Old Speck Mountain
Encyclopedia
Old Speck Mountain is a mountain
located in Oxford County
, Maine
. The mountain, the fourth-highest in the state, is the northeasternmost and highest of the Mahoosuc Range, the northeasternmost part of the White Mountains
. Old Speck is flanked to the southwest by Mahoosuc Arm, and faces Baldpate Mountain
to the northeast across Grafton Notch
.
Old Speck is within the watershed
of the Androscoggin River
, which drains into Merrymeeting Bay
, the estuary
of the Kennebec River
, and thence into the Gulf of Maine
. The north and east faces of Old Speck drain into the Bear River
, thence into the Androscoggin. The southeast and southwest faces drain into the Bull Branch of Goose Eye Brook, thence into Sunday River
and the Androscoggin. The northwest face drains into Silver Stream, thence into Chickwolnepy Stream
and the Androscoggin.
The summit of Old Speck is on the southern boundary of Grafton Notch State Park. The Appalachian Trail
, a 2,170-mile (3,500-km) National Scenic Trail
from Georgia
to Maine
, runs along the Mahoosuc Range, 0.3 mi. (0.5 km) west of the summit of Old Speck. A short side trail runs off of the Appalachian Trail to the summit of the mountain.There is a fire tower,which is no longer used for fire spotting but is now used to obtain a better view.(from the ground,views are limited as the summit is wooded,but a excellent 360 degree view is present for those who ascend the fire tower.) Speck pond is located below the mountains summit,at 3400 feet.The Appalachian trail descends 1.1 miles from a location near the summit of Old Speck Mountain to the pond.
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
located in Oxford County
Oxford County, Maine
Oxford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine with a population of 57,833 as of the 2010 U.S. census. Its county seat is Paris.Part of Oxford County is included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine, metropolitan New England City and Town Area while a different part of Oxford County is...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. The mountain, the fourth-highest in the state, is the northeasternmost and highest of the Mahoosuc Range, the northeasternmost part of the White Mountains
White Mountains (New Hampshire)
The White Mountains are a mountain range covering about a quarter of the state of New Hampshire and a small portion of western Maine in the United States. Part of the Appalachian Mountains, they are considered the most rugged mountains in New England...
. Old Speck is flanked to the southwest by Mahoosuc Arm, and faces Baldpate Mountain
Baldpate Mountain (Maine)
Baldpate Mountain is a mountain located in Oxford County, Maine. Baldpate has two prominent peaks; West Peak has of elevation, and stands above the col between them....
to the northeast across Grafton Notch
Grafton Notch
Grafton Notch is a notch, or mountain pass, located in Oxford County, Maine.The notch demarks the northeastern end the Mahoosuc Range, and thus of the White Mountains....
.
Old Speck is within the watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
of the Androscoggin River
Androscoggin River
The Androscoggin River is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is long and joins the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay in Maine before its water empties into the Gulf of Maine on the Atlantic Ocean. Its drainage basin is in area...
, which drains into Merrymeeting Bay
Merrymeeting Bay
Merrymeeting Bay is a large freshwater tidal bay in Sagadahoc, Lincoln, and Cumberland counties, in the U.S. state of Maine. Merrymeeting Bay's unusual geography defies common landform terms. It is not what is usually meant by the word bay. It is somewhat like an estuary except for being fresh...
, the estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of the Kennebec River
Kennebec River
The Kennebec River is a river that is entirely within the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine. The East and West Outlets join at Indian Pond and the river then flows southward...
, and thence into the Gulf of Maine
Gulf of Maine
The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of North America.It is delineated by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and Cape Sable at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northeast. It includes the entire coastlines of the U.S...
. The north and east faces of Old Speck drain into the Bear River
Bear River (Androscoggin River)
The Bear River is a tributary of the Androscoggin River in the U.S. state of Maine. It rises in Grafton Notch at the northeastern end of the Mahoosuc Range and flows southeast, joining the Androscoggin in the town of Newry. Maine Route 26 follows the entire course of the river.-References:**...
, thence into the Androscoggin. The southeast and southwest faces drain into the Bull Branch of Goose Eye Brook, thence into Sunday River
Sunday River (Androscoggin River)
Sunday River is a river in Oxford County, Maine in the United States. It is a tributary of the Androscoggin River, which flows east and south to join the Kennebec River in Merrymeeting Bay near the Atlantic Ocean....
and the Androscoggin. The northwest face drains into Silver Stream, thence into Chickwolnepy Stream
Chickwolnepy Stream
Chickwolnepy Stream is a 14.2 mile long river in northern New Hampshire in the United States. It is a tributary of the Androscoggin River, which flows south and east into Maine, joining the Kennebec River near the Atlantic Ocean....
and the Androscoggin.
The summit of Old Speck is on the southern boundary of Grafton Notch State Park. The Appalachian Trail
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
, a 2,170-mile (3,500-km) National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail is a designation for protected areas in the United States that consist of trails of particular natural beauty.National Scenic Trails were authorized under the National Trails System Act of 1968 along with National Historic Trails and National Recreation Trails...
from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, runs along the Mahoosuc Range, 0.3 mi. (0.5 km) west of the summit of Old Speck. A short side trail runs off of the Appalachian Trail to the summit of the mountain.There is a fire tower,which is no longer used for fire spotting but is now used to obtain a better view.(from the ground,views are limited as the summit is wooded,but a excellent 360 degree view is present for those who ascend the fire tower.) Speck pond is located below the mountains summit,at 3400 feet.The Appalachian trail descends 1.1 miles from a location near the summit of Old Speck Mountain to the pond.