Directions to Grafton Loop Trail trailhead:

The southern trailhead is located just north of where Eddy Road meets Route 26 in Newry, Maine. From the junction of Route 2 and Route 26, travel North on Route 26 (towards Grafton Notch State Park) 4.7 miles and turn right into a natural surface parking area. The trail leaves from the end of this parking area at the sign. This parking area is across Route 26 from Eddy Road, which is no longer available for parking.

The trail leaves Route 26 and continues 17.1 miles to the summit of East Baldpate where it intersects with the Appalachian Trail. It is 4 miles from there, south on the AT back to Route 26 and the large trailhead parking lot in Grafton Notch State Park.

The trail is a rugged, remote backcountry trail, much of it on private land. The only camping is at 5 designated campsites on the trail. Water is available at each campsite. The closest campsite from the road is 5 miles in, on the other side of 3,000-foot Puzzle Mountain. Please prepare accordingly.

The eastern section of the Grafton Loop Trail is open for use (and has been since 2003). It may be accessed via the Grafton Loop trailhead on Rt. 26 or the Appalachian Trail Parking Lot in Grafton Notch State Park.

Click Links below:

Complete Trail Map and Brochure - PDF File 1.2 Mb

Trail Description and Trail Distances: - PDF File - 11Kb

Private Lands Etiquette: - PDF File 14Kb

Map: - JPG File 1.47Mb
The black and white map prints to a size of 8.04 inches by 10.5 inches. Cartography and trail mapping was done by Larry Garland, Appalachian Mountain Club.

Link to AMC Grafton Loop Website

NOTE: Due to the ruggedness of the backcountry terrain,"the cellphone coverage here is really bad."

The Grafton Notch/Mahoosuc area encompasses some of Maine's most spectacular mountain terrain. It has become an increasingly popular destination for hikers and backpackers.

Research conducted by the Appalachian Mountain Club found that use of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in the Mahoosucs has increased by over 300% since the 1970s. When the Maine Conservation Corps constructed, from Steve Spencer's design work, the Wright Trail to Goose Eye Mountain, it quickly became a popular and heavily used trail.

Spencer, the recreation specialist for the Bureau of Parks and Lands in the Maine Department of Conservation, did the Wright Trail layout, while assisted by Mike Cooper of Bethel, who laid out the new Grafton Loop Trail in consultation with landowners.

The new trail will connect to the AT at two points on either side of Grafton Notch to create a loop, 42 miles in length. The design is intended to connect a series of scenic peaks, woods and streams with a trail that will provide a 3- to 5-day, semi-wilderness experience for backpackers, while also providing an alternative route to AT hikers, drawing people away from the heavily used AT.

With a planning grant from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund and matching donations from other individuals and organizations, the trail layout has been completed as has the northbound section to the east of Route 26.

The route leaves the AT from East Baldpate, crosses over Lightning Ledge and Long Mountain before ascending Puzzle Mountain, one of the higher, but rarely climbed peaks in the area.

Descending to Route 26, the trail will cross the highway at a trailhead parking lot, cross the Bear River and then follow a series of minor peaks before traversing Sunday River Whitecap. This parking lot at the southern trailhead is completed. The second half of the Loop Trail is completed, and expected to possibly be opened for hikers sometime in June 2006, pending negotiations with a landowner.

After Sunday River Whitecap, the trail will skirt the slide on Slide Mountain, descend into the upper Bull Branch (of the Sunday River) valley, and finally climb the southern flank of Old Speck to reconnect with the AT.

From the outset, a diverse group of people (now known as the Grafton Loop Trail Coalition) involved in the project, has made education an essential goal of the project.

When the whole trail is complete, there will be brochures, maps and signs to educate the trail's users on the area's pattern of land ownership and its various uses. A brochure is available with a detailed map and other information about the trail.

The group also sees this project as a model of collaboration among public, commercial and private land owners and managers and other trail and user-group organizations, to create opportunities for backcountry recreation that co-exist with other land uses.

      Five campsites were cleared along the new trail. They are for tenting only. No lean-tos are planned and fires are prohibited. Water is available at each campsite.

      Stewart explained, "I wanted people to enjoy the land, yet I didn't want a trail system that would attract a lot of six-packers."

      The inspection trip in October included two dozen representatives of the coalition. They hiked in early morning drizzle to the summit of Puzzle Mountain, where clearing skies returned.

      Spencer said the new trail is the largest and most significant in the 16 years since he has been working on such projects. "This is probably the longest stretch of loop trail in the State of Maine," he noted.

      He praised the willingness of private landowners to allow public use of their property.

      "I'm always amazed by the generosity of people who are willing to share places like this," he said.

      The current estimate of the cost of the trail is $7,000 per mile. Although the coalition hopes to reduce that amount by using volunteer labor for much of the construction, a significant amount still needs to be raised.

      As well as money, the construction of the trail will require many hands. If you are interested in contributing to either, contact Landon Fake of Outward Bound at 207-824-3152; or MATC Baldpate District Overseer Tom Gorrill at tgorrill@gorrillpalmer.com or (207) 657-4249; or Kim Marion, AMC North Country Volunteer Coordinator at 603-466-2721 X192.