Maine · Hiking · Near North Conway

Caribou

3.8 mi
round trip
1,012 ft
climb
1,889 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Oct
best months

Is Caribou open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in White Mountain National Forest. It doesn't name Caribou, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · White Mountain National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Caribou is a moderate out-and-back hike of about 3.8 miles in the Androscoggin Ranger District of Maine's White Mountain National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is natural-surfaced and not accessible. The route rises from a low point of about 865 feet to a high of 1,889 feet, with a total climb of about 1,011 feet one way. The steepest stretch comes at about 1.7 miles, where the grade reaches 22%. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Bethel show July highs around 79°F with lows near 57°F, and the station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the higher ground run cooler. Wheeler Brook is about 2.1 miles away, and the McCoy-Grey Birch Trail is about 2.9 miles off. Hastings Campground is about 3.7 miles away, and Wild River Campground is about 8.7 miles away across the state line in New Hampshire.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Hastings Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 3.7 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Subway

    Fast food

    Open after 6
  • If it rains

    Museum of White Mountain Art / Jackson Historical Society

    Museum

    On your way back · 20 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in North Conway
  • Best time to go · May–Oct

    Best time to visit Caribou

    Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      28° / 8°

    2. Feb

      31° / 11°

    3. Mar

      40° / 19°

    4. Apr

      52° / 31°

    5. May

      65° / 42°

    6. Jun

      74° / 51°

    7. Jul

      79° / 57°

    8. Aug

      78° / 56°

    9. Sep

      71° / 47°

    10. Oct

      57° / 37°

    11. Nov

      45° / 27°

    12. Dec

      34° / 17°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Bethel 6 Sse, ME, 8.6 mi away at 790 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.