borestone mountain

My hike up Borestone was definitely one of the best hikes I have been on! When you first start out from the parking area, right after the gate, there are two different options to get to the top. Right next to the information kiosk is the start of the base trail, which is a little bit of a moderate climb. The second option is the access road, which is what you would take if you keep going straight and is the more gradual option. I took the access road trail, which is definitely much easier, and about 3/4 of the way up is a cool lookout point of the woods and lake below! Once you get to the top of the access trail, there is a visitor center that sits right next to a chain of alpine ponds and usually is open to buy snacks and get trail info, but I went July 3rd, so it was not open the day I went. Also, at the visitor center is a small area with a picnic table and views of the top of the mountain. From the visitors center, is the summit trail, which brings you to the summit of Borestone, but before you leave, there is a sign in sheet on the side of the visitors center, so in case of emergencies, they will know if you have returned or not. The Audubon Society, who manages the trail, also asks hikers to leave a small fee, which goes towards trail maintenance. If you decide to take the summit trail to the top, it is definitely challenging and steep, especially near the top, but is still well worth it! At the start of the summit trail, there is a quick walk around the outside of the sunrise pond, and for the next 0.6 miles the climb is steep, so for inexperienced hikers, pace yourself! At the beginning though, there are some stone steps that are built into the trail for erosion control, that make the climb a little more manageable. Towards the top, the climb gets a little bit trickier, since I was climbing over exposed rock, but there are a couple of hand and foot rails to assist. Once I reached the summit, the 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains and Lake Onawa were amazing!

My huasband and I are not hikers but every one in a while we'll put on the right shoes and make the attempt. While not a long trail we found it challenging, at a couple of points it is a little rock climbing with metal rails and foot holds. Slow and easy gets you to the top with a great view of the valley and the small lakes below. Despite the prominently placde NO DOGS signs we ran across several. A little less than halfway up there are well maintained bathrooms. The Audubon cabin was open and had maps, water, and snacks. The trailguides said it was a four hour round trip which was what it took us.

Access via Elliotsville Road. Nice views. Head south of Greenville about 15 minutes turn left on Elliotsville Ed.

I was intrigued by the fact that there are 360 degree views at the top of Borestone, which made it sound like a worthwhile hike. The trailhead was easy to find; there are two ways to get to the visitor center, one trail that is a little bit of work and one gravel road, which was great for the folks in our group who needed a less challenging trail. The composting toilet near the visitor center is probably the nicest and cleanest one I have ever seen.The manager from the Audubon Society who was at the visitor center was really friendly and helpful. The trail overall was rocky, full of roots, and steep in parts while well marked and had a number of areas with rock steps built in to make the climb easier. Clearly a lot of care and work has been put in to building and maintaining the trail. I was glad of the metal bars that assisted the climb in a couple of places; one spot was close to an edge which was a little scary but after that, the trail widened out. The views at the top were outstanding. The rating on one review said "moderate" difficulty; my group concluded that it was a bit more than moderate, in wet weather it has the potential to be slippery and treacherous, so my advice is to go hike it in fair weather.

This was a short but steep hike. The view is worth it. All trails were very well marked. Audubon folks very helpful as well.

First of all, Borestone, Mountain, is in Elliottsville just after Monson, ME so you can locate. Super great views in the fall of Sebec Lake, Onawa lake,and Barren Mountain. Colors are gorgeous!!!!!

This is a great hike if you're in the Monson/Greenville area. Pack snacks and water and a good pair of hiking boots and you're good to go! My sons and I love to do this day hike! Parts are pretty steep and the view at the end is such a reward!