Maine · Hiking

Round Top Trail

Round Top TrailPhoto: Knightway, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
2.8 mi
one way
614 ft
climb
1,100 ft
high point
Point to point
route
May, Jul–Oct
best months

Round Top Trail is a 2.8-mile moderate hike in Maine's Kennebec Highlands, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail rises from about 667 feet to a high point of 1,100 feet, with a total elevation gain of 614 feet. The climb is steepest around the 1.8-mile mark, where the grade reaches 26 percent, and the route ends with a descent of about 755 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in New Sharon show July highs around 79°F and lows near 57°F, while winter brings highs in the 20s and regular snow days from December through February. That station sits about 620 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on top run cooler. The trail makes an easy pairing with other hikes in the area. A-Trail starts just 0.2 miles away, and Monataka Loop is 0.4 miles off. The Kennebec Highlands Trail lies about a mile away, and Castle Island boulders, a climbing area, is roughly 1.7 miles from the trail.

  • Best time to go · May, Jul–Oct

    Best time to visit Round Top Trail

    Best months: May and July–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

      27° / 7°

      10 wet · 8 snow

    2. Feb

      30° / 9°

      9 wet · 7 snow

    3. Mar

      39° / 18°

      10 wet · 5 snow

    4. Apr

      52° / 30°

      10 wet · 2 snow

    5. May

      65° / 42°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      73° / 51°

      13 wet

    7. Jul

      79° / 57°

      12 wet

    8. Aug

      78° / 55°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      72° / 46°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      57° / 36°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      44° / 25°

      10 wet · 3 snow

    12. Dec

      33° / 15°

      11 wet · 6 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at New Sharon, ME, 8 mi away at 480 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors