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About


Cedar Swamp Mountain
Mount Desert, ME

Trailheads, measurements, times, distances, and maps are all approximate and relative to the hike(s) as shown below.
Looking up the Sargent South Ridge Trail
Looking up the Sargent South Ridge Trail

Route: Carriage roads, Sargent South Ridge Trail, Cedar Swamp Mountain Spur, Amphitheater Trail

Carriage roads generally had 1-2" of snow remaining with bare spots widening during the day. Looks like folks had made it out on skis earlier. Very smooth, so no issue barebooting.

Sargent South Ridge Trail had some areas of dry ledge, wet ledge, black ice, blue ice, and snow drifts. About 3" of snow once up on the ridge a bit. Hard to follow in places, as the trail is marked for summer use.

Fortunately I took the side trip to Cedar Swamp Mountain (nice ledge views), as I missed my destination (Penobscot Mountain). I stayed on the ridge trail following the Amphitheater Trail junction near Birch Spring, but somehow ended up following a marked trail off the ridge down to the Amphitheater Trail soon thereafter. Since I wasn't enjoying the shoulder season conditions and trail finding, I opted not to backtrack. Amphitheater Trail was slow going on the steeps due to the hidden rock. Pretty near where it crosses under the bridge.


Hike Ratings
Getting To Trailhead: Easy
Destination: Cedar Swamp Mountain
Length: Moderate
Steepness: Difficult
Navigation: Difficult
Views: Excellent
Crowds: Moderate


Hike Stats
Date Hiked: Saturday, November 15, 2014
Parking Elevation: 230'
Destination: Cedar Swamp Mountain
Time Elapsed: 00:45
Trailhead Elevation: 230'
Summit Elevation: 942'
Vertical Gain: 672'
Hike Time Elapsed: 01:50
Hike Vertical Gain: 772'


Entering the carriage roads from the gate house
Entering the carriage roads from the gate house

Norumbega Mountain as seen from Cedar Swamp Mountain - Click to enlarge
Norumbega Mountain as seen from Cedar Swamp Mountain

Amphitheater Bridge
Amphitheater Bridge

A carriage road
A carriage road




Directions to trailhead: Take Route 198 south from Route 233. There is a parking lot adjacent to the gate house area on the left, south of Hadlock Pond.



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