Blueberry Mountain & Muffins
The harvest of wild blueberries is a favorite pastime for kids of all ages in Maine. These sweet shrubs grow beautifully over granite slabs throughout the state, like a wool blanket on a winter’s night. From mountain tops to ocean skerries, these low bush berries are always a treat to snack on!
We recently hiked Blueberry Mountain in Evan’s Notch. This mountain hosts vast barrens of blueberries, sprawling across the summit between patches of spruce and bare granite. We certainly were not the first to think of hiking Blueberry Mountain, filling up on blueberries along the way. This is a beautiful loop trail any time of year, but especially great on a hot August day when the berries are ripe and a swim in the stream is necessary.
In an effort to avoid crowds (and the heat), we opted for an afternoon start. The trail starts briefly along the Shell Pond Road before turning left onto the White Cairn Trail. The trail begins to ascend quickly, rapidly gaining elevation. The humidity wasted no time in drenching our clothes and draining our water supply. Thankfully, we decided to bring a water purifier, so we weren’t concerned about running out of water!
With no break in the slope, we faced what I referred to as “The Wall,” where we advanced 1/10 of a mile and gained 200 feet of elevation. While grueling at the time, it was an efficient way to bring us to views, which I can appreciate in hindsight. We needed a breather after The Wall and conveniently took a break by some blueberry bushes. As we continued along the ridge, our attention danced between the spectacular views and the berries beneath us. We took long and frequent stops until our jar was full and our appetite was satiated! Onward and downward.
This 5+ mile loop includes many highlights and rewards along the way, namely Rattlesnake Pool. An emerald basin filled with chilly mountain water is the perfect respite from a sweltering summer hike. By the time we made it to the pool, it was late enough in the evening that few people were there, yielding us as many jumps as we wanted and made maintaining a social distance easier (i.e.: avoid crowds, plan your visit for when fewer people will be there).
Popping the berries in the refrigerator upon returning home, they were still perfect for baking a few days later when we whipped up a family buttermilk blueberry muffin recipe to bring on our next adventure!
