| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Black Mountain (Rumford), ME |
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 | Trails: |
Black & White Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Friday, September 4, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
tons of parking at the ski area base |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Wet/Slippery Rock |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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|
 | Water Crossing Notes: |
all easy to step over |
|
 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
trail is in excellent condition! |
|
 | Dog-Related Notes: |
great for dogs! |
|
 | Bugs: |
not an issue |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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|
 | Comments: |
Although I've hiked over Black Mountain multiple times on my way to Rumford Whitecap, today was the first time that I hiked Black Mountain by itself, and the first time I had been to its western (highest) peak. We started from the ski area parking lot, and the trail was in excellent condition as we ascended.
Black Mountain may not have one large expansive viewpoint, but the numerous viewpoints looking in different directions spread out through the ascent make for a very interesting and enjoyable hike. My favorite two viewpoints are the one from a large rock down a short side trail, and the one from a small rock ledge, just after crossing the last ski trail of the ascent. Views today were excellent, and the fall colors are starting to show more and more! After reaching the spot where the trail crosses the cell tower access road, we turned right onto the road and descended into the col between the east and west peaks of the mountain. From the col, it was an easy climb up on another cell tower access road to the highest point on the mountain.
At the summit, there is a very substantial cell tower, along with a large rock ledge offering somewhat restricted views to the north and west. The most interesting part of the view from the summit was a framed up-close view of the extensive open ledges on Rumford Whitecap. From the summit, we descended back to one of the lower viewpoints for lunch, and then headed back the way that we came to the ski area base. Black Mountain is great, easily accessible hike, that seems to be underrated as a mountain worth climbing by itself. |
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 | Name: |
Sam Shirley |
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 | E-Mail: |
newenglandskier13@aol.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-09-04 |
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 | Link: |
 https://walkingmaineswildside.blogspot.com/2026/09/black-mountain-942026.html |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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