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All the United States Maine Greenville Indian Trail on Mount Kineo
AO Edited

Indian Trail on Mount Kineo

The fire tower along this steep, scenic hiking trail offers the best views of Maine’s Moosehead Lake.

Greenville, Maine

Added By
Virginia Brown
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Mount Kineo’s distinctive sheer face in the fall.   Photo courtesy Amy Meredith, Flickr
Mount Kineo’s distinctive sheer face in the fall.   Photo courtesy Amy Meredith, Flickr
Mount Kineo’s felsite rock was used by Indigenous people to make tools.   Photo credit Dana Moos, Flickr
The historic fire tower atop Mount Kineo is the best way to catch views of surrounding Moosehead Lake.   Magicpiano, Wikimedia Commons
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Accessible only by boat, and considered one of the more challenging hikes near Maine’s Moosehead Lake, the Indian Trail at Mount Kineo is worth the trek for the views.  

Rising 1,789 feet, Mount Kineo is the dominating feature of Moosehead Lake, with a distinct 700-foot sheer face. 

Just under one mile, the Indian Trail starts out flat and climbs sharply along a cliff’s edge until you reach the top. Once there, the job’s not done yet. The only place to catch the worthy views is from the top of a historic metal fire tower, which was used by the Maine Forest Service until about 1960 and is enclosed by tall pines. Climb to the top and take in impressive vistas of Moosehead Lake, towering trees, and the distant mountains. 

Mount Kineo itself is noteworthy for its role in providing necessary felsite that the region’s Indigenous people used to craft tools. Be sure to keep your eyes open for peregrine falcons, too. A pair of these fastest birds on earth, once nearing extinction in the 1960s, was discovered nesting at Mount Kineo in 1987. 

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Mountains Trees Towers Cliffs Trails Lakes

Know Before You Go

To get to the trail, make your way to Rockwood’s public boat landing. Take the seasonal Mount Kineo Shuttle to the island. The 2024 shuttle runs from May 26–October 9. Be sure you dress for cooler temperatures as you climb, and beware of slippery conditions underfoot.

Community Contributors

Added By

Virginia Brown

Edited By

traceywilson

  • traceywilson

Published

September 27, 2024

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Sources
  • https://www.maine.gov/dacf/parks/publications_maps/docs/moosehead-lake-shoreline-guide.pdf
  • https://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/mount-kineo-state-park
  • https://destinationmooseheadlake.com/
Indian Trail on Mount Kineo
Greenville, Maine, 04441
United States
45.703065, -69.739372
Visit Website

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Greenville

Greenville

Maine

Places 2

Nearby Places

B52 Crash Site

Greenville, Maine

miles away

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Monson, Maine

miles away

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Greenville

Greenville

Maine

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