Grafton Notch State Park
The Grafton Notch State Park is with a size of 1,259 hectares one of the largest state parks in the US state of Maine .
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geography
The park is located in Oxford County in west Maine in the Mahoosuc Range on State Route 26 between Newry and Upton . The Grafton Notch is a classic example of a U-shaped valley ( notch ) formed by the last Ice Age . The park area is rough and undeveloped, the highest mountain in the park is the 1,271 meter high Old Speck Mountain . The most famous waterfalls in the park are the 13 meter high Screw Auger Falls of the Bear River. The park is bordered by the Mahoosuc Public Land , a 4043 hectare ecological reserve.
Flora and fauna
The park is densely forested with fir and spruce trees. White-tailed deer , black bears and grouse live in the park . The park is part of the Maine Birding Trail . There are brook trout in the rivers and streams .
Tourist use
The park is accessed by State Road 26 as the Grafton Notch Scenic Byway , from which numerous hiking trails branch off. The Spruce Meadow Picnic Area is on the road in the northern park area. The park is 19 kilometers from the Appalachian Trail . Further hiking trails lead through the Mahoosuc Public Land, but the area is partly used for sustainable timber management. In winter, cross-country skiing trails are groomed in the park, and the park and public land are popular with snowshoe hikers and snowmobilers.
literature
- Barbara Sinotte: Maine: A Guide to the State Parks, National Parks & Historic sites. Kindle Edition 2010
Web links
- State Park website
- Grafton Notch State Park on the United States Geological Survey's Geographic Names Information System
Coordinates: 44 ° 35 ′ 36.2 " N , 70 ° 56 ′ 52.3" W.