University of Southern Maine USM Digital Commons Maine Collection 6-1981 Preliminary Critical Area Survey of the Appalachian Trail in Maine Critical Areas Program (Maine) Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/me_collection Part of the Environmental Policy Commons, Forest Biology Commons, Forest Management Commons, Other Forestry and Forest Sciences Commons, and the Physical and Environmental Geography Commons Recommended Citation Critical Areas Program (Maine), "Preliminary Critical Area Survey of the Appalachian Trail in Maine" (1981). Maine Collection. 26. https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/me_collection/26 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by USM Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Maine Collection by an authorized administrator of USM Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Critical Area Survey of the Appalachian Trail in Maine Executive Department Maine State Planning Office ~une 1981 MISC. PUB. #8 PRELIMINARY CRITICAL AREA SURVEY 1 ofthe APPALACHIAN TRAIL in MAINE h-. MT. KATAH0h1r •••• •• •• • ~.:\ , .., .... ·t) f(O.~ ·:. ,~~.. ··· ·1Ar/ttd1t, ' Al'r-_....All~,_........ .,. ...., .. ·"" ..... ~ ...i ·"'• ......, . .r i ,:• -: I I ~ Critical Areas Program ·~ Natural Resource Planning Division d! .Maine State Planning Office June 1981 ~ate of :£Raine t.xerutiue 1Bepartment §tatr Jlanning ®ffirr ~tt l~ou.s e ~tation 3 a JOSEPH E. BRENNAN 184 ~tate ~tred. AugU!lta. :maine. 04333 TEL. (207) 289-3261 GOVERNOR RESOURCES PLANNING: 289-3155 ALLEN G. PEASE STATE PLANNING DIRECTOR June 1, 1981 Chris Brown Department of the Interior Nationa I Park Service Harpers Ferry Center Harpers Ferry, WV 25425 Dear Chris: The Maine Critical Areas Program has reviewed the critical area and natural area data base for significant natural features along the Appalachian Trail in Maine, as well as meeting with Dave Field and Jym St. Pierre to review the locations of unusual natural features. Please find attached the compiled inventory of significant natural features along the Maine Appalachian Trail system. This inventory shows that the Appalachian Trai I system contains a large number of very significant natural features ~anging from a Ipine vegetation, old growth trees, rare plants, waterfalls and gorges. Four areas are designated National landmarks, and 12 areas are registered critical areas, and another 8 areas are under consideration for critical area status. One plant species (Paronychia argyrocoma var. albimontana} is a proposed threatened species by the Office of Endangered Species. The fact that the State of M.aine will own and be responsible for its management, presents a special management situation because of the comparative hearing, visitation and utilization of the trai I system. While the land is 11 protected 11 by state ownership, the hearing utilization of the trail system may pose a threat fo the fragile nature of the alpine environment. Identification of critical areas and ecologically sensitive areas is imperative for the proper management of these alpine areas in a manner to insure the perpetuation of these unusual features. We are fortunate that the tv\aine Critical Areas Program has been collecting information on critical areas since 1974. However, there are areas along the Trail that have not been surveyed by a botanist or geologist fo identify and describe natural features. A follow-up fo this office inventory should be a field inventory of the portions of the Trail that we know little about. 1 Page 2 June 9, 1981 The Critical Areas Program is willing to assist in further natural resource inventory 'NOrk of the Appalachian Trai I in Maine. Sincerely, Harry R. Tyler, Jr. Critical Areas Program Manager HRT/i cc: Richard Barringer, Director R. Alec Giffen Herb Hartman Lloyd lrland Tom Deans Dave Field Jym St. Pierre 2 Table of Contents Page Summary of the Critical and Natural Areas Programs • 4 U.S.G.S. Quadrangles - showing Appalachian Trail and 11 Critical Areas/Natural Areas ••• o 11 Register of Critical Areas Mount Katahdin Arctic Alpine Plant Community and Rare Plant Areas • 32 Little Niagara Falls 41 Big Niagara Falls • 44 Nesowadnehunk Falls 0 • 47 Nesuntabunt Old Growth Spruce 51 55 Gulf Hagas • • • • • • • • • • tD • 0 Hermitage Old Growth White Pine • 59 West Chairback Pond Falls •. 62 Little Wilson Falls and Gorge • 65 Stratton Brook Esker Segment. 68 Bigelow Mountain Arctic-Alpine Area . 72 Saddleback Mountain Arctic-Alpine Area 75 Dunns Falls ••• 78 Elephant Mountain Old Growth Forest • 81 Baldpate Mountain Arctic-Alpine Area. 85 Goose Eye Mountain Arctic-Alpine Area 88 Critical Area Planning Reports Cited .•• 91 3 A Summary of the Critical and Natural Areas along the Appalachian Trail in Maine. (Arranqed north-east to south-west) Prepared by the Maine Critical Areas Program June 1081 Name of Feature Town County Description References l. Alpine vegetation T 3 R 9 Piscataquis Maine's highest mountain Planning Report on Alpine­ Mount Katahdin (5?n7 ft.) The largest ex­ Tundra Vegetation #36 and tent of alpine-tundra vege­ Katahdin Butterfly #35 - tation. The alpine habitat draft Register for Mount for at least 42 rare plant Katahdin species. 25 rare plant species are found in Maine .+::=- only on Mt. Katahdin. The habitat for the Katahdin Butterfly Oeneis polixenes Katahdin. Large cirque and mountain cliffs. A National Natural Landmark. 2. Little Niagara Waterfall T 3 R 10 Piscataquis A series of waterfalls Draft Register for Little Two waterfalls dropping Niagara Falls 6 feet and 12 feet. 3. Big Niagara Waterfalls T 3 R 10 Piscataquis Four sets of falls dropping Planning Report on Water­ a total of 70 feet. falls #60 - Draft Register for Big Niagara Falls 4. Indian Pitch T 3 R 10 Piscataquis A small waterfall page 2 Name of Feature Town County Description References 5. Nesowadnehunk Falls T 2 R 10 Piscataquis A large waterfall on the Planning Report on Waterfalls West Branch of the Penobscot #60 - Register for Nesowadne­ River. Six to 8 feet drop hunk Falls over granite bedrock. One of the best landlocked salmon fishing areas in the States. 6. Rainbow Lake T2 R 11 Piscataquis A large, 1664 acre, and Maine Inland Fisheries & deep 130•, lake that is the Wildlife species manage­ habitat for the Blue-back ment plan for Blue-back Trout, Saluelinos oquassa Trout which occurs in only 8 lakes in Maine. 7. Natural Spring, T2 R 11 Piscataquis One of two major, natural Dave Field m Rainbow Lake springs along the Appala­ chian Trail in Maine. 8. Pollywog Gorge T 1 R 11 Piscataquis A flume gorge 200 yards Dave Field long, and with upward to 200 feet deep. 9. Nesuntabunt Mountain T 1 R 11 Piscataquis An Old growth forest of Planning Report on Old Growth Old growth forest red spruce (140 years old), Forest - draft Register for hemlock (350 years old) and Nesuntabunt Mountain white pine (140 years old). 10. Nahmakanta Lake Tl R 11 Piscataquis Esposed rock cliffs with Dave Field scenic overview scenic overview of Nahmakanta Lake. 11. Red Pine Stand T-A R 10 Piscataquis A young growth, even age Dave Field stand of red pine. page 3 Name of Feature Town County Description References -12. Cooper Brook Falls T-A R 11 Piscataquis A large cascade at 450 Dave Field dropping 35 feet that cascades into a 100 foot long pool. 13. White Cap Mountain T 7 R 10 Piscataquis Exposed summit with ex­ Dave Field scenic view cellent views. 14. Gulf Hagas T 7 R 10 Piscataquis A large gorge through Planning Report on Gorges slate with several water­ #64 - Register # 281 falls (5 km long and 45 meters deep. A National Natural Landmark. 15. The Hermitge T 7 R 10 Piscataquis An Old growth white pine Planning Report on White Pine stand. Owned by The Nature #61 - Register # 243 Conservancy. A National 0"\ Natural Landmark. 16. East Chairback Pond T 7 R 9 Piscataquis A scenic high elevation (1500 feet)~ undeveloped pond. 17. West Chairback Pond T 7 R 9 Piscataquis A scenic high elevation (1700 feet)~ undeveloped pond. 18. West Chairback Pond Falls T 7 R 9 Pis~ataquis A high elevated waterfall, Planning Report on Waterfalls flowing out of West #60 - Register # 328 Chairback Pond. 19. Barren Slide Elliotsville Piscataquis Extensive rock slide and Dave Field talus slope on the western end of Barren Mountain. page 4 Name of Feature Town County Description References 20. Slugundy Falls Elliotsville Piscataquis A 10 feet deep, 20 foot Dave Field and Gorge wide cascade followed by a series of cascades and pools extending for 100 yards through Monson Slate. 21. Little Wilson Gorge Elliotsville Piscataquis A 1/4 mile long gorge Planning Report through 75' to 100' high on Waterfalls #60 - slate ledges. Register # 227 22. Little Wilson Falls Elliotsville Piscataquis 40' high waterfall cascading Planning Report on Waterfalls down vertically on bedded #60 - Register # 227 slate ledges. 23. West Branch of Blanchard Piscataquis A spectacular series of Dave Field Piscataquis River & Gorge gorges extending for 1 mile through the Monson Slate -....,J formation. The south side of one gorge has cliffs fiO feet high. Several small waterfalls. 24. Esker T 3 R 3 Somerset A modest size esker that Planning Report on Eskers #67 (Dead River) rises to a height of 75 · feet. 25. Bigelow Mountain T 3 R 3 Franklin Bigelow Mountain Ranqe 3 Planning Report on Alpine mile long. Alpine vegeta­ Vegetation #36 - Register tion. Peaks reach 4150' #45 T 4 R 3 and 3831'. Exposed ridge (Wyman) with outstanding scenic views. A National Natural Landmark. 26. Stratton Brook Esker T 4 R 3 Franklin The trail crosses on Planning Report on Eskers #67 undisturbed section of a Register # 310 long esker segment that reaches a height of 75 feet. page 5 Name of Feature Town County Description References 27.