Bigelow Preserve, managed by the state, is a 36,000-acre park created in 1976 via public referendum, purportedly to stop a new six resort. Bigelow Mountain dominates the land, creating a dramatic backdrop for many vistas around the area. It is one of Maine’s highest mountains (~4,135 feet) and has several gorgeous peaks — Cranberry, South Horn, North Horn, Avery, West, and Little Bigelow — making it a challenging but rewarding day or multi-day hike.
The Appalachian Trail traverses the Bigelow Mountain ridge for 16.3 miles or so, and there are several side trails giving hikers the opportunity to make loops, all doable in a day. Most of these side trails — Fire Warden’s, Horns Pond, and Range — are accessible from Route 27, on the south (Sugarloaf) side. There is one side trail, Safford Brook Trail, accessible from the Flagstaff Lake side.
Recommended hikes in Bigelow Preserve:
- Avery Peak-West Peak-The Horns Loop
- Avery Peak via Safford Brook Trail
- Cranberry Peak
- Little Bigelow
