Photograph by Jerry and Marcy Monkman/EcoPhotography
 
If you think you know the location of this tarn, you’re probably wrong. Every year some seventy thousand outdoor lovers visit this corner of Maine, and many of them share a common misconception about this Franklin County peak and its blue basin, thinking it’s part of a nearby state park. But the mountain — three thousand feet above a big lake — is largely on private land. The Land for Maine’s Future program purchased its crown and a wide swath, but much of it is owned by folks who allow hikers to the top. With a trio of summits, seven hundred-foot cliffs, soaring crags, broad ledges, and vistas of green mountains, this is one of the best climbs in the state. (Don’t miss the fissure known as Fat Man’s Misery.) Perhaps its finest feature, though, is the pond at the top. Some call it  Beaver Pond, some Crater Pond, and still others call it after the mountain. But everyone calls it beautiful — especially after a day of hiking. Have you ever seen these high shores? Send us a note at P.O. Box 679, Camden, ME 04843; whip off an email to editorial@downeast.com; or post a comment at DownEast.com if you can identify this mountain and its unique pond.