Hiking Glassface
Trail Name: Glassface Ledges Trail
Location: Rumford, Maine
Distance: 1.7 miles
Elevation gain: 652 ft
Difficulty: Easy
Pets: Allowed
Glassface Ledges Trail is a relatively new, easy trail situated in the Androscoggin River Valley. It’s perfect for kids, kids at heart, or anyone looking for a quick, enjoyable hike that provides good views. Pop some wine and cheese into your hiking pack for a dreamy sunset hike! I hiked it for the first time this past week during golden hour, and i’m happy to report that I will definitely be back again soon!
Glassface is maintained by the Mahoosuc Land Trust, an organization that preserves several other hiking trails in the area that range from easy to moderate difficulty. According to their website, the 34 acres that comprises Glassface was donated to them in 2014 by the one and only Maureen Sheldon.
The parking lot for Glassface is located right off Route 2 in Rumford Maine. It’s the same parking lot used for Hastings’ Landing boat launch. This is actually very convenient, because you can kayak and hike in the same day and not have to worry about parking or moving your car!
After parking, cross the road and walk towards the cemetery (yes, you read that right). This trail goes right through the Rumford Center Cemetery. Spooky, right?! It would be really fun to hike this trail at sunrise and watch the fog lift from the cemetery. Continue walking through the cemetery and field and then follow signs for the Glassface Ledges Trail. The beginning of the trail is wooded and gradually climbs up the south side of the mountain.
About 0.3 miles in, the trail becomes quite steep and stays that way for the remainder of the ascent. Throughout the climb, there is much to see! My personal favorites were the streams, man-made stairs, and wooden plank bridge. Towards the middle of the climb, the trail becomes more cleared, which is quickly followed by more wooded trail that brings you to the summit.
I was pleasantly surprised by the views from the ledges. They provided great views of the Androscoggin River as well as surrounding valleys and mountains. Once the clouds cleared, we even caught a glimpse of the white mountains! It was the perfect spot to stop for a snack before returning back to the parking lot.
There were some convincing unmarked trails that branched in a few different directions past the summit, but they didn’t seem to lead anywhere. One provided us with a less obstructed view of the river, but that was about it. After exploring, we made our way back down to the parking lot.
I would highly recommend this trail to all kinds of hikers, especially beginner hikers or anyone hiking with young children. It’s a bit steep in a few areas, but ultimately, it’s a short hike that provides nice views for minimal work. Like I said previously, this hike would be so much fun to do at sunrise or sunset, due to it’s length and well-marked trails.
Happy hiking, friends!
