Russell Pond Trail
- 6.7 mi
- one way
- 726 ft
- climb
- 1,713 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
- May–Sep
- best months
Russell Pond Trail is a 6.7-mile moderate hike in Baxter State Park in northern Maine, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail rises from about 1,500 feet to about 1,700 feet, with a total climb of 726 feet and a steepest stretch of about 23% at around 3.1 miles in. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Patten put July highs around 76°F with lows near 55°F, and the station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the higher ground run cooler. Several other trails start within a tenth of a mile, including Roaring Brook Nature Trail, Sandy Stream Pond Trail and Helon Taylor Trail. Climbers can find North Basin about 2.4 miles away.
- Roaring Brook Nature TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Sandy Stream Pond TrailHiking0.1 mi
- Chimney Pond TrailCross-country skiing0.1 mi
- Helon Taylor TrailHiking0.1 mi
North BasinRock climbingPhoto: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)2.4 mi- Chimney Pond ("South") Basin - Summer Rock RoutesRock climbing2.6 mi
- j. The Maine Highlands (inc. BSP / Katahdin )Rock climbing2.6 mi
- West Branch Penobscot RiverRiver fishing7.9 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
North Basin Cut-OffHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: Pat Spinney, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
North Basin TrailHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: davidwilson1949, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- North Peaks TrailHiking · ~6 min drivePhoto: Pat Spinney, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- International Appalachian Trail New-BrunswickHiking · ~8 min drive
Baxter Peak Cutoff TrailHiking · ~7 min drivePhoto: barry.pousman, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Chimney Pond TrailHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: Pat Spinney, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Abol Slide TrailHiking · ~7 min drivePhoto: barry.pousman, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Kettle Pond TrailHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Dudley TrailHiking · ~4 min drivePhoto: davidwilson1949, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Helon Taylor TrailHiking · Next door
Best time to visit Russell Pond Trail
Best months: May–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.
Jan
22° / 3°
Feb
25° / 6°
Mar
34° / 16°
Apr
48° / 29°
May
62° / 40°
Jun
72° / 49°
Jul
76° / 55°
Aug
75° / 54°
Sep
67° / 45°
Oct
53° / 35°
Nov
41° / 25°
Dec
29° / 13°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Patten 2, ME, 18.8 mi away at 820 ft. The station sits about 900 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.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
