I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around 3500 miles of coastline, Maine (and NH) has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? Yes (limited). Loop trail? Yes (mostly) Well marked signs? Ehhhhh... (more on that below). Element of surprise? Yes. Gulf Hagas is considered "The Grand Canyon of Maine" (and "The Grand Canyon of The East"). It's a slate gorge with waterfalls, enormous rock walls, and very deep valleys. It's towards the end of the Appalachian Trail (if you're northbound, that is) and there's a really great plaque on a rock at the beginning of the hike by ridge runner Ron Curtis: "Gulf Hagas is an unknown area to many folks, and it belongs to everyone. Everyone should see it to foster the feelings of protecting an everlasting wild place." It is absolutely breathtaking, but it is NOT an easy hike. Parts of the terrain - despite having a trail to walk on - are so wild and primitive that you really, really need to pay attention to your footing (wear sturdy shoes!!! as they say time and time again: "​​Do not underestimate the difficulty of hiking the Appalachian Trail."). When you arrive, you'll need to pay a fee at Katahdin Iron Works (they will also give you a map with points of interest, like the Hermitage and Screw Auger Falls); for two of us it was $22 - they only take checks or cash. After driving over a very small bridge, and down a rough logging road, you have two parking options. We were encouraged by the man at KIW to start at the closer one. This puts you at the West Branch of the Pleasant River - you will need to ford this. It's about 150 feet wide; the water can be deep, and rush quickly, depending on the season. When we came in early August, the water was slow and came up to around our mid-shin/bottom-knee. There were loads of walking sticks waiting for folks to use to help them cross (TAKE ONE, the rocks under the water can be slippery) and there was a ranger waiting on the other side. A pair of young women had recently gotten lost on the AT nearby, so the ranger was there to talk to us/remind us about the difficulty of the trail system ahead. We stuck to the Rim Trail, made it about 1/2 way (Buttermilk Falls) before connecting to the much easier Pleasant River Tote Road to return. If you love hiking *and* you love Maine *and* you love adventure *and* you like a challenge *and* you've got proper gear and a reliable car... this is a must do at least once in your life! read more

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Why are there not a ton of 5 star reviews about this spot!!! It is amazingggg, I went with my daughter on a warm summer day. You do have to cross a river but it was shallow and we wore water shoes. The hike to the 1st falls was amazing we spent a lot of time there and swam. I believe it is call screw auger falls. This is a hidden gem do not miss it! read more

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