Grafton Notch State Park Hiking Guide
Grafton Notch State Park sits in a narrow mountain pass in Oxford County, Maine, where the Bear River has cut through the Mahoosuc Range over thousands of years. The park covers 3,192 acres of steep forested hillside, carved river gorges, and granite ledges, with the Appalachian Trail running directly through the notch floor. It is a small park by most measures, but it punches well above its acreage: it holds two of Maine's best waterfall gorges, some of the most dramatic trail terrain in western Maine, and access to the legendary (and legitimately brutal) Mahoosuc Range to the east. The Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands manages the park; current fees, trail conditions, and road access are at the official park page.
Route 26 runs through the notch, making most of the park's main features accessible directly from the road. Screw Auger Falls, Moose Cave, and Mother Walker Falls are all roadside stops; Table Rock and the Eyebrow Trail are short to moderate hikes above the valley floor; and Old Speck Mountain via the AT is the day-long commitment for those wanting a real summit. The park connects to the broader Mahoosuc Range trail network, which extends across the border into White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire, giving strong hikers the option to continue into a much larger trail system.
What to Expect
Grafton Notch is a classic glacial notch: a steep-walled valley carved by the combined action of rivers and glaciers over millions of years. The Bear River runs through the valley floor, and the cliffs, gorges, and waterfalls along the river are the park's most distinctive features. The surrounding ridges rise steeply to summits above 3,000 and 4,000 feet, with Old Speck at 4,170 feet as the highest point accessible from within the park.
The terrain divides naturally into three categories. The riverside features (Screw Auger Falls, Mother Walker Falls, Moose Cave, and Stairs Falls) are accessible to anyone regardless of fitness level, with short walks from roadside parking areas. The ledge and cliff routes (Table Rock and the Eyebrow Trail) involve real elevation gain and some scrambling, appropriate for hikers comfortable on steep terrain. The summit routes (Old Speck and beyond) are all-day commitments requiring solid fitness and full pack preparation.
The Appalachian Trail passes through the notch on its way between New Hampshire and the interior of Maine. The AT corridor through this section includes some of the most challenging terrain on the entire 2,190-mile trail. Mahoosuc Notch, roughly 1 mile east of the park on the AT, is a boulder-choked gorge that many thru-hikers describe as the hardest or the most memorable single mile on the trail: scrambling through and under refrigerator-sized boulders, sometimes on ice even in late summer in shaded crevices.
Wildlife is present but often overlooked by visitors focused on the waterfalls. Moose move through the park during evening and early morning. The Bear River corridor is good for American dipper (a small bird that walks into streams to feed on larvae) in spring and early summer. The forest is primarily northern hardwood transitioning to boreal spruce and fir at higher elevations.
Best Trails
Eyebrow Trail Loop
2.6 mi, Loop, Strenuous
The Eyebrow Trail is the most technically demanding route in the park below the Old Speck summit. It departs the AT near the south end of the notch, climbs steeply through mixed forest, and then traverses a cliff face above the valley with exposed sections requiring hands-on scrambling. The name comes from the arc the trail draws above the notch: viewed from across the valley, it traces the shape of an eyebrow on the hillside. The loop connects back via the AT, giving a satisfying circuit that shows the notch from both below (on the AT approach) and above (on the cliff traverse).
Table Rock via AT and Table Rock Trail
2.8 mi, Loop, Moderate-Hard
Table Rock is exactly what the name implies: a massive horizontal granite slab angled above the valley, tilted slightly and broad enough to walk across. The approach via the AT from the north end of the notch gains elevation quickly through hardwood forest before the Table Rock Trail branches left to the ledge. The view from the rock's edge looks directly down the length of Grafton Notch, with the Bear River valley below and the Mahoosuc ridgeline rising to the east. This is the best combination of hike difficulty and payoff in the park for most visitors.
Old Speck Mountain via AT
7.6 mi, Out-and-Back, Strenuous
Old Speck at 4,170 feet is the fourth highest peak in Maine and the payoff for a serious all-day effort. The AT approach from Grafton Notch gains roughly 2,700 feet over 3.8 miles: steep in the lower section through boreal forest, then more gradual as the trail winds through the spruce zone below the summit. The observation tower at the top extends the view above the surrounding trees, revealing the Mahoosuc Range to the west and the interior of Oxford County to the east. Allow 5 to 6 hours for the round trip, more if conditions are wet or you're carrying a full pack.
Screw Auger Falls
0.2 mi, Out-and-Back, Easy
The most accessible and most visited feature in the park. A short flat walk from the parking area leads to a series of glacially carved potholes and channels in the Bear River bedrock. The rock here is gneiss, and the river has scoured it into smooth swirling forms over thousands of years of post-glacial flow. The gorge narrows to a few feet wide in places, and the swirling pothole patterns in the rock walls give the feature its name. A small waterfall drops at the end of the gorge. This is a worthwhile 10-minute stop for anyone driving Route 26, regardless of whether they plan to hike.
Mother Walker Falls
0.25 mi, Out-and-Back, Easy
A short walk from a separate roadside parking area to a gorge viewpoint above the Bear River. Less dramatic than Screw Auger, but an easy secondary stop. The gorge here is shaded and cool, with good photographic potential in afternoon light.
When to Visit
Late May through October is the main season. Spring snowmelt (mid-April through May) pushes the Bear River to its highest flow, making Screw Auger and the other gorge features most impressive. The waterfalls are worth visiting specifically for this window if your timing allows. The trails dry out from mid-May on, though the lower sections can be muddy through early June.
Summer (June through August) is peak season for hikers targeting Old Speck and the AT corridor. The upper spruce zone stays cooler than valley temperatures, making early summer a pleasant time to be on the upper ridges. Black flies peak in late May and early June on the lower wooded trails.
Fall is the best overall window for hiking. The hardwood forest on the lower slopes of the Mahoosuc Range turns color beginning in late September, and the peak color in the notch and on Table Rock can be spectacular in early October. The AT corridor through here sees significant thru-hiker traffic in August and early September as southbound hikers work through Maine. Interaction with thru-hikers is a genuine part of the Grafton Notch experience in late summer.
Winter access is very limited. Route 26 remains open, and the parking areas at Screw Auger Falls see some visitors for snowshoeing, but the upper trails are remote and require full winter gear. Old Speck in winter is a serious mountaineering undertaking.
Getting There and Logistics
Grafton Notch State Park is located on Route 26 in Oxford County, Maine. The main parking areas for Screw Auger Falls and the AT trailheads are clearly signed along the route. Bethel, 12 miles south, is the nearest town with lodging, restaurants, and a grocery store. Rumford, 15 miles southwest, has additional services. Portland is 85 miles south, about 1 hour 40 minutes.
A parking fee applies at major trailheads as of 2026. Day-use fees for non-Maine residents also apply. Check maine.gov/dacf for current rates. The America the Beautiful Pass does not apply here; this is a Maine state park. For federal pass information, see federal discount passes.
The park has no visitor center, no campground of its own, and no food or water services. Bethel has a full range of lodging options including the Sunday River ski area's lodges, which operate year-round. Cell service is limited in the notch itself, though it improves at higher elevations.
For hikers planning to connect into the Mahoosuc Range and continue into White Mountain National Forest on the New Hampshire side, the full AT corridor through this section requires either a car shuttle or significant backcountry planning. The WMNF Mahoosuc Unit has separate trailheads and parking.
Planning Tips
- Screw Auger Falls is the most visited feature and worth doing regardless of your fitness goals. Even if you're here for Old Speck, the 10-minute walk to the gorge adds nothing to your day and delivers one of Maine's most distinctive geological features.
- The Eyebrow Trail requires some scrambling. Wet rock on the cliff traverse section is significantly harder than dry. Check the forecast and consider the Table Rock loop as a reliable alternative if rain is in the picture.
- Old Speck is a serious all-day commitment. Start early, pack at least 2 liters of water per person (individual needs vary), bring rain gear, and have a turnaround time in mind before you start.
- Mahoosuc Notch, just east of the park on the AT, is worth the detour if you're a strong hiker with a full day and some scrambling comfort. Allow extra time: the mile-long boulder field takes most hikers 2 to 3 hours to traverse. It is also one of the most genuinely fun miles of trail in the eastern US for those who embrace it.
- Download offline maps before arriving. Cell coverage in the notch is limited and unreliable for navigation. See checking conditions before you go for resources.
Grafton Notch is a natural connection point for anyone exploring western Maine's highlands. Baxter State Park is the remote northern anchor of Maine hiking, about 3 hours northeast. Acadia National Park is a 2-hour drive to the east. And if you want to extend your hiking into New Hampshire, the trails of White Mountain National Forest begin just across the Maine border via the Mahoosuc Range. Treat everything you find here with the care this landscape requires, and follow Leave No Trace principles on every trail, especially in the sensitive Bear River gorges where foot traffic is concentrated.