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Rising more than 3,000 feet from the shore of Flagstaff Lake to the wild, windswept Alpine heights of Avery Peak and extending 12 rugged miles from west to east, the six major summits of the Bigelows comprise one of Maine’s most beloved mountain ranges, perhaps second only to the peaks of the Katahdin massif in Baxter State Park. 

The Bigelow Preserve protects more than 36,000 acres of this incredibly beautiful and ecologically rich terrain. It’s a recreational treasure that features over 30 miles of trails, miles of pristine lakefront, high elevation ponds, and abundant opportunities for hiking, backpacking, paddling, mountain biking and camping.  

This month marks the 50th anniversary of the Bigelow Preserve, which was established by citizen referendum on June 8, 1976. It was the first time in U.S. history that a statewide vote was held to create a public parkland. The vote was close; out of the nearly 168,000 ballots cast, 51% voted in favor of the preserve question. 

From its original 8,000 acres, a series of land donations and purchases over time have brought the preserve, managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, to its present size. 

In the years preceding the vote, the Bigelows were embroiled in a bitter controversy that pitted development factions against conservation supporters. The Flagstaff Corporation of Massachusetts had plans to create a four-season resort centered around a massive ski area on the mountain’s north slope, a large airport, a marina, hotels and condominiums.   

Envisioned as a possible site of the 1976 Winter Olympics, the Bigelow development was touted as “the Aspen of the East” by promoters and dubbed “a bunny club for billionaires” by detractors. But the development scheme had the support of the Maine legislature, much of the Maine business community, and late in the game, the backing of Gov. James Longley. 

Undaunted, an opposition group named “Friends of Bigelow” was formed in 1974 and began to organize not only hikers and paddlers but hunters, anglers and other concerned citizens into a broad-based coalition. One of the first things the group did that winter was to climb Bigelow’s Avery Peak and plant a “Save Bigelow” flag on the summit, claiming the mountain for the people of Maine. 

The flag-raising climb may have been a symbolic gesture, but it was a brilliant public relations stunt. The ensuing Bigelow fight was a battle royal and the dominating news story during 1975-76, when coalition members gathered 60,000 signatures to get the question, “An Act to Establish a Public Preserve in the Bigelow Mountain Area,” on the ballot. It was an astonishing victory. 

The main thoroughfare for foot travel across the Bigelow Range is the Appalachian Trail. Along its corridor are the shapely peaks of North Horn and South Horn (3,792 feet and 3,812 feet, respectively) and two of Maine’s 14 4,000-foot peaks, West Peak (4,134 feet) and Avery Peak (4,082 feet). East of Safford Notch is the ridgeline of Little Bigelow (3,041 feet). 

If you’re out for more than just a day hike, you’ll find backcountry tent sites at Cranberry Stream, Moose Falls and Bigelow Col as well as shelters and tent sites at Horns Pond and Little Bigelow. Please be good stewards and practice “Leave No Trace.” 

Horns Pond Trail leads to the namesake pond and peaks, while the Firewarden’s Trail offers a steep and direct route to West Peak and Avery Peak. Safford Brook Trail and the Appalachian Trail provide access to Little Bigelow. Cranberry Peak (3,199 feet) is a gem on the western end of the range, and the ramble past Cranberry Pond via the AT and Bigelow Range Trail to the craggy summit is a delight. 

Paddlers can take to the wonderfully sprawling waters of Flagstaff Lake, where there are numerous remote shoreline campsites, while vehicle campers can set up shop along the lake at Round Barn and Big Eddy. Flagstaff is part of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, which winds 740 miles from upstate New York to the woods of Maine.  

Mountain bikers (and in winter, Nordic skiers and snowshoe enthusiasts) can enjoy the extensive Maine Huts & Trails system, as well as fine hospitality at their three off-the-grid eco-lodges located along the margin of the Bigelow Range at Stratton Brook atop Oak Knoll, Poplar Stream and the east shore of Flagstaff Lake. 

Carey Kish of Mount Desert Island is a Triple Crown hiker, freelance writer, and author of three hiking guides. Connect with Carey on Facebook and Instagram and at [email protected].