The Maine Mountain Adventurers: Tumbledown Edition

Today on the Maine Adventurers: We conquer a mountain!

This past September, Sean and I (and Sean's mom! Hi Linda!) climbed one of the more popular hikes in Western Maine. We took the trip over to Weld and hiked the Brook trail to the summit of Tumbledown. Tumbledown is a 3,068 foot mountain and has a really nice surprise waiting at the top: the pond! So rest assured, after all your hard work, you will be rewarded with a really serene spot to rest up and have a snack.

Pond at the summit

Now, the Brook trail is the easiest trail out of the bunch, but I don't think I'd recommend it for beginners. The trail starts with a steady climb up an old logging road, then veers further into the woods. The last part of the trail features some pretty rugged spots; I scrabbled up quite a few boulders in my desperate attempt to reach the top. However, it is very rewarding all throughout the hike because there are several nice small waterfalls and streams that pass through the trail. I would say that the climb up took the three of us an hour and a half, so it wasn't too bad. Plus, like I said, the top really is spectacular, and it's so nice to sit and stare out at the pond. It would be great for swimming during the summer, but it was pretty cold when we went, so I wouldn't have gone in if you paid me. Despite the cold, we did get to view some nice changing leaves and cooled off before the trip back down.

View of the peak

One of the many trail side waterfalls

Panorama of the summit 

Another waterfall

Of course, if you're a crazy advanced hiker, you have the other trails to explore, but I think I would need more experience before taking on any of those. You can also set up camp at the summit, and we passed a party of people who had just spent the night at the top. It really is a great experience for the intermediate to advanced hiker. If you are planning your hike in the summer, be sure to bring a swimsuit, and if you're going in the spring or fall, layers will be your best friend. Enjoy!

Andover, Maine

Whenever I tell someone about my camp, people say "Andover, Massachusetts?", and I tell them, no, Andover, Maine! Andover is a quaint little town nestled in rolling green mountains near the Appalachian trail. It is also known for having an amazing local ski shop called Akers Ski, which sells all your needs for cross country skiing. A few weeks back, Abby and I met up with my mother to have an end of the summer bonfire. Kicking back and enjoying a nice local beer, a roaring fire, and great family is truly awesome.

Andover is a great place to go if you are looking to do anything remotely related to the outdoors. You can cross country ski, snowshoe, hike, mountain bike, snowmobile, and cliff jump in a variety of places around the town. This past summer Abby and I invited our families to come check out the area. A great spot to go is situated right along the Appalachian trail, which we have now affectionately called 'the pools'. This spring fed stream offers amazing views, gorgeous waterfalls, and in some spots, deep shimmering pools.

Approaching the falls

Jumping into one of the many pools on the Appalachian trail

Action Shot

Top of the falls

Bottom of the falls

I cannot mention Andover without mentioning my favorite spot of them all: Devil's Den. Devil's Den is located about 6-7 miles on South Arm Road just outside of town. This spot offers a great view of a small canyon, from which it received its name. Another amazing feature of this spot is a small river running through an adjacent canyon that is deep enough to cliff jump from. Just a disclaimer, if you have never done cliff jumping before, please do not do it here. There are plenty of rocks to hurt yourself on and help is pretty far away. But if you are experienced or see someone jumping, just ask them the best spots to jump! There is a five footer, a twenty footer and a thirty footer that you can jump off. The water is deep enough even in the summer. So if you are looking for a thrill check out this spot, but remember to play it safe!


I must say Abby caught the photography bug when we were last up. At one point she was using my camera from a moving car as we were driving along on a dirt road. Below are some photos from our last trip. 

Old Shed

Little Stream

Dirt road at sunset

Sunset and willows

Ellis River

Old signage

Old gas station

If you are looking for a good place to go for a drive, check out Andover. There is a very beautiful bed and breakfast downtown and campsites available in South Arm. Driving through the town in the fall is truly spectacular.