Mt. Agamenticus located in York, Maine is a great hike without the long drive and still being close to many amenities. Mt. Ag is located very close to the tourist areas of York and Ogunquit, ME. It would be easy to spend time at the mountain and then hit the beach and have a great dinner in the area. At the top of the mountain the lookout towers offer amazing views of the Presidential Mountain Range as well as views to the Atlantic Ocean. There is active conservation going on all over the mountain as well.
Last visited June 2008
Activities: hiking, mountain biking, snowmobilling, horseback riding, atv riding, bird watching, dogs on leash as well as off leash with voice control, snow shoeing, picnicing
Open Dawn to dusk, no trash, portable restroom, private residence on site
To Get There:
Directions to Mount Agamenticus from the North:
Take I-95 South to Wells (exit 19)
Turn left from exit onto route 109. Go 1 ½ to 2 miles to route 1.
Turn right (south) onto route 1.
Follow route 1 into Ogunquit and through “downtown”.
At the flashing yellow light hanging over the road, turn right onto Clay Hill Road (also called Mountain Road and Agamenticus Road).
Follow this road 2 ½- 3 miles to a stop sign.
Turn right onto Mountain Road and follow it for about 1 mile.
Directions to Mount A from the South (using Route 1):
Take I-95 North into Maine. Take Exit 7, York (the last exit before the tollbooth for the Maine Turnpike).
Follow signs to Route 1 North (keeping right after the exit ramp). Turn left onto Route 1 North.
Approximately 3.5 miles after turning onto Route 1, turn left on Mountain Road. (Across from Flo’s Hotdog Stand)
Follow Mountain Road for approximately 4 miles to a stop sign after crossing the interstate. Turn right and continue on Mountain Road for approximately two and a half miles from the interstate overpass.
There is a parking area located at the base, or you can follow the road up to the top where there is another parking area. There is a large sign showing the trail system and welcoming you to the area. There is a lookout tower, picnic tables, a private residence that has a large deck lookout for the public and rental hall. You will also see the first of many ski lift parts along the trail. The mountain has a history of having been a ski resort for a few years in the 60′s.
There is active conservation in this area. According to the website:
Community Conservation
The Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region contains 10,000 acres of land and is one of the largest remaining expanses of undeveloped forests in coastal New England. The region is known for its abundance of vernal pools, rich biodiversity, and unique trail system and is home to many of Maine’s rare plants and animals. State, local and non-profit landowners are working together to protect Mount A’s water, wildlife, and land. These landowners make up the Mount Agamenticus Steering Committee and include: the towns of York and South Berwick, The York Water District, Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Great Works Regional Land Trust, York Land Trust, and The Nature Conservancy.
You can choose the length of hike you want from a short jaunt to a longer two peak hike. The trails are easy to follow and are marked well. One thing we found different was that the blaze colors are referenced for the use of the trail, not for the particular trail you may be walking on. At the head of each trail, you can find a box with maps and sometimes other helpful information.
Notes: We saw many families hiking and having picnics. We even saw a brownie troop helping to re-establish various plants in the area. We choose the Ring Trail and had a nice easy hike. The hardest part was the trail from the top to the Ring Trail; we went down Sweet Fern, and it was a little steep and had loose rock. There were many frogs, and one family was looking at a sunning snake.
10/5/08
Tree on Second Hill
Stairs on Vulture View
- View from Vulture View
Ring Trail, Mt Agamenticus at EveryTrail
More information
