Mount Kineo State Park is nestled right in the middle of Moosehead Lake. This scenic park offers easy to moderate hiking trails that are rewarded with panoramic views of Northern Maine lakes and mountains.

History

Mount Kineo was formed from the last ice age that occurred 10,000-15,000 years ago. For thousands of years, Mount Kineo was the summering ground for nearby Native Americans. They would fish, hunt, and collect rhyolite to make tools out of. Today, hundreds of artifacts remain on the island.

Getting there

Although it appears as if you can drive to Mount Kineo, there is no road access to the park. Visitors must launch their own boat/canoe/kayak or take the 5-minute ferry across the lake to the park. The Mount Kineo ferry, which docks at the Rockwood public boat launch, operates from late May-early October. The roundtrip costs $13 per adult (dogs and kids under 5 ride free). Be sure to bring cash to pay the captain, as credit cards and firm handshakes are not accepted. Click here to view the ferry schedule.

Mount Kineo Trails

Once arriving at the island, the kiosk for the state park will be on the left. There are several trail options to choose from, depending on your interests and activity levels.

Carriage Trail (4.4 miles): If a leisurely scenic stroll on mostly flat trail sounds just right, then follow signs for Hardscrabble Point/Carriage Trail. You’ll continue past the signs for Indian Trail, Bridle Trail, and Carriage Trail and eventually come to a scenic point where there are three first-come first-served tenting sites. This trail is 2.2 miles long each way, 4.4 miles total.

Indian Trail (0.9 miles): This is the first trail crossing you’ll come to. It’s a 0.9 mile trail that will bring you to the summit of Mount Kineo. The trail is very rocky and ascends along the ledges of the mountain and offers gorgeous views of Moosehead Lake as well as surrounding mountains along the way.

Bridle Trail (1 mile) 0.8 miles from the park kiosk, you’ll come to the trailhead for the Bridle Trail. It’s more gradual than the Indian Trail and less strenuous, and provides no views until you meet up with the Indian Trail and/or climb the fire tower at the summit. I personally would recommend taking the Bridle Trail down Mount Kineo, as maneuvering down the Indian Trail would be difficult.

North Trail (1.9 miles) This trail begins at Hardscrabble Point and then continues on to the summit of Mount Kineo via the eastern side of the mountain. I’ve never personally hiked it, but i’ve heard it’s the least maintained trail and is a bit rough, so I wouldn’t recommend hiking it. It’s definitely the longest trail, hiking to the summit and back to the docks would total 8.2 miles.

Our experience

We took the 10:00a.m. ferry to Mount Kineo from Rockwood. The whole process was easy breezy. Parking was free at the boat launch and the ferry was timely and easy to find. By recommendation, we ascended via the Indian Trail and descended via the Bridle Trail, which made for a perfect hike. We summited on a clear, sunny day with very little wind, which meant we had incredible views from the fire tower. We met several groups both during the ascent and descent, but it wasn’t very crowded for a Saturday afternoon. Overall, we really enjoyed our visit and we can’t wait to visit again next year!

Happy exploring, friends!