Trails / Maine / Western Maine Mountains

Appalachian Trail: Grafton Notch to Mahoosuc Notch

Grafton Notch State Park and Mahoosuc Public Lands (near Newry)

The Appalachian Trail’s last miles in Maine, before it crosses into New Hampshire, run through the Mahoosuc Range, and they include a single mile that Backpacking Routes calls “the most difficult mile on the Appalachian Trail.” That mile is Mahoosuc Notch, a narrow ravine choked with boulders, and the climb to reach it from Grafton Notch is nearly as hard.

This page covers the Maine end of the range as an out-and-back from Grafton Notch to Full Goose Shelter, with a night at Speck Pond on the way. Many hikers continue south across the range into New Hampshire.

The hike

The trail starts in Grafton Notch State Park on Route 26 and goes straight up Old Speck Mountain. SectionHiker, on a 2009 trip, described it as “3,000 feet in 3.5 miles” to the 4,190-foot summit (Maine Trail Finder gives 4,180 feet and calls Old Speck the third-highest mountain in Maine).

From the summit area the trail crosses an exposed ridge for about 1.1 miles to Speck Pond, according to SectionHiker. Backpacking Routes says the campsite has an on-duty caretaker who gives bear safety briefings, and recommends it for swimming. SectionHiker took cover there from a severe thunderstorm rather than pushing on.

South of the pond, the trail drops off the Mahoosuc Arm. SectionHiker described “a steep descent of 1,500 feet in one mile” on “wet, exposed slab that had water streaming over it.” At the bottom is Mahoosuc Notch, “one mile long and filled with car sized boulders.” It took him two hours to get through, and in late June he still found snow and ice in the caves between the rocks. Backpacking Routes says hikers have to “squeeze and pull” themselves through, and it advises against a spring trip because of black flies, mud, and lingering snow and ice in the Notch.

Past the Notch, the trail climbs Fulling Mill Mountain to Full Goose Shelter, which SectionHiker called exceptionally roomy, sleeping “15 or 20 people.” Backpacking Routes puts it about 11 miles into its traverse and recommends it for its thru-hiker crowd. The state’s Grafton Notch and Mahoosuc map warns that hikers attempting the stretch between Full Goose and Speck Pond “should be well conditioned and equipped.”

Beyond Full Goose, the trail crosses the open summits of Goose Eye Mountain, which SectionHiker describes as bald, boggy plateaus, and reaches Carlo Col Shelter, about 18 miles into Backpacking Routes’ traverse. The state map lists five lean-tos on this part of the Maine AT: Carlo Col, Full Goose, Speck Pond, Baldpate, and Frye Notch.

SectionHiker called the trip “the hardest hiking I’ve done in the past year,” and it took him about 11 hours to cover nine miles from Speck Pond to Carlo Col. Plan short mileage days.

The Grafton Loop Trail shares the climb over Old Speck and starts from the same notch.

Tips

Budget time, not miles. The Notch alone can take a couple of hours.
Skip it when wet or icy. The Mahoosuc Arm slab and the Notch boulders are slick in rain.
Go in summer or fall. Backpacking Routes advises against spring.
Carry water between sites. Backpacking Routes says water is at the campsites, with few other sources.
Bring a stove. Fires are restricted (see below).
Pay the parking fee at Grafton Notch State Park; the amount isn’t listed here.

Camping

No permit is needed, according to Backpacking Routes. It says that in Maine, camping above treeline is limited to designated sites with no fires, and that below treeline camping is allowed but fires are not. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s summary of Maine rules says campfires are allowed only at designated sites. Speck Pond has a caretaker and charges a fee; the other sites are free, according to Backpacking Routes.

Inside Intel: Backpacking Routes recommends Speck Pond for a swim and Full Goose for the company of thru-hikers. SectionHiker, caught in a thunderstorm on his first day, was glad to stop early at Speck Pond.

Trail facts

Distance: About 22 miles round trip to Full Goose (estimate; see sources)
Route type: Out and back, or point to point into New Hampshire
Difficulty: Strenuous
Campsites: Speck Pond (caretaker), Full Goose Shelter, Carlo Col beyond
Water: At campsites; few other sources
Permits: None needed (Backpacking Routes); state park parking fee at Grafton Notch
Fires: Not allowed below treeline outside designated sites (see Camping)
Trailhead: Appalachian Trail parking on Route 26 in Grafton Notch State Park
Last verified: October 7, 2026

The Lowdown

Dropping off the Mahoosuc Arm on wet slab:

One hiker described 3,000 feet in 3.5 miles up Old Speck and a 1,500-foot drop in one mile off the Mahoosuc Arm on wet slab. See how to set and plant your poles for both.

Get the trekking 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.