Hiking Audubon's Borestone Mountain in Maine
Gorgeous Views of Pristine Lakes, Streams, and Old-growth Forest
Sep 11, 2009
Hiking Borestone Mountain in Elliotsville, Maine is a moderately difficult climb that includes 130 stone steps and the aid of a couple of sets of iron hand/footholds at a particularly steep spot. The trail is approximately 2.3 miles one way.
Popular Maine Hike
Over 4,000 hikers each year travel to this remote area, east of Monson and south of Moosehead, Maine's largest lake. Borestone Mountain is just a mile south of the "100 Mile Wilderness"—the last hard push on the Appalachian Trail before the approach to Katahdin, Maine's highest mountain.
The 2.3 mile trail is broken down into:
- Base Trail: 1.0 mile from parking lot to Audubon's visitor center on the shores of Sunrise Pond
- Optional Overlook Trail (a very short spur) takes hikers to scenic spot by Greenwood Pond
- Summit Trail: 1.0 mile (steepest portion of hike with the most exposed rock) from visitor center to West Peak, then an additional .3 miles to East Peak
Borestone Mountain Audubon Sanctuary
The Borestone Mountain Audubon Sanctuary is open year-round, dawn to dusk. It's the only Audubon property in Maine's North Woods.
The visitor center on Sunrise Pond is open Memorial Day through October. The visitor center contains a tiny gift shop and a nature center with displays of local flora and fauna.
The trail is open to foot traffic only. The hiking fee is $4 for adults, $2 for others, and is free for Audubon members and children under 6 (sign in and pay fee at the visitor center, a mile into the hike).
To get to the Borestone Mountain Audubon Sanctuary, head to Monson on State Route 15/6. Just north of the village, turn east onto the Elliotsville Road. After approximately eight miles, the road crosses Big Wilson Stream. Immediately after the bridge, turn left onto a gravel road (Bodfish Road). The small parking lot is about a quarter mile uphill on the left and is marked with an Audubon sign.
Walk directly across the road to the gated area—the trailhead has a kiosk and restroom facilities. The trail starts to the left just after the gate. Alternately, hikers can walk up the access road to the visitor center (about .2 miles longer than going via the wooded trail).
Alpine Lakes Add Great Appeal to Sanctuary
See sunrise, midday, and sunset all at the same time! Once on the Summit Trail portion, hikers can look down to the three alpine ponds nestled on the side of Borestone Mountain. From east to west, they are aptly named Sunrise, Midday, and Sunset. Hikers can also see glimpses of the historic lodges and small docks that are part of the sanctuary. Audubon has modernized these lodges, which were built in the early 1900s (the lodges are available for rent).
The property for the Borestone Mountain Audubon Sanctuary was bequeathed to Audubon in 1958 by the Moore family, who had for decades maintained a fox ranch in the area. They sold silver-black pelts to the New York market, shipping them via the Canadian-Pacific Railroad (the tracks cross the Bodfish Road before the Audubon parking lot).
For those not familiar with Maine Audubon, it is a well-regarded non-profit organization that "works to conserve Maine's wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation, and action."
Interested in another climb of a sub-3000 foot mountain with great 360-degree views? Hiking Bald Mountain near Webb Lake is another Western Maine trail and is accessible from State Route 156 between Wilton and Weld.
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