Hamlin Peak, at 4,756 feet, is the second summit of Katahdin, separated from Baxter Peak by a broad, boulder-strewn plateau. While Baxter draws most visitors as the northern terminus of the Appalachian Trail and Maine's high point, Hamlin occupies Katahdin's northern shoulder with a character all its own: a wide, open summit ringed with views into the Great Basin and North Basin, and looking south across the tableland to Baxter Peak's rocky crown.
The most common approach begins at Roaring Brook Campground via the Chimney Pond Trail, then climbs the Hamlin Ridge Trail, a rocky ascent along the angular granite spine separating Great Basin from North Basin. The ridge is boulder-heavy, with some hand-over-foot scrambling and exposed ledges. A longer, wilder approach comes via the North Peaks Trail from Russell Pond, gaining 3,418 feet over remote terrain before breaking above treeline to spectacular views. From Hamlin's summit, the Northwest Basin Trail connects south to the Saddle Trail junction, from which Baxter Peak is another 0.9 miles, making a full loop possible for strong parties.
Advance parking reservations are required at Roaring Brook and fill early. The park season runs roughly May 15 through mid-October; weather above treeline can turn sharply at any time of year. The Katahdin Arctic, an endangered butterfly found nowhere else in the world, inhabits the alpine zone here.
