Janie Walker

Oct 5, 2023

Gorgeous loop hike with plenty of views

Hiked on Sept. 30, 2023. This NRT was designated in the early 1980s and has since been split into different adjoining trails. Comparing the designation paperwork and accompanying map (thanks to Mike at the NRT site for providing me with that info) with current trail maps, one can see that the old route is now the following adjoining trails: From the parking area at Jordan Pond, take the Carriage Road on the west side north to Deer Brook Trail. Take a left on DBT, hike up 0.3-mile to Sargent Northwest Trail to the summit of Sargent Mtn. Next, take Penobscot Mtn Trail south over the summit of Penobscot Mtn and down to Spring Trail. Take Spring Trail southeast a few tenths of a mile to the Carriage Road, then take a left and walk a few tenths to complete the loop and go back to the parking area. I started before sunrise since this area gets crowded quickly and I wanted to be sure I had a parking space. The initial 1.5ish miles was easy, since the carriage road is wide and groomed. The climb started at Deer Brook Trail and got steeper on Sargent Cliffs Trail. The climb didn’t last too long though, and there were nice views over Jordan Pond. Beautiful ledgy bits awaited after the steep climb, and the turning foliage up there made the trek all the more enjoyable. Sargent Mountain has 360-degree views, and since it was barely 7am, I had the peak all to myself. From the summit of Sargent Mountain, I hiked Penobscot Mtn Trail slightly down to scenic little Sargent Mtn Pond, then back up above treeline to the open and ledgy summit of Penobscot. Soon after arriving, I encountered other early morning hikers, all happy and enjoying their morning. After chatting with them a bit, I continued on my way, heading south and appreciating the lovely views over the ocean and islands. Once at Spring Trail (and below treeline), I turned left and headed down the gnarly scrambles and “interesting” bits until I reached the carriage road. It was an easy hike back to the pond and parking area from there. Loved this hike. Ledges, views, a teeny bit of scrambling, and if you time it right or wait a bit afterward then you can get lunch at nearby Jordan Pond House and eat some yummy popovers.