QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: N/A
- Trail Mileage: ~2.43 miles one way
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: moderate
- Sights: Views from fire tower
Kibby Mountain (3,656 ft) is legendary for its beautiful 360-degree views from a rickety observation deck erected in 1926. It’s also remote — close to the Canadian border, requiring a long drive on a logging road. The 2.6-mile* hike up never feels too strenuous, except for a ~0.2-mile steep section close to the top. The elevation gained is just about 1,100 feet.
The access road — Gold Brook Road, which you’ll be driving for 9.2 miles — is in pretty good shape, with just a couple of short, iffy sections. The final -0.4-mile section, where you turn off Gold Brook Road onto a secondary road (Kibby Mountain Road) to reach the trailhead, is a bit rougher. The trailhead, marked with a cairn, is fronted by a small parking area.
The route starts out on an overgrown, grassy track, with occasional peeks of mountain views through trees. At 0.9 miles, the track bears to the right, into the woods, at a spot marked with another cairn.
The trail, which follows the access road to the fire tower the whole way, makes one switchback. After the switchback, the trail hits an eroded, rocky section before turning again at a moss-covered boulder, for a pleasant stretch in the forest and the final ascent. You’ll hit that steeper section before the trail levels out and brings you to a small clearing and the tower.
The tower is relatively squat, so not too terrible for height-averse people. That being said, the wooden platform had plenty of gaping holes (in 2024). I got up the nerve to climb the ladder to stick my head up above the deck and take some photos.
*AllTrails puts the distance at 2.4 miles; the AMC Maine Mountain Guide says it’s 2.3 miles. Darn, I dislike inconsistency so perhaps take the average of three for a distance of 2.43!
Directions: From Route 27, turn onto Gold Brook Road, which is also the access road for Kibby Wind Power Project. You’ll be able to see the windmills from the trailhead and from the tower. Follow the main road, Gold Brook Road, 9.2 miles to a narrower lane on your right. Turn here, go 0.4 miles to a small area for parking and look for the rough track leading away from the lot to the north. The 12th edition of AMC Maine Mountain Guide has detailed driving instructions. I also find that using a downloaded Google map of Maine on my phone before heading into these remote areas can be very helpful.
