#lovemaineadventures

Maine Huts Adventure – Grand Falls Hut

Hey everyone, I’m Josh. DD saw my Maine Huts Adventure and begged me to tell my story so she could live vicariously. She asked me some questions about my trip and you can read my answers below. I hope you enjoy!

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I’ve heard about Maine Huts & Trails for years now, but never had the opportunity to check it out until earlier this month. Essentially, Maine Huts & Trails is currently about 80 miles of interconnected trails sprinkled with (extremely beautiful) off-the-grid eco-lodges available for year-round recreation. They offer both full-service and self-service seasons. Between the impeccably maintained trail system (people powered transportation only) with a genuinely wild feel, simple yet excellent food, and cozy lodges, the entire Maine Huts & Trails experience is worth indulging (and repeating!) for solo journeys and groups. Trail Map for reference. 

While it is possible to spend multiple days traveling between huts, we opted to go for a single overnight at the Grand Falls Hut, which included a nearly 8-mile cross-country ski adventure in and out. We paid around $140/person, which included dinner, breakfast, and lunch in addition to the private bunk room. Don’t feel like carrying in all your stuff? They do have a gear shuttle available for an additional fee

Maine Huts & Trails’ website has a lot of great info including photographs of the huts (which aren’t huts at all), trail system maps, suggested packing lists, and details on how to best enjoy different seasonal activities along the trail system. Ultimately, I found that identifying available dates and booking is best done over the phone. Most huts have larger shared bunk rooms, though there are a handful of private 2-3 person rooms available.

Not into skiing? The journey would also make for a great snowshoe in the winter or a hike during other times. Into biking? These trails are fantastic for fat tire bikes and there’s a rental shop nearby. There are shorter-distance and longer-distance options along the trail system, so don’t let skill or experience level be a barrier for you. Maine Huts & Trails also offers guided experiences.

About Maine Huts and Trails: Maine Huts & Trails is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create and operate a world-class system of backcountry trails and eco-lodges for people-powered recreation to enhance the economy, communities and environment of Maine’s Western Mountain region, for the benefit of current and future generations. The current system is ~80 miles of trails and 4 backcountry eco-lodges available for year-round recreation.

Date/start & finish time: Feb 4, 2017, 2 PM to 5 PM; overnight stay at Grand Falls Hut; Feb 5, 2017, 9 AM to 12:00 PM

Trail Route:  Big Eddy Winter Trail Head to Grand Falls Hut (7.8 miles)

Parking Area: Big Eddy Winter Trail Head (Public Parking Lot)

Elevation: 1000’

Elevation gain: +/1 100’

Q: Any particular things that held you back or made it easier?

Q: How many people did you see?

Q: What was the vibe? Describe it in a few words

 

Q: Any recommended break spots

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Any recommended view spots

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Q: What did you wear? Gear that helped you? 

Total miles round trip: 15.6

Your rating: moderate/experienced

I hope you enjoyed my adventure in the Maine Huts and Trails system!

Cheers –

Josh

 

 

 

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