Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Maine / Western Maine Mountains

Appalachian Trail: The Crockers and Crocker Cirque

Appalachian Trail between Route 27 and Caribou Valley Road (near Stratton and Sugarloaf)

The Crocker Mountains rise on the south side of Route 27, across the valley from the Bigelow Range and just west of Sugarloaf. The Appalachian Trail crosses both of the Crockers’ 4,000-foot summits, then drops into Crocker Cirque, a glacial bowl with a small pond and a campsite, before reaching the Caribou Valley Road.

Maine Trail Finder recommends two days for its loop, which uses the Caribou Valley Road to return to the AT.

The hike

From the large AT parking lot on the west side of Route 27, Maine Trail Finder says, the trail climbs the north-south ridge of Crocker Mountain to a knob with limited views at 1.4 miles. Maine by Foot puts the wooded summit of North Crocker, 4,228 feet, 5.2 miles from the trailhead, with about 2,838 feet of gain. Maine Trail Finder notes open views of the Bigelow Range and Stratton along the way.

The trail drops through the saddle to South Crocker, about a mile farther. A short side trail near the summit, 150 feet by Maine Trail Finder’s count or 50 yards by Maine by Foot’s, leads to the rocky outcrop of the true summit. Maine by Foot adds that Mount Redington is 1.2 miles one way from South Crocker.

From South Crocker, the AT descends a steep, rocky section on the cirque’s side wall. Maine by Foot gives 2.1 miles from South Crocker to the Caribou Valley Road, with Crocker Cirque about halfway down, 0.2 miles off the trail. The Maine by Foot writer saw moose tracks in the mud near the cirque. N2Backpacking describes the campsite as tent platforms, a spring, and a privy in a glacial bowl with a small pond, and called it “a really nice campsite,” though heavy fall rain sent their group to town before they could camp there.

About a mile past the campsite junction, the AT reaches the Caribou Valley Road. Maine Trail Finder’s loop follows that old logging road, at most 4.3 miles, back toward Route 27, with roughly 2,000 feet of total gain. It describes the road as deteriorating, with some bridges in disrepair, and recommends foot travel. Maine by Foot says many hikers drive 3.8 miles in to a gate about a half-mile from the AT.

South of the Caribou Valley Road, the AT climbs toward Spaulding Mountain and the Saddleback Range. North of Route 27 is the Bigelow Range.

Tips

Camping

Crocker Cirque Campsite is on a 0.2-mile side trail about halfway down from South Crocker. Maine Trail Finder lists tent platforms, a fireplace, and a privy, and says fires are allowed only in the provided ring; building a fire elsewhere is illegal in Maine. N2Backpacking notes a spring. The ATC’s Maine rules allow fires only at designated sites and prohibit camping above treeline. No permit or fee was found. Report trail problems to the MATC Bigelow District Overseer (bigelow@matc.org).

Inside Intel: N2Backpacking, which planned a night here but was rained out, called Crocker Cirque “a really nice campsite” in a glacial bowl with a small pond. No other camper accounts recommending a specific platform were found.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Dropping off South Crocker into the cirque:

From South Crocker, the AT descends a steep, rocky section on the cirque's side wall, slick when wet. Our pole tips cover setting length for descents, rubber tips on rock, and sparing your knees.

See the pole tips →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.