Elephant Mountain rises to 3,772 feet in Oxford County, Maine, a remote peak in Township C near Andover. It sits in the upper watershed of the Androscoggin River, flanked by Bemis Mountain to the northeast and Old Blue Mountain to the southeast. The Appalachian Trail passes along the mountain's base roughly 700 feet below the summit, making Elephant Mountain a worthwhile side trip for hikers already in this corner of western Maine.
Reaching the summit requires a trailless bushwhack; there is no maintained path of any kind. The standard approach begins on Elephant Mountain Road, following an old logging road to an open clearing, then continuing on informal herd paths that grow more defined as the terrain steepens toward the top. The round trip runs about 2.5 miles with 1,140 feet of elevation gain, typically completed in three hours, making this one of the more manageable bushwhacks in the state. Approach notes and a suggested route map are available here. Strong navigation skills, map and compass or GPS, are essential regardless of season.
The summit is wooded, marked by a canister and register. Views from the top are limited, though open sightlines toward the surrounding ridges open up along the logging road and through gaps in the approach. Winters bring deep snow and challenging routefinding conditions. Elephant Mountain appears on both the New England Hundred Highest and the New England Fifty Finest lists.
