Hiking Puzzle Mountain
One weekend, my husband and I were visiting my parents in Western Maine and I was browsing the AllTrails app for an afternoon hike. I was absolutely shocked to find that there was a trail in Grafton Notch that we hadn’t completed yet. I knew right away that I would love this trail, because Grafton Notch is one of my favorite places in Maine.
Finding the trailhead is quite easy. At the intersection of route 26 and 2 in Newry, turn onto route 26 and travel about 4.7 miles down the road. At that point, you will see a sign for the Grafton Loop Trail parking area on the right. Pull into that parking area and you will find the trailhead at the north end of the parking lot.
The trail starts off with a good gradual incline in the woods. After that, the trail becomes steeper and steeper, and is broken up by some pretty awesome caves and panoramic ledges along the way. The last mile is mostly above the treeline and involves a bit of rock scrambling. The summit has fantastic views of the presidential range, Grafton Notch State Park, Sunday River, and so much more. What I absolutely love about this hike is that you can see all of the large peaks in Grafton Notch. I had never seen them from that perspective, and it was breathtaking.
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can add a 2.1 mile loop, called the Woodsum Spur, onto your hike. I wouldn’t recommend adding the loop onto your hike if the trail is wet, as it could be quite slippery.
If you’re planning on hiking this trail in the summer, be sure to take a ride through Grafton Notch and check out Screw Auger Falls, the Moose Caves, as well as Mother Walker Falls. Trust me, they’re worth the stop!