| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Chimney Pond, Blueberry Knoll, ME |
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 | Trails: |
Chimney Pond Trail, North Basin Trail, North Basin Cutoff |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, August 21, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
We camped at Roaring Brook Campground, so we didn't need to park in the lot, but the lots there fill up very quickly, so a parking reservation is highly recommended. Roaring Brook Road has a lot of washboard sections that really make cars vibrate (Park Tote Rd has this as well). |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Plenty of bridges on Chimney Pond Trail. Two bridges are out, and the trail follows a blazed reroute - one of the brooks is dry, while the other was a straightforward rock hop. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
No blowdowns, not much mud, and signs are all in place. Other than the roughness and erosion, the trails are in pretty good shape. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Not allowed in BSP. |
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 | Bugs: |
Not really an issue unless I wasn't moving, and bug spray took care of those situations. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
We got a bright and early start up Chimney Pond Trail. The first mile and a half or so has seen a lot of trail work - many sections have hardened trail on one side and a drainage ditch on the other. These sections are still rocky but not really enough to slow you down much. But then the trail starts to get much rougher and rockier, with more strenuous hopping, and our pace dropped. Yes, Chimney Pond Trail is still easier than any other trail you'll use on a Katahdin ascent, but it's not an easy trail - it still took us about 2 1/2 hours to reach Chimney Pond. The view up to Katahdin was incredible from the pond, and many other people, including two climbers with ropes and helmets who were going to climb up the cliffs, enjoyed it with us.
But Katahdin wasn't my destination today. After enjoying Chimney Pond for a while, I backtracked a little bit on Chimney Pond Trail and turned onto North Basin Trail. North Basin Trail is very rough and rocky for essentially its whole length, and has a few steep sections but also some gradual areas as well. I passed the junctions with Hamlin Ridge Trail and North Basin Cutoff, and on the final approach to Blueberry Knoll, the trail crosses a short section of open talus before climbing easily to the high point (where there is a sign indicating that this is the end of the trail). And what a viewpoint it is - practically everything on the east side of Katahdin is visible from this point, including both South Basin and North Basin, the entire Knife Edge, the slopes of Pamola Peak, Hamlin Ridge, South Turner to the east, Sandy Stream Pond and Katahdin Lake, and a whole bunch of lower mountains as well. Without a doubt one of the most superb viewpoints I've ever visited without climbing a mountain. But the most incredible part was that I had the entire place to myself for the 90+ minutes I spent there. I am dumbfounded that more people don't visit this place. I would happily return there tomorrow.
North Basin Cutoff was sometimes steep and always rocky, but nothing out of the ordinary for Katahdin trails. I made good time back to Roaring Brook. This was a very fun and enjoyable hike. |
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 | Name: |
GN |
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 | E-Mail: |
ghnaigles@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-08-22 |
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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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