This is the Perfect Summer Hiking Trail in Maine

I’ll always begin every hiking trail review with the time, date and the weather on that date, as they can have a significant impact on any experience.

My 16-year-old dog and I hiked the Stuart Cross Trail on Great Pond Mountain on Friday, May 31st, 2024, beginning at 4pm and ending around 5:30pm. It was partly cloudy skies with light rain and temperatures in the upper 60s. The hike is a moderate 3-miles. Here was our experience.

Locating Great Pond Mountain in Maine and Finding Parking

I use the AllTrails app to not only locate trails around me wherever I am, but also to get quick directions to any trail. Why do the work when someone else already has? The app is $35 annually and provides an aggregate of hiking trails wherever you are worldwide. I typed in Great Pond Mountain, clicked on get directions, and Apple Maps did the rest.

Parking was incredibly easy and convenient because there was nobody else on the trail. Moo and I had the entire mountain and trails to ourselves. The parking lot is right by the beginning of the trail. There are no bathrooms, but when you are in the woods with nobody else around … well you do the math.

All Hikes in Maine Should Require a Few Basic Items in the Backpack

For this hike, I packed the backpack with two liters of water, bug spray that repels ticks and mosquitos (this was much needed on this trail for this time of year), collapsable water bowl for Moo, a pocketknife, a flashlight, and my phone for capturing photos and in case of emergency.

This trail is only 3 miles, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. I put an Apple AirTag on both my car key and my dog, Moo. These are two things I don’t want to be looking for in the woods if they happened to get lost. As always, when hiking alone, make sure you tell someone where you are going and when.

I completed this trail in Brooks running shoes but wish I had worn boots. I did stub my toe into a rock, and it didn’t feel the best. After a little bit of rain, the rocks on the incline became a little slippery, too. Other than those two issues, sneakers with decent traction should work just fine.

How Difficult is Great Pond Mountain in Maine for Dogs?

Great Pond Mountain is not difficult for dogs at all! The trail is a gradual incline to the 1,000-foot summit, with very few obstacles other than rocks and roots to walk over. Moo had a great time while only requiring one water break and was still full of energy at the end of the descent.

How Was Hiking Great Pond Mountain in Maine?

The whole trail was just a little over 3-miles long. The first .6 miles is completely covered by trees. This is the perfect hike for summer as you are shaded majority of the time. If you are in fairly good shape, these trails should be fairly easy.

You first see water around .8 miles into the hike and as impressive as it is, the initial view is hardly even an appetizer. The final half mile on the ascent is breathtaking. I’m learning that most Maine trails are going to give me a similar reaction. The entire hike took a little over an hour, but we spent an additional 20 minutes admiring the views.

It is easy to get off course from the main trail, which is fine. Up will take you up and down will take you down but try and follow the blue markers, so you don’t miss the incredible views. Below are some additional photos from our Great Pond Mountain hike which I 100% recommend. What trail should I review next?