High Peaks (Maine) facts for kids
The High Peaks is a special area in the US state of Maine. It's found completely within Franklin County. This region is known for its many tall mountains.
Discovering Maine's High Peaks Region
The High Peaks region is located in western Maine. It's surrounded by several state roads. These include Route 4 to the southwest and Route 16 to the northwest. Routes 16 and 27 are to the northeast, and Route 142 is to the southeast. This makes it a unique and somewhat isolated natural area.
Tall Mountains and High Lands
This region is home to some of Maine's highest points. It has eight of the 14 mountains in Maine that are over 4,000 feet tall. These are often called "4,000-footers." The High Peaks also has a huge amount of land that is very high up. About 21,000 acres (or 85 square kilometers) of land here is above 2,700 feet (823 meters).
To give you an idea of how much high land that is, let's compare it to Baxter State Park. Baxter State Park is where Maine's tallest mountain, Mount Katahdin, is located. Even though Baxter State Park is similar in size, it has much less land above 2,700 feet. The High Peaks region has 39% more land at these high elevations. This shows how special the High Peaks area is for its tall mountains and high-altitude landscapes.
The Famous Appalachian Trail
A very famous hiking path, the Appalachian Trail, goes right through the High Peaks region. This trail is known all over the world. It stretches for about 32.2 miles (51.8 kilometers) through this area. As hikers travel along this part of the trail, they climb a total of about 10,000 feet (3,048 meters). This makes it a challenging but rewarding section for hikers.
