The Grafton Loop is a rugged 38-mile trail in Maine that can be hiked in 2-4 days
Region: New England (Grafton Notch State Park, Mahoosuc Public Lands, private land)
Length: 38.6 miles (2-4 days)
Physical Difficulty: Difficult
- Elevation gain of over 11,000 feet
- Steep in areas, with wood and rebar ladders
- Rocky and rooty
Logistical Difficulty: Easy
- No permit required for camping
- The trail is broken into two sections—western and eastern—with Route 26 dividing the sections. Two parking areas on Route 26 provide easy access to the trail, making this a great loop hike
- The trail is relatively easy to follow, although overgrown and sparsely blazed in areas
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Elevation (average): 2,900 feet
Total Elevation Gain: 11,450 feet
Hiking the Grafton Loop Trail
The elevation gain is more moderate from the eastern trailhead, especially starting with the western section and going clockwise around the loop. If you go clockwise, turn left out of the parking lot (there is no sign indicating which way to go and no blazes on the road walk) and hike .6 miles along the road until you reach a sign on the right where the trail enters the woods. From there the trail follows snowmobile trails through private property, and is well-marked. Once entering the woods the trail ascends Bald, Stowe (2,730 feet), and Sunday River Whitecap (3,335 feet) mountains before descending into Miles Notch.
The trail climbs moderately to Slide Mountain campsite (~10 miles from the trailhead) and then Bull Run campsite (~11 miles from the trailhead). Both sites have bear boxes and reliable water sources. Slide Mountain has dirt tent sites; Bull Run has two large tent platforms. After Bull Run the trail follows switchbacks for a moderately difficult 1.9 miles to the tree-lined summit of Old Speck (4,170 feet), with limited views. Climb the fire tower at the top for excellent views of the surrounding mountains: to the south, the Mahoosucs and Mahoosuc Notch, and the Wildcats, Mount Washington, the Presidentials, and Franconia Ridge in New Hampshire; to the north, the Baldpates and Saddleback.
The Grafton Loop joins the AT .3 miles from the tower, and descends steeply on rocks to Route 26. Expect to encounter a lot of day hikers from Old Speck to the Table Rock side trail on the north side of Route 26. After crossing the highway the eastern section of the trail climbs moderately to Baldpate Shelter (~8 miles from Bull Run) and then climbs steeply on an incredible series of rock steps to the summit of West Baldpate (3,680 feet), where the views are good. But don’t take off your pack yet, because the best is still to come. After a short, moderate descent of West Baldpate, the trail crosses a high mountain meadow, and ascends the moderately steep rock face of East Baldpate (3,812 feet). This is the mountain to throw off your pack and savor the views. The mountains you climbed are clear to the south; to the east, you’re looking at what lies ahead. And to the north you can see what AT hikers face on their trek to Katahdin.
The Grafton Loop leaves the AT just north of the East Baldpate summit, and descends moderately to the East Baldpate campsite (~2 miles, dirt tent sites, reliable water). The next 10 miles of the trail require wading multiple streams during high water and dodging blowdowns. Blazes are infrequent or faded, and hikers sometimes become confused while passing through logged-out areas. The views from the West Summit of Puzzle Mountain (3,142 feet) provide a stunning finishing touch to your hike, as the entire loop you just hiked unfolds behind you: Sunday River Whitecap, Old Speck, the Baldpates, Lightning Ledge, Long Mountain. After a short descent from the rocky ledges of Puzzle Mountain the trail winds through a hardwood forest to the Route 26 trailhead.
How to Get to the Grafton Loop Trail
Closest Cities: Portland, Maine (84 miles); Boston, Massachusetts (191 miles)
Grafton Notch State Park trailhead
Eastern trailhead Route 26 parking lot
The loop is about an hour northwest of Portland, three hours north of Boston. Pick your parking lot, leave your car, and hike the loop back to it. Grafton Notch parking lot is popular for day hikers heading south up the Appalachian Trail to Old Speck, or north on the AT to the Table Rock side trail or the Baldpates. There is a fee to park. The eastern trailhead parking lot on Route 26 is less busy, but still a popular parking spot for day hikes up Puzzle Mountain. Parking is free at this lot.
Concord Coach Lines services Gorham, New Hampshire, about an hour’s drive from Grafton Notch. A shuttle can be arranged from Gorham, a resupply stop on the AT.
If you’re driving from the south, take Route 26 north from Interstate 95 just outside Portland.
When to Hike the Grafton Loop Trail
Memorial Day weekend to Columbus Day weekend is the optimal season for hiking the trail, although snow could linger into June or arrive in early October.
Two-Day Itinerary: Head clockwise from the eastern trailhead to Baldpate shelter, ~19 miles; shelter to car, ~19 miles. Very tough.
Three-Day Itinerary: Head clockwise from the eastern trailhead to Bull Run campsite, ~11 miles; Bull Run to Lane campsite, ~13 miles; Lane to car, ~14 miles.
Four-Day Itinerary: This is the trip I took. Clockwise from the eastern trailhead to Bull Run, ~11 miles; Bull Run to East Baldpate campsite, ~11.5; East Baldpate to Stewart campsite, ~10 miles; Stewart to car, ~5 miles.
Logistics: Permits, Camping, Water
Permits: None needed for camping; permit required to park at Grafton Notch State Park trailhead.
Camping: There are eight camping areas and a shelter on the AT. Because the trail passes through private property in some areas camping is restricted to established sites, with no fires allowed. The Appalachian Mountain club has a description of the campsites here. Be warned: the Baldpate Shelter on the AT has a reputation for being mouse-infested, even the tent sites.
Water: Usually reliable at all campsites, and frequent water crossings in the eastern section. Do not count on water at Stewart campsite; fill up with water about a mile west of Stewart or on the trail from the eastern trailhead up Puzzle Mountain.
Know Before You Go
Weather: The trail can be muddy and buggy in June, hot and humid in July in August, and cool and dry in September. Peak foliage is usually late September, with hikers filling the trail for the popular day hike destinations. On my midweek hike the last week of September I shared a campsite with two other hikers one out of my three nights. On two of the four days I didn’t see anyone else on trail.
The Alpine Zone: The trail passes through the fragile alpine zone, where vegetation struggles to survive in a harsh environment, atop Sunday River Whitecap, Old Speck, and the Baldpates. Signs posted by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club advise hikers that they are entering the alpine zone and asks them to stay on the trail.
Route Finding: The trail is overgrown in areas, blazes can be infrequent or faded, and some blowdowns appear to have been on the trail for a while. But I never lost the trail or had to backtrack simply because there are no confusing side trails. Logging areas that at times have confused hikers were not a problem when I went through. Cairns provide a clear path across rocky ledges.
Clockwise or Counterclockwise: I went clockwise from the eastern trailhead because the initial elevation gains seemed more moderate. Starting at the Grafton Notch trailhead means brutal climbs in either direction.
Bears, Moose: Some of the campsites have bear boxes; I carried a bear can. Moose poop is abundant on the trail, but I didn’t see one.
Trail Maintenance: Wooden ladders were being replaced on the western section when I walked through, and all blowdowns had been recently cleared. The eastern section between East Baldpate and Long Mountain had some old blowdowns across the trail.
Trail History: The eastern section of the trail was completed in 2003 as a joint effort by private landowners, the state of Maine, the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, and other groups. The western section was opened in 2007. The AMC and MATC maintain the campsites and trail.
