Bear

Bear is an easy out-and-back hike in northern Maine, about 1.6 miles from the town of Bigelow. The route is 1.5 miles long and reaches a high point of about 1,693 feet, with roughly 388 feet of total gain and loss over the round trip. The steepest part of the climb comes early, around 0.46 miles into the hike, with a grade of about 14%. July is the warmest month, with typical highs near 77°F and lows around 55°F, according to averages from the Long Falls Dam weather station in western Maine. That station sits several hundred feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. Several mountain biking routes start close by, including Oak Knoll, Newton's Revenge and Mountain Trail, each about 0.2 miles away. Climbers can find Cranberry Pond (Bigelow Range) about 3.9 miles off.