Have You Hiked to the ‘Grand Canyon of Maine’, Gulf Hagas Gorge?

With a title like "The Grand Canyon of Maine," it must be a pretty spectacular.

Everyone knows what the Grand Canyon is. Apparently, a natural phenomenon in Maine holds the same beauty and powerful water flow.

The "Grand Canyon of Maine" is a spectacular set of three waterfalls that is only available to those willing to brave a secluded hike.

But the views will be worth it:

Despite Gulf Hagas being remote, the area has many popular hiking trails.

The most popular trail is along the Appalachian Trail. The entire trail, including the rim of the gorge, is about nine miles long.

But views like the Grand Canyon of Maine are only visible by crossing the pleasant river. According to a Maine Trail Finder article, that would include crossing over 100 feet of knee-deep water. So the trail is not for the faint of heart.

More importantly, hikers are warned NOT TO ATTEMPT TO CROSS DURING HIGH WATER TIMES.

In addition to crossing the river, the terrain near the top of the rim is extremely rugged and should only be attempted by seasoned hikers and those with proper footwear, hiking poles, etc.

According to a North Main Woods Guide,

There are two trailheads for the Gulf Hagas area, one can be accessed from Greenville via the Hedgehog Checkpoint and the other from Brownville Junction via the Katahdin Ironworks (KI) Checkpoint.

There is a fee associated with parking to access the Gulf Hagas area. For Maine residents, the day fee is $11, and for out-of-state residents, it is $16.

Happy hiking friends!