| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Birch Mountain , ME |
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 | Trails: |
State Park Road, Birch Mountain Ledge Trail, Loop Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, February 5, 2023 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
There’s a gate just beyond Shore Rd North that necessitates a road walk of about 1.5mi each way. Also adds 200-250ft of gain to the hike. There’s room for a few cars to park without blocking each other in. The road was well plowed and suitable for any vehicle up to this point. I was the only car there at 7:30am and 10am. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Snow - Unpacked Powder, Snow/Ice - Frozen Granular, Snow - Drifts |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
Snowshoes |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Trivial |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
Birch Mountain Ledges Trail is blazed in blue. I remember it being quite easy to follow even without a snowshoe trough so it must’ve been pretty well blazed. The Loop Trail May have been blazed in blue as well but I can’t say for certain. It wasn’t hard to follow. As the guidebook notes, it’s only signed at its upper jct with Birch Mtn Ledges Trail. There were multiple blowdowns but nothing terrible. One shortly after the loop trail that’s quite large. With current conditions, you’ll just snowshoe over it. Another somewhere between the gravel park road at 0.4mi and the picnic tables. This was a small-mid sized stepover that may be an awkward duck under without snow. There may have been a couple others as well. I don’t think there was a trail sign but just a post in the ground where the trail enters the woods of hiking clockwise. I’m not so sure there was signage hiking counter-clockwise but the guidebook describes the trail through the beach very well. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Good hike for dogs. Though I don’t recall seeing any signs, I would think they’re Supposed to be leashed given that it’s a state park. |
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 | Bugs: |
None |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
First hike of the day as I drove up to Millinocket for a mini-redlining vacation. A very late report so you’ll have to forgive my foggy memory. I knew there’d be a gate and I wouldn’t be able to drive in all the way but I thought it was a little closer to the trail…hiking 3mi of road for a 2.6mi hike did seem kind of silly ;P That said, this was still a quick hike with (finally) good snow conditions. The snow wasn’t exactly powder but it wasn’t quite crusty either. Occasionallly (near the shore) it was windswept into drifts and packed by the wind so you’d mostly stay on top of it. Generally speaking though, you were sinking in just a couple inches which made for quick travel. The grades are almost never steep and are quite gentle throughout. Nice snowshoe and hike for all abilities any time of the year. I hiked the Loop Trail from its upper jct just in case it gets added to the next edition of the guidebook.
The trails were easy to follow and I enjoyed the snow covered bench around the highpoint of the trail. Note that the trail doesn’t actually go to the true summit of the mountain. No views from the summit or along the wooded trail but nice views across Sebec Lake NW to Borestone Mtn. Some cool glacial erratics along the trail too. As the trail comes back out of the woods onto a road, I took a spur that led left to the shore before continuing. This area and the 4-way jct not too far ahead aren’t signed but are well described in the guidebook. Gaia had me at 6mi with 500ft of elevation. Took me 2.5hrs. |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2023-02-12 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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