Burnt Meadow Mountain, Brownfield

Happy New Year to all you lovers of the outdoors! It seems like everyone and their mother has COVID right now, so I'm hoping you and your families are weathering the storm. Luckily, the outdoors is one of the safest places to spend your free time, so I will carry on with sharing day hikes and local trails for you to explore.

I've hiked this small mountain twice: once in early spring and more recently in late fall. The hike I did here a few weeks ago was snowy the entire way up and down. Shockingly, I was fully prepared and able to enjoy the extra beauty the snow dusted trees added to our journey. I'll share pictures from both seasons, then you can choose which you prefer.

This is a 3.4 mile loop, rated as moderate, with spectacular views at the top on a clear day. I suggest going up the blue trail, then down yellow, following the loop counter clockwise. The blue trail (also called North Peak Trail) is a bit steeper with some rock scrambling towards the top. The yellow trail is longer and includes some brooks along the way. This hike took about 4 hours total, both times. But we were in no rush, both times.

Last April, I did this hike with ten people ranging in age from 6 to over 60, plus one giant dog. The group was originally just seven people. However, moments after pulling into the parking lot, my friend Shannon and his two kids pulled in, unplanned. Serendipity. So we hiked as a very large group and had a very good time of it.

The snowy, recent hike was just my friend Jaime, Romy and me. That was a very good time as well.

Here are the contrasting views from the summit, one in April and one 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 in. I've grown to love it in every season. And doing the same hike different times of year with different friends brings new experiences.

This hike offers great views, a moderate climb and a quick hour drive from Portland. If you are looking for a shorter day hike, this should check all of your boxes.