My friend Donna has a goal of completing 50 hikes before a certain birthday and this past Sunday was hike number one. I joined her as she kicked off this outdoorsy adventure at Bald Pate Mountain in Bridgton, Maine. Now, I am not a hiker. I’m a walker. I enjoy a stroll down a lovely, flat trail maybe near some water. Steep inclines? Nope not usually my thing. (You can read about some of my favorite local trails here. ) I’m all about trying new things right now so I pulled on pair of sneakers, filled up my water bottles and was on my way.

The Lakes Region of Maine surrounding Sebago Lake is a wonderful area for hiking (so I’m told) and Bald Pate Mountain (1,150 ft) is considered an easy to moderate hike. We took the Bob Chase Scenic Loop to the summit and then the South Face Loop Trail, returning the same way to the parking lot, for an approximately 3 mile hike. It took us about 90 minutes but we stopped along the way to take pictures, pat dogs and catch our breath. I am SO out of shape right now. The Bob Chase Loop is clearly marked in blue, and the South Face Loop is clearly marked in orange.

The summit is easy to reach in 25 minutes or so and has beautiful views. The South Face Loop was much more challenging, descending steeply and then ascending quickly to rejoin the summit. This loop was what confirmed that I needed to do this more, I was huffing and puffing at one point. haha!

I would love to do this hike again in the summer when things would be more green. I saw signs for a patch trail that has wild blueberries! I’m hoping to join Donna on more of her hiking adventures, she has 49 more to go!