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Best Lake Hikes in Maine

The directory currently contains 10 quality-checked routes matching this guide in Maine. Their average mapped distance is 6.6 km and average recorded ascent is 119 m (390 ft); the longest route in the set is 21.1 km.

This subset represents 4% of the 224 quality-checked routes in Maine. Its average distance is 6.6 km, compared with 9.8 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 119 m (390 ft), versus 202 m (663 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set carries a lake tag in the directory. Whether the mapped line reaches the shore and whether swimming is allowed must be checked locally. Within this set, 5 routes (50%) are rated easy, 1 (10%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

1.3 km

Wabassus Mountain Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

6 m

Lake Loop Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Easy

Lake Loop Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.2 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
45 min
  • Lake
Easy

Grand Falls Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
6.2 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
80 m
Typical duration
1 hr 25 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Moderate

Foss and Knowlton Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
6.3 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
189 m
Typical duration
1 hr 35 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Easy

Orin Falls Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
4.7 km
/ 2.9 mi
Elevation gain
25 m
Typical duration
1 hr 1 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Moderate

Wabassus Mountain Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
1.3 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
153 m
Typical duration
30 min
  • Lake
  • Mountain
Hard

Wassataquoik Lake Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
21.1 km
/ 13.1 mi
Elevation gain
300 m
Typical duration
5 hr 1 min
  • Lake
Moderate

North Katahdin Lake Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
8.9 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
269 m
Typical duration
2 hr 15 min
  • Lake
Easy

Bonney Point Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
35 m
Typical duration
23 min
  • Lake
Easy

Katahdin Lake Trail

Maine · United States

Distance
5.2 km
/ 3.2 mi
Elevation gain
26 m
Typical duration
1 hr 7 min
  • Lake

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Lake Loop TrailMaine3.6 km6 m45 minEasyApril to October
Grand Falls TrailMaine6.2 km80 m1 hr 25 minEasyApril to October
Little Mayberry Cove TrailMaine7.5 km102 m1 hr 42 minModerateApril to October
Foss and Knowlton TrailMaine6.3 km189 m1 hr 35 minModerateApril to October
Orin Falls TrailMaine4.7 km25 m1 hr 1 minEasyApril to October
Wabassus Mountain TrailMaine1.3 km153 m30 minModerateApril to October
Wassataquoik Lake TrailMaine21.1 km300 m5 hr 1 minHardApril to October
North Katahdin Lake TrailMaine8.9 km269 m2 hr 15 minModerateApril to October
Bonney Point TrailMaine1.6 km35 m23 minEasyApril to October
Katahdin Lake TrailMaine5.2 km26 m1 hr 7 minEasyApril to October

Lake Loop Trail, Grand Falls Trail, Little Mayberry Cove Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

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