This daylong adventure had me on a wild goose chase to find the mysterious monument for Elenora French, the young girl who fell from Maiden Cliff over a century ago. My goal was to find the most interesting dog-friendly hike at Camden Hills State Park for the trail guide I'm working on. While researching, I discovered photos of the white cross at the top of Maiden's Cliff, overlooking Lake Megunticook. Intrigued, I delved deeper into the story of the 12-year-old who died here on May 6, 1864, and the story of this monument that the community continues to care for to this day.
This is where my story gets more complicated. I also wanted to see the Mount Battie tower overlooking Penobscot Bay and hike to the summit of Mount Megunticook, both miles from Maiden Cliff. Excited to include all three destinations in my hike, I decided to do the full 8.5-mile loop listed on All Trails. Here's where things got a bit harry. The trail to Maiden Cliff had been re-routed...and not yet updated on All Trails. I didn't learn this until after being turned around in the woods about 17 times - determined to find the trail leading to Elenora's monument. Ultimately, I found a long (so long) complicated route to Maiden Cliff, skipped the Mount Battie leg of the loop, and hiked 9.5 miles in total. I am here to offer you an easier way to explore these three spectacular landmarks, without all the confusion.
I'll spare you the exasperating story of me walking up and down the same path to Maiden Cliff, unable to understand why my GPS was guiding me in a different direction from the physical trail. After being lost in the woods countless times, I've learned that if the All Trails GPS shows you've detoured from the set route, you're 100% going in the wrong direction. So the fact that this was happening, when there was no other physical option for an alternative route, left me dumbfounded. But I was resolute in my plan to see the Maiden Cliff monument, so I backtracked, hiking down the mountain towards the Maiden Cliff trailhead, then back up to the top. At some point along this journey, I arrived at a sign letting me know that part of the Maiden Cliff trail had been re-routed. Aha. I hadn't lost my mind, I was just following an outdated GPS map.
To spare you from this goose chase, if you decide to hike the full 8.5-mile loop from Mount Megunticook, once you arrive at the Scenic Trail leading down to Maiden Cliff, continue following the purple circles marking the path. If your All Trails GPS is leading you straight, but the trail with the purple circles goes to the right, go right! In the meantime, I'll inform All Trails of the update and maybe it will be all set by the time you do this hike.
Now that I've done this full loop (well, almost...I did end up driving to the top of Mount Battie since I was running out of daylight, water, and stamina), here's what I would recommend: Hike Mount Megunticook and Mount Battie together, then do the 1-mile Maiden Cliff hike as a separate outing. There is also a public beach at the Maiden Cliff trailhead, so you could turn that into a daylong adventure, including a post-hike swim at the end.
All Trails does not map a hike that includes only Mount Megunticook and Mount Battie, but I am about to propose one that does...and this hike includes all the best views and landmarks along the way.
To find the trailhead, follow Route 1 about two miles north of downtown Camden. Take a left into Camden Hills State Park, then follow the road to the main gate and Ranger's Station, ignoring the road to the left leading to a small parking lot. Pay the small entrance fee, then take Mount Battie Road for 0.7 miles to the trailhead parking on the right. Here is a map of the trail network to get you started: Camden Hills Guide
From the trailhead, follow the Mt Megunticook trail until you reach the Ocean Lookout at around 1.3 miles. The views of Penobscot Bay and the town of Camden are spectacular from these ledges.
Continue onto the Ridge Trail and at 1.8 miles, arrive at the summit of Mount Megunticook. The summit is marked by a large stone cairn nestled in the forest and does not offer views, but the path leading to it is filled with the mossiest of mossy ground cover. It makes the climb to an underwhelming summit well worth the trip.
From the summit, return from where you came, following the Ridge Trail back to the Ocean Lookout, then connecting with the Tablelands Trail. From here, it is about 1.5 miles to Mount Battie, where you will find a gorgeous stone tower and panoramic views of Camden and the islands of Penobscot Bay. Normally, you can explore the tower and climb its internal staircase for better views of the bay. However, it was under construction during my recent trip, so I was not able to access it. Here are some pictures from a hike several years ago.
This was once the location of the Summit House Hotel, built in 1898 by Columbus Bushwell. He also built a carriage road leading to the hotel, which you can still drive up today. Summit House was purchased by the Mount Battie Association in 1899 and turned into a clubhouse and social center for wealthy summer residents. Many notable people visited Summit House during Camden's carriage trade days, including the daughter of Theodore Roosevelt. In 1918 a forest fire destroyed the summit and although the Summit House was undamaged, it was torn down two years later due to a decline in use. In 1921 the stone tower was built in honor of soldiers from Camden who served in WW1. The 26-foot structure was built on the exact location where the Summit House once stood.
There is a trailhead for a steep 0.5-mile hike up to Mount Battie if you'd prefer to do that as a separate, shorter hike. I prefer to include Mount Megunticook with all of its spectacular viewpoints along the way, but you do have many options.
From Mount Battie, retrace your steps, returning to the Tablelands Trail, then take a right onto Adam's Lookout Trail. This trail includes a short spur to yet another gorgeous lookout, then connects to the Megunticook Trail, returning you to the parking lot.
Back to the history of Maiden Cliff. I wanted to share the story of Elenora French, along with a few more pictures of the breathtaking view from this overlook. Here is an excerpt from an article in New's Center Maine's Maine Mysteries:
"Long before Lincolnville Beach was known by its current name, the land was owned by the French family. "They were the founders of Lincolnville Beach, which was originally French's Beach," said Connie Parker with the Lincolnville Historical Society.
One of the youngest daughters of Zadock French was Elenora, who in 1864 was 12 years old. On May 6th of that year, Elenora French and a few of her siblings joined a group and headed to the top of what is now Maiden's Cliff for a picnic. What happened next could never be confirmed. In a detailed account given by a sister years later, she said she believed that while her back was turned, a gust of wind blew Elenora's bonnet off her head. Elenora reached for it, not realizing in that moment how close she was to the edge, and she fell 300 feet down. She survived the fall, but it was hours before rescuers could reach her. "There were no visible injuries to her, she didn't have any obvious broken bones. But presumably her internal injuries were very, very severe," said Moran. Elenora did not make it through the night."
Years passed before a wealthy tourist, Joseph B. Stearns, was touched by the story and paid to have the first white cross erected on the edge of the cliff in honor of Elenora. Weather and vandalism have caused the community to replace the cross several times, but they are committed to maintaining it, keeping alive this young girl's story.
Here are some pictures of the view from Maiden Cliff. It's worth reaching this summit, no matter which route you take to get here.
There are so many mossy trails, intriguing landmarks, and expansive views to explore at Camden Hills State Park. These destinations can be accessed via strenuous hikes or easy car rides up the carriage road. As always, I encourage you to take in all that Camden Hills has to offer in a way that's most enjoyable to you. It's a special place and I hope you'll find your way here.
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