Deboullie Gardner Loop and Pond Trails

Deboullie Public Lands (North Maine Woods, south of St. Francis)

Deboullie Public Lands covers about 21,800 acres of ponds and steep little mountains in northern Aroostook County, roughly 12 miles south of the St. John River and the New Brunswick border. Carey Kish, writing in 2019, said the name comes from a French word meaning “tumble down,” for the cliffs and talus slopes above the ponds.

Getting there is half the trip. The last 20 miles or so are gravel logging roads through a North Maine Woods checkpoint, and the state guide warns that cell coverage is “spotty to non-existent.” Kish spent four days there and saw about six other people.

The hike

Kish reported that until about a decade before his 2019 visit, Deboullie had few formal trails. The Bureau of Parks and Lands and the Maine Conservation Corps have since built a network that the state guide puts at 27 to 30 miles. The trails form several loops, and the guide says the Gardner Loop can be combined with others for a multi-day trip.

The Gardner Loop starts at the Togue Pond trailhead, according to Kish’s EMS article. It climbs Gardner Mountain’s twin summits, circles Gardner Pond, and returns by the Denny Trail past Denny Pond. The state map shows a footbridge over an inlet brook at the pond’s north end, a small upland pond it says moose visit, and a junction with the Crater Trail at the south end. Kish describes a log shelter on Gardner Point, on the southwest shore, and another on the east shore, calling them “great refuel spots,” plus a tent site near the northeast corner.

From camp, the other loops make good second-day hikes. The Deboullie Loop follows the shore of Deboullie Pond, and the Tower Trail climbs 0.6 miles to the 1,981-foot summit of Deboullie Mountain and its fire tower. Kish dates the tower to 1929 and says it looks south toward Baxter State Park. A 2020 Maine Trail Finder visitor reported that a storm had damaged the tower, but East Coast Hiker, updated in March 2026, describes it as “in decent shape.” The Black Mountain Loop crosses Black and Deboullie mountains, and the Whitman Valley and Whitman Ridge trails reach Pushineer Pond.

The state guide describes shaded “ice caves” in the talus that can hold ice year-round, and Maine Trail Finder notes blueberries on the summit in August. A 7,253-acre ecological reserve protects the shorelines of 11 ponds, according to Kish. The ponds hold brook trout and, in several, blueback trout, a landlocked arctic charr.

For another remote pond-country loop on state land, see the Nahmakanta Great Circle Trail.

Tips

Bring cash. Kish says checkpoint fees are cash or check only.
Fuel up before the gravel. Kish suggests buying supplies and gas in Fort Kent, and East Coast Hiker says the nearest services are more than an hour away.
Yield to logging trucks. The state guide says they have the right of way, and it recommends carrying a spare tire.
Plan for bugs. The guide says black flies and mosquitoes peak in May and June.
Wear blaze orange in October and November for hunting season.

Camping

The state guide lists 30 primitive single-party sites with privies near Togue, Denny, Perch, Upper, Pushineer, Deboullie, and Gardner ponds, 23 of them drive-to, plus a group site on Perch Pond. Kish counts seven backcountry sites. Sites are first come, first served, and each has a fire ring and picnic table. Build fires only in the rings, and don’t bring firewood in; buy it locally. A fire permit is required at Black Pond East. Stay limit is 14 days in any 45-day period. Leash pets at campsites. The guide notes black bears, so store food securely. Camping fees are paid at the North Maine Woods checkpoint. Northern Public Lands Office: 207-768-6892.

Inside Intel: Kish, who has written about Deboullie for several outlets, singles out the two Gardner Pond shelters as “great refuel spots” along the Gardner Loop. A 2020 Maine Trail Finder visitor noted that sites are few and that some can be reached only on foot or by water.

Trail facts

Distance: 7.8 miles (state guide) to 8.4 miles (state map) for the Gardner Loop
Route type: Loop; link other loops for more days
Difficulty: Moderate; very steep in places
Campsites: Gardner Point, Gardner East, Gardner North, and others around the ponds
Water: Ponds and streams; treat it
Permits: None; pay day-use and camping fees at the checkpoint
Fires: In fire rings only; permit required at Black Pond East
Dogs: Allowed; leashed at campsites
Trailhead: Togue Pond trailhead, reached through the St. Francis or Fish River checkpoint
Last verified: October 7, 2026

The Lowdown

Supper on Gardner Point, 20 miles from pavement:

At Deboullie the nearest store is more than an hour's drive away, so every meal rides in your pack. See the camp meals reviewers rate.

See the picks →

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.