Blueberry Mountain and Rattlesnake Pool

Map legend: Blue trails, Blueberry Mountain and Rattlesnake Pool loop. Speckled Mountain in pink. Shell Pond loop in yellow. East Royce trail in purple.

When I was a kid, this was my favorite hike, for its beauty — achieved with relatively moderate ease — but mainly for its extraordinary pool under a small, moss-covered waterfall in Rattlesnake Brook, reached via a short side trail off the main loop.

Starting from Stone House Road, you can do a fantastic, completely satisfying 3.5-mile loop up and around the 1,788-foot Blueberry Mountain (elevation gain 1,150 feet). I recommend heading up the White Cairn Trail, doing the little summit loop at the top, and descending on the Stone House Trail to Rattlesnake Pool (a spur trail off to the left). There are steep sections on the White Cairn Trail, including stone staircases, but they don’t go on too long. It’s mostly a steady climb up. As you gain elevation, you’ll be treated to several exposed views from ledges below the summit. Then the summit, via the lookout trail, offers even more extravagant views from open ledges.

You should not miss the popular Rattlesnake Pool, one of the most beautiful swimming holes in the White Mountain forest. The green-blue pool glows in the forest. And it is cold! Farther down from the pool is a short trail to an impressive gorge.

My map includes the loop around Shell Pond (in yellow), and the trails over to Speckled Mountain, which has a gorgeous summit. From Blueberry Mountain, you can head down the Bickford Brook Trail (it’s short and steep) and check out the Bickford Slides, a series of pools and slides and smooth rocks. There is a little loop you can do around Bickford Slides. The trail at times leads you along a steep bank above the brook, so take care.

I recommend getting a copy of the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Maine Mountain Guide for trail details and a great map of this area!

Directions: Google maps calls the access road Shell Pond Road. But I think it’s also referred to as Stone House Road. It’s off of Route 113. Drive in and park at the gate. Walk 0.3 miles down the dirt road, and you’ll see the trailhead for White Cairn Trail on your left, and a trail for Shell Pond trail on your right. You can also start your hike from the other side of Shell Pond, to the east, from Evergreen Valley Road/Shell Pond Road. It’s a beautiful 1.2 mile walk through fields and along an airstrip to the intersection with Stone House Trail, and 1.5 miles to the intersection with White Cairn Trail.

Photos contributed by Michaela Goldfine.