and I think Mahoosuc Notch is about at the end. Fulling Mill Mountain is at it's end. We turned back here and retreated back through the notch. We wanted to get back to the car before dark. It was a fun and unique hike. Many consider this the toughest mile of the AT, not because you need great climbing skills, but because it's so slow going, especially with those huge packs the thru-hikers carry.
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