Sentinel Mountain Trail
Photo: flatluigi, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- 3.5 mi
- one way
- 930 ft
- climb
- 1,849 ft
- high point
- Point to point
- route
- May, Aug–Oct
- best months
Sentinel Mountain Trail is a 3.5-mile hike in Baxter State Park in northern Maine, managed by State Park and Recreation. The trail is rated expert, and it rises from about 1,100 feet to nearly 1,850 feet, with a total elevation gain of 930 feet. The route is point to point, and the climb is steep enough to make it a serious outing. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Millinocket show July and August highs around 78°F with lows in the mid-50s, though that station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the summit run cooler. The trail starts close to several other routes. Lily Pad Pond Trail is about 0.2 miles away, Rocky Pond Trail about 0.4 miles, and the Appalachian Trail about 0.7 miles. West Branch Penobscot River, about 5 miles off, offers river fishing.
Local outfitters
- Northeast Whitewater44 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · May, Aug–Oct
Best time to visit Sentinel Mountain Trail
Best months: May and August–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.
Jan
24° / 5°
10 wet
Feb
26° / 6°
9 wet
Mar
36° / 16°
10 wet
Apr
50° / 30°
10 wet
May
64° / 41°
12 wet
Jun
74° / 51°
13 wet
Jul
78° / 57°
13 wet
Aug
78° / 56°
11 wet
Sep
70° / 48°
11 wet
Oct
55° / 37°
12 wet
Nov
43° / 27°
11 wet
Dec
31° / 15°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Millinocket, ME, 23.2 mi away at 360 ft. The station sits about 1,500 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.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Photo: flatluigi, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Lily Pad Pond Trail
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0.34-mile out-and-back trail in Maine with 29 ft gain and 87 ft loss.
Photo: barry.pousman, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Appalachian Trail
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Photo: barry.pousman, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Baxter Peak Cutoff Trail
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0.92-mile point-to-point trail in Maine with 291 ft elevation gain.
Photo: Pat Spinney, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)North Peaks Trail
~10 min drive
5.16-mile point-to-point trail in Maine with 243 ft gain and 3,332 ft loss
Route details
- Distance
- 3.5 mi
- Climbing
- About 930 ft
- Summit
- 1,858 ft
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time
- About 2 hours
Questions about this route
How long is the Sentinel Mountain Trail on Sentinel Mountain?
About 3.5 mi.
How much elevation gain is on the Sentinel Mountain Trail?
About 930 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Sentinel Mountain Trail?
It is rated moderate.
How long does the Sentinel Mountain Trail take?
About 2 hours round trip.
Conditions and forecast on Sentinel Mountain
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
