Maine · Hiking

North Peak Trail

0.4 mi
round trip
472 ft
climb
1,120 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Aug–Sep
best months

North Peak Trail is a short, out-and-back hike in Aroostook State Park in northern Maine, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail is under a mile long, with a round-trip distance of about 0.84 miles and a total elevation gain of 472 feet. The climb is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch of about 38% grade coming around 0.23 miles from the start. That puts the high point at about 1,120 feet, roughly 472 feet above the trail's starting elevation of about 669 feet. The trip takes about half an hour, so it works well as a quick outing or a way to pair with another short walk nearby. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Presque Isle weather station, which sits several hundred feet lower than the trail's high point, run to highs around 79°F in July and 77°F in August, with snow days dropping to zero from May through September. Winter is cold and snowy, with January highs near 22°F. Several other trails start close by. Quaggy Jo South Peak Trail is about 0.3 miles away, and Ridgetrail is about 0.4 miles away. The Nature trail is about 4.3 miles off, and the Aroostook River offers fishing about 5.7 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Aug–Sep

    Best time to visit North Peak Trail

    Best months: August–September. 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

      22° / 3°

      11 wet · 8 snow

    2. Feb

      26° / 5°

      8 wet · 7 snow

    3. Mar

      36° / 16°

      10 wet · 6 snow

    4. Apr

      50° / 29°

      11 wet · 2 snow

    5. May

      65° / 41°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      74° / 50°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      79° / 56°

      14 wet

    8. Aug

      77° / 54°

      12 wet

    9. Sep

      69° / 47°

      11 wet

    10. Oct

      54° / 36°

      13 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      40° / 26°

      11 wet · 3 snow

    12. Dec

      28° / 12°

      11 wet · 7 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Presque Isle, ME, 2.9 mi away at 599 ft. The station sits about 500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Route details

Distance
0.4 mi round trip
Climbing
About 472 ft
Summit
1,139 ft
Difficulty
Hard
Time
About 0.5 hours

Other routes up North Peak

Questions about this route

How long is the North Peak Trail on North Peak?

About 0.4 mi round trip.

How much elevation gain is on the North Peak Trail?

About 472 ft of climbing round trip.

How hard is the North Peak Trail?

It is rated hard.

How long does the North Peak Trail take?

About 0.5 hours round trip.

How many routes go up North Peak?

2: North Peak Trail and Ridgetrail.

Conditions and forecast on North Peak

Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors