Roaring Brook Campground hikes, Baxter?

I will be camping for one night at Roaring Brook Campground. I'm looking for advice on an easy to moderate day hike from the campground. Is South Turner Mountain a good choice? Or is the hike to Chimney Pond better? How is the hike up Chimney Peak?

Thanks!

Josh

The hike to Chimney Pond is excellent if you have a nice weather day. It's hard to beat the view of Katahdin from Chimney Pond. Chimney Peak is not a hiking destination per se. It's a peak on the knife edge but you would go up the Dudley Trail first. This would be a very steep hike, hardley moderate. The Dudley is really a rock pile masquerading as a trail.

Katahdin from Chimney Pond


Pb

South Turner will have the best views from a peak. It's a relatively easy hike. Chimney Pond will have you wanting to continue to the summit. It's a special place. If I could only do one, I'd do Chimney Pond. Chimney Peak? It's tougher to get to Chimney than to Baxter Peak IMHO. Defnitely NOT an easy hike.

A very short walk (less than a mile RT) to Sandy Stream Pond is HIGHLY recommended before dusk. Moose sightings are fairly regular there.

I did a nice dayhike to Chimney Pond. Went over to the Pamola caves, a short but steep stretch off the Dudley Trail that is worth investigating. Another interesting side spur would be to go to the end of the North Basin Trail and look into this or maybe even bushwack into this pristine cirque. With the view of Katahdin, stops at Basin Ponds and these other stops mentioned above you can make a pleasant day of it. Stop at Sandy Stream Pond either early in the morning or late in the evening after the hike for moose observing. SherpaK mentioned it is less than a mile RT and definitely worth it, what he didn't say was it is a flat mile!

I'd also put my vote in for an early morning hike to Sandy Stream Pond. Get there just as the sun is rising to shine from behind you on Katahdin & Hamlin. (It was absolutely beautiful when I was there in August a few years ago) Then head up to Chimney Pond. Stop back at Sandy Stream Pond on the way back,sit on the big rock and stick your legs into the water. Sit, soak up the beauty...it's a special place. If that's all you do it'll leave you wanting to go back for more another time and that ain't a bad thing!!! Okay, now I want to go to Baxter....hmmm, is it too late to get campsite reservations for this summer?

Have a great time!

south turner is only around 1800 vertical feet i think, i did it the next day after hiking katahdin. the views are nice but in early to mid june it had the worst bugs in any place i have ever seen in my life. thousands flying around my head the whole way up. but there are a few ponds on the way that usually have some moose in them. the hike up to chimney pond is nice and level, you might gain 1500 feet, but it is over the distance of 3 or 4 miles i believe. the views there are the most spectacular though if you catch it on a nice day. might be punishment though if you can't hike to the top from there. like getting a gift but not being able to unwrap it. there is a pond on the way up, i think it might be mirror pond? but i caught it just as the sun was rising, and hamlin peak reflects directly into the pond like a mirror- quite beautiful

Thumbs up!!!

Hey neighbor (I'm live in Northford) --

It's pretty much all been said by the others. Chimney Pond gives a GREAT panoramic of Knife Edge and South Turner gives a big picture with special look into the Great Basin.

You have got to see the 'meese' at Sandy Stream Pond! At this time of year, you'll also see a LOT of wildlife of the blackfly variety - plan on donating a significant amount of blood.

Enjoy, this is a special trip. I hope you will be doing more than just a one-day while you are up in Baxter State Park.

sit on the big rock and stick your legs into the water

Click to expand...

I'd check for blood suckers first!

hikes - Sandy Stream Pond, South Turner mtn, make a loop from SSP out to Whidden Ponds and return via the Russell Pond Trail, the nature trail is nice, up the Chimney Pond trail is a nice hike - from there, can do Pamola caves or a loop to the Bluberry Knoll using the North Basin and North Basin cut-off trails.
Or drive three miles back to Avalanche Field and hike into Katahdin Lake.

Lots to do...

You hit Sandy Stream Pond on the way to South Turner, as nice as the Chimney Pond picture is above, it still does not do it justice IMO

If you can avoid Summit fever, hiking to treeline on Hamlin Ridge trail provides good views too, the Ridge divides the Basins.