It’s still dark out as I hop in my car and head west on Route 25 towards the New Hampshire border. The drive lasts about 45 minutes until I finally reach my destination as the sunrise takes full effect. I’m just off Route 160 in Brownfield, at the trailhead for Burnt Meadow Mountain. Although I’ve hiked this trail many times before, it felt like time for a refresher. It’s an easy hike, but one that affords you many views along the way up.
The trail starts out fairly gradual, almost deceiving you for what awaits. It quickly unmasks its hidden identity as the rocky surface rears its ugly head. The trail remains like this throughout the rest of the hike and becomes increasingly steep as you move towards the peak. With all of the recent rainfall we’ve seen, the surface was fairly slippery but I know this trail well.
What is most exciting about Burnt Meadow is its history. It gets its name from the great fire of 1947, sometimes referred to as “the year that Maine burned”. The Brownfield area in particular took a hard hit, destroying nearly 85% of the town. After the fire, the mountains surrounding the town went through a brief stage as a ski mountain, before failing to get past the initial planning stages. While the ski lift remnants remain in places, there is little to distinguish its past. But what the mountain does offer is a moderate hike, short enough for the whole family, but challenging enough to not be completely boring.
The most intriguing features of Burnt Meadow are its multiple peaks. Many a hiker has likely been fooled by the first peak, which hides the remainder of the trail on its backside. The trail dips down from here before returning to an ascent. This happens again further up, but it is less deceiving. Finally, the trail finishes off with a very steep crag-like peak before reaching the summit.
The views you will find on Burnt Meadow give you a great sense of the area, one I am particularly fond of as it was my home for the first 18 years of my life. The western foothills region of Maine is one worth exploring if you haven’t yet. There’s many small climbs like Burnt Meadow, Mount Cutler, or Bald Pate. While the Maine side of the border doesn’t get the attention that the White Mountains do over in New Hampshire, they still have plenty to offer. For convenience and plenty of striking scenery that can rival any other part of the Maine, head out to the border and explore what many consider a hidden gem of our beautiful state.
Brandon enjoys fresh air, short walks on long beaches, and everything else that happens outdoors.