Sabattus Mountain

A 177-acre preserve encompasses this small but fantastic mountain, which is a little more than 1,250 feet and makes for a rewarding, moderate hike with panoramic views. The round trip is about 1.5 miles, the elevation gain is 475 feet. The Greater Lovell Land Trust has a lot of good information.

The land trust notes that this is a great place to watch gliding hawks and to check out the fall foliage of the rolling terrain below, much of it protected through conservation easements.

I also have learned that this mountain is known as a roche moutonnée, like nearby Mt. Tom and Hawk Mountain. All three got their asymmetrical shapes — where one side has a gently sloping curve and the opposite side is steep, jagged and craggy — eons ago from a passing glacier, leisurely inching by. I think it works a bit like this (this is very simplified!): The glacier moved across the bedrock, starting from the sloped side, pushing it up into its bread loaf shape. But as it continued to creep along, it created a more jagged surface on the opposite side of the mountain as its pressure and movement shattered and broke up the rock.

Directions: From the intersection of Routes 5 and 93 in Lovell, take Route 5 north 4.5 miles and turn right on Sabattus Road. Follow the road for 1.5 miles and at the fork, bear right onto the unpaved Sabattus Mountain Road. Continue another 0.7 miles and the large parking area and trailhead kiosk is on the right.