Best Southern Maine Fall Hikes: 3 Trails for Peak Foliage
Southern Maine is the perfect Fall destination—home to amazing breweries, apple orchards, corn mazes, cider donuts, festivals, and plenty of foliage. It’s also home to scenic hiking trails that range from easy to moderate and offer stunning foliage views. So, without further ado, here are three of my favorite Southern Maine Fall foliage hikes.
Trail Name: Highlands Loop via Pismere Bluff Trail
Location: Raymond, Maine
Distance: 2.1 miles
Elevation gain: 580 ft
Difficulty: Moderate
Pets: Allowed
Pismere Mountain is located in Raymond Community Forest, which is maintained by Echo Land Trust. It has a nice large dirt parking lot and is dog-friendly. This trail is one of my favorites for three reasons: the climb is both gradual and challenging, the trail is not as trafficked as other hikes, and it has really great summit views of surrounding lakes and mountains. I also really like that this trail has a few loop trails that can be added onto your hike. All of the trails are very well marked, which means you can easily find your way back to the parking lot. All things considered, this hike is a great option for all hiking abilities. To read my full-length blog post on hiking Pismere Mountain, click here.
Trail Name: Bald Pate Mountain Preserve
Location: South Bridgton, Maine
Distance: 2.3 miles
Elevation gain: 820 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Pets: Allowed
Bald Pate Preserve is located in South Bridgton, about an hour outside of Portland, to the west of Sebago Lake. Similar to Pismere Mountain, Bald Pate is also maintained by Echo Land Trust. There is no need to worry about parking at this trail, as there is a huge dirt parking lot. This mountain features seven different hiking trails that vary from easy to moderately difficult, which means you can really customize your hiking experience and cater to all hiking abilities. Having so many options also means hikers are well dispersed throughout the mountain, making the trails less crowded. Although this mountain has stunning summit views year-round, it’s especially beautiful during the Fall months—as the trails become overrun with bright colored leaves. To read my full-length blog post on hiking Bald Pate Mountain, click here.
Trail Name: Bradbury Mountain via Northern Loop and Boundary Trail
Location: Pownal, Maine
Distance: 2.5 miles
Elevation gain: 305 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Pets: Allowed
Bradbury Mountain is located in Bradbury Mountain State Park, which is located in Pownal, Maine. It’s only a 30 minute drive from Portland and offers several activities—including hiking, camping, and mountain biking. It also has bathroom facilities, which is a huge bonus. Similar to the other two mountains, Bradbury has an extensive trail system that allows hikers (and mountain bikers!) to personalize their hiking experience. The west side trails lead to the summit of Bradbury Mountain, whereas the east side trails are flatter, longer trails that are less trafficked. In the fall, Bradbury rightfully becomes a hot spot for fall foliage tourists (myself included). To read my full-length blog post on hiking Bradbury Mountain, click here.
All three of these hikes are located within an hour of Portland, making them perfect day hikes. There’s nothing like conquering a mountain in the morning and having the rest of your day to brunch or binge watch Netflix. If you live too far away from Portland to do these hikes in one day, add them to your Maine vacation to-do list! Trust me, they’re worth it.
Leave no Trace
When it comes to enjoying time outdoors, remember the golden rule: Leave No Trace. It’s as simple as picking up after yourself, staying on the trails, and leaving nature just as beautiful as you found it. By practicing Leave No Trace, you help preserve the magic of Maine for future adventurers to enjoy, so everyone can keep enjoying the same beautiful, wild world we love.
Interested in more Maine hiking information and tips? You can find them all here.
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With Love,
My Maine
