Saddleback Mountain

Map Note: I have hiked the trails marked in blue on my map, and drawn the trail I haven’t hiked in light blue.

There are several ways to get up this impressive mountain, one of a handful of Maine over 4,000 feet. A good stretch of the hike is above tree line, on fragile alpine habitat, with breathtaking views in all directions. The ridge up to the summit and over to the horn is especially beautiful, albeit difficult and exposed. Be prepared for windy, cold conditions. One of the nice aspects of this popular mountain is that you have a variety of routes to the summit.

Once you’re on the summit, you can also choose to extend your walk along the dramatic, open ridge by hiking to the Horn (1.7 miles from the summit). From there, you can continue to the glorious, albeit smaller Saddleback Junior, 1.9 miles beyond the Horn. While you’ll descend into woods in between the three summit points, all three peaks are treeless and open, with fantastic views. If you go as far as Junior, you’ll leave a lot of the day trippers behind.

Four options for summiting:

1) The AT: Hike the Appalachian Trail (AT) north from Route 4, where there is a large parking lot about 10 miles east of the town of Rangeley. From this lot, you’ll hike 1.8 miles to the massive Piazza Rock, 3.9 miles to Eddy Pond (go for a swim!) and the intersection of the long-distance Fly Rod Crosby Trail, 5.7 miles hike to Saddleback summit (4,122-ft., elevation gain 2,520 ft.), and 7.3 miles to the second summit, The Horn (4,024 ft, elevation gain 3,055 ft.). You could make a very long day of it and keep going 9.3 miles one way to the third peak, Saddleback Junior (3,655 ft., elevation gain 3,750 ft.). Each peak has a saddle in between, so be prepared for ascents and descents, on repeat.

2) Saddleback Spur Trails: Start at the end of Rock Pond Road, one of the ski resort’s side roads with condos, and hike by two remote ponds (Rock and Midway ponds) on a Fly Rod Crosby Trail to the Appalachian Trail, and then follow the AT 1.8 miles to the first summit.

3) Ski slopes: Take off from the Saddleback ski lodge and hike the relatively short but steep ~1.7 miles to the summit. Essentially, the footpath follows the ski slopes Grey Ghost to Tri-Color. Tri-Color goes all the way to the top of the highest chairlift. If you make it this far (you will!), you’ll find the footpath to the right of the chairlift, if you’re facing the top of the mountain. Follow it a couple hundred yards to the open ridge and the AT.

At the base lodge, the unmarked footpath begins right behind the lodge — you’ll see a narrow path that snakes through the meadow. Follow this for four hundred or so feet, and you’ll come out on a gravel road. Go right here and look for the footpath on your left, in 500 feet or so. Again, you’ll see a narrow footpath carved out in the wildflowers and grass growing on the ski slope. Turn left, go steeply up hill 800 or so feet, where you’ll cross a track. Just keep going up! Hike for 0.6 mile (an estimate) and you’ll come out to an open area. From here, you’ll be hiking a gravel road rather than the wildflower-filled grassy ski slope. Take the road heading steeply up hill, which will be slightly to your right. In a quarter-mile, the road takes a sharp right, and becomes sharply steeper. In about 600 feet you’ll come to the top of the chairlift, and you’ll see the footpath straight ahead, to the right of the lift. It’s not far to the open ridge from this point.

4) Berry Picker’s Trail (from Sam Shirley): The scenic Berry Picker’s Trail, maintained by the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, provides a lesser used alternative path up Saddleback and The Horn that is more attractive than walking up the ski trails and is shorter that the approach via the Appalachian Trail. It also makes a variety of loop day hikes over Saddleback, The Horn, and Saddleback Junior possible.

To get to the official start of the trail, a walk down ATV trails is required. From the recommended parking area, take the ATV trail heading north (uphill). After 0.9 miles of easy ascent, you will reach an intersection with old logging roads and the former Fly Rod Crosby Trail. Turn left here, staying on the well used ATV trail, and follow it for an additional 0.5 miles to where the Berry Picker’s Trail starts on the right, just before a bridge over a branch of Winship Stream

The blue-blazed Berry Picker’s Trail begins climbing moderately alongside the stream and then steepens before reaching the ridge. Soon after reaching the ridge, the trail reaches an expansive viewpoint, known as Boundary Ledge, at 0.9 mile (1.8 miles from parking). The trail then follows the semi-open ridge as it ascends moderately, with many excellent viewpoints along the way. At 1.3 miles (2.2 miles from parking), a viewpoint with a large boulder, known as The Erratic, is reached. Soon after, the trail reenters the woods and diverges from the ridge to reach the Appalachian Trail at 1.7 miles (2.6 miles from parking). From here, it is 0.6 mile south to the summit of Saddleback Mountain, 0.9 mile north to the summit of The Horn, and 2.7 miles north to the summit of Saddleback Junior.

Here’s more hiking information from the ski mountain.

Directions to the base lodge and Saddleback Spur Trail: The address is 976 Saddleback Mountain Road. From Route 4/Main Street in Rangeley, turn onto Dallas Hill Road. Follow it 2.5 miles, where you’ll bear right at an intersection onto Saddleback Mountain Road. Follow this almost five miles or so to the lodge.

Directions to Berry Pickers Trail: From Route 142 in Phillips, head north on East Madrid Road. This road will alternate between pavement and gravel. After 5.3 miles, turn left onto Potato Hill Road at a four-way intersection. Potato Hill Road is a logging road and mid to high clearance is recommended. In 1.1 miles, bear left at a fork to stay on Potato Hill Road. At 4.4 miles from East Madrid Road, a three-way intersection will be reached. Park at this intersection.

If you are looking for the Saddleback Spur Trailhead, find and follow the main road, Rock Pond Road, to the right of the lodge, and continue 0.35 miles. Pass Grey Fox Lane on the right. When the road makes a sharp left, continue straight to the end of the road and park at the trailhead kiosk.