Blueberry Ledges, Baxter State Park

Blueberry Ledges trail is in blue; Foss and Knowlton Trail (plus others) is in red

Hikers can take a long route or short route to the impressive and interesting Blueberry Ledges, a one-of-a-kind waterfall flowing over a wide expanse of open ledge.

You can start from the Blueberry Ledges trailhead off the Tote Road inside the park, where there is a tiny parking area, big enough for two cars. It’s marked with a sign for the Birches, a thru-hiker camping area. The trailhead is about 0.5 miles from Katahdin Stream Campground.

If you start at this end, pick up the blazed trail behind the outhouse. The trail meanders for about 3.1 miles through forest until coming out onto ledge. When you first emerge onto the rock, continue straight — a large cairn marks the way. Keep going for another half mile. You should look for a narrow path to your right. When I visited, this little trail was unmarked but clearly visible. Walk toward the thunderous sound of rushing water, and you’ll come out to the remarkable site of a waterfall rushing over smooth rock until it crashed into a pool under a huge overhanding rock lip. It’s something else.

If you return to the main path and keep walking south, you’ll pass a couple other paths which lead to more pools and falls.

If you start at Abol Bridge Campground, on the south end of the trail, the path is easier and much shorter! It’s almost wheelchair accessible — an old tote road perhaps. This leg is 1.2 miles.

We hiked down Blueberry Ledges and back on the Foss and Knowlton Trail plus, for a rather tiring day! The loop total is about 13 miles.

Directions: You can pick up the trail at either Abol Bridge Campground at the south end of the park (it’s right outside the park). Or at Abol Beach and walk the 1.7-mile Abol Pond Trail to Blueberry Ledges Trail. Or pick it up close to Katahdin Stream Campground, at a small pullout along the Tote Road next to the long-distance hikers’ camping area called The Birches.