Little Wilson Falls, a 75-foot slate stepped waterfall, is one of the tallest waterfalls in Maine and is accessible from a 2.7 mile there-and-back hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT) in the Moosehead Lake Region. The elevation gain is moderate (755 ft) and it’s pretty much just a walk through the woods with a few steep hills to climb.
[sgpx gpx=”/wp-content/uploads/gpx/Little Wilson Falls.gpx”]| Duration | Distance | Ascent | Difficulty |
| 2 Hours | 2.7 Miles | 755 ft | Moderate |
You’ll follow close the stream for about the first mile, then the trail gains elevation and bears left from the stream until it meets the AT and then its a short easy walk to Little Wilson Falls. I was a little worried because I had heard that this trail was hard to find and follow but thankfully that was not the case at all. The trail from the parking area to the junction with the AT was well marked and appeared to have been recently cleared.
This trip was in October when the water was low but the falls were still lovely to see. It’s difficult to get great pictures here, that’s why most pictures are from the same angle, because you’ll be taking pictures from one side of the gorge or from the top and it’s difficult to capture the falls in their entirety. My pictures especially suck. You can climb down the side of the gorge to get a better angle but be careful, you’re in the 100 mile wilderness!
For a longer hike, at the junction of the AT, instead of turning left to Little Wilson Falls, you can turn right and follow the AT north to Big Wilson Cliffs. While you’re in the area, I recommend stopping at Big Wilson Falls, ironically these are smaller falls than Little Wilson Falls, but more photogenic in my opinion and you can just pull over near the bridge and walk to them. Also nearby is the fabulous Boreston Mountain hike at Maine Audubon. Pack a lunch and go to all three for a classic Maine day trip!
Finding Little Wilson Falls Trailhead
On Route 15 in Monson, take a right on Elliotsville Road. Just before the small bridge at Big Wilson Falls, there’s a dirt road on your left called Campground Rd that you’ll probably drive by. Try not to. Take that gravel road and you’ll find a small parking area. You can park there if you have a car that doesn’t do well with off-roading and walk about a half mile on the dirt road to the trailhead, but you should be able to continue driving on the narrow dirt road until it ends at the parking area by the stream.
