Gulf Hagas
The West Branch Pleasant River cuts a three-mile gorge lined with falls, pools, cliffs, and old-growth pockets.
Artwork inspired by Winslow Homer
A slate gorge compresses waterfalls and forest into a demanding circuit. The West Branch Pleasant River cuts a three-mile gorge lined with falls, pools, cliffs, and old-growth pockets. Access through the North Maine Woods makes the approach part of the undertaking.
Use the official trailhead, ford only within safe conditions, and allow enough time for the rim route without rushing wet ledges. Private-land fees, rough roads, river crossings, slippery cliffs, and remote rescue make this a serious hike. At Gulf Hagas, route choice and environmental conditions matter more than headline mileage or a single map pin.
- Gorge
- About three miles
- Nickname
- Grand Canyon of Maine
- Access
- North Maine Woods
Quick guide
- Start with
- Use the official trailhead, ford only within safe conditions, and allow enough time for the rim route without rushing wet ledges.
- Look closely at
- Compare waterfall sequence with Hermitage forest; the relationship reveals something the headline feature alone cannot.
Know before you go
- Start with
- Use the official trailhead, ford only within safe conditions, and allow enough time for the rim route without rushing wet ledges.
- Look closely at
- Compare waterfall sequence with Hermitage forest; the relationship reveals something the headline feature alone cannot.
- Connect the story
- Read waterfalls, slate walls, river crossings, and old-growth pockets as one gorge system shaped by water and difficult access.
- Plan around
- Check current conditions before leaving, set a turnaround time, and preserve enough daylight to examine Hermitage forest rather than rushing past it.
Good to know
Private-land fees, rough roads, river crossings, slippery cliffs, and remote rescue make this a serious hike.
Notice these
- slate gorge
- waterfall sequence
- Hermitage forest