Burnt Meadow Mountain, Brownfield, ME

For a shorter day hike, this mountain offers great views and a steep ascent with 1,420 feet in elevation gain. I've done this 3.8-mile loop several times in different seasons, most recently with our boys, their cousins, and my brother-in-law. We were looking for a hike close to Portland that wouldn't take up the entire school holiday (Veteran's Day) and Burnt Meadow fit the bill.

I'd forgotten how strenuous the rocky route up was, likely because the last time we did this hike, we were in a large group ranging in age from 6 to over 60 and moving at a snail's pace. This time, our fleet-footed teens were moving at lightning speed and my heart rate was up. The loop took us two hours with the teenagers and almost four hours with a large group of varying abilities. As with any hike, your time can range greatly, depending on who you're climbing the mountain with.

I suggest going up the blue trail and then down the easier yellow trail, following the loop counterclockwise. The blue trail (also called North Peak Trail) is steep, with a difficult section of ledge and rock scrambling near the top. If you have a less agile dog, I would suggest taking the yellow trail out and back because of this tough section. I'm still impressed that Romy was able to get her big body up and over that ledge. It's the reason I call her the wonder dog...she's always surprising me.

Here are some pictures of a snowy hike here in December.

The view was far less clear with snow, but the hike was no less beautiful. I don't know which season I prefer hiking this mountain in. I've grown to love it in every season and I love how doing the same hike at different times of year with different friends brings new experiences.

Here is the All Trails link for this hike. The trailhead parking is located at 400 Spring Street in Brownfield, ME. It's just an hour from Portland, which is why I love this hike!