Peak of the Ridges (Piscataquis County)

Peak of the Ridges from The Traveler.

Physical Description:Peak of the Ridges rises to a height of 3,254-feet, and sits just to the west of The Traveler. The peak is in Baxter State Park. Also known as Center Ridge, the peak can be found on the middle ridge of The Traveler.
The ridge is entirely bald, and that's no exaggeration. Nearly the entire mountain above 2,500-feet is covered in bald ledges and alpine meadows, with views in every direction. The summit of the ridge includes a large rocky crag.
Cliffs are common on the mountain, especially just east of the true high point. This thin, steep, craggy ridge on the east side is known as "Little Knife's Edge" for it's resemblance to the one on Katahdin. It's steep and craggy, and made up of multiple rugged peaks. At some points, the trail follows atop the thin rocks, and just over some steep south facing cliffs.

Trail Overview & Camping:The Center Ridge Trail (2.3 to the summit) ascends the peak from the Pogy Notch Trail. It is highly recommended to do this mountain in conjunction with The Traveler and North Traveler, as a loop.
Center Ridge Trail itself is steep in some places, yet extremely scenic. It's worth the effort, no doubt. Once the trail reaches "Little Knife's Edge" it becomes steeper, as it climbs up and down several steep, rugged crags.
Camping can be found at South Branch Pond Campground, but be sure to schedule far ahead of time. There is also a shelter at the southern end of Upper South Branch Pond, which sits just to the west of the ridge.

History & Lists:While the naming of the ridge is obvious, The Traveler gets it's name from the fact that it seemingly moved down the East Branch of the Penobscot River with loggers. The mountain is on no other lists.

GALLERY

The South Branch Ponds and South Branch Mountain.

Looking toward The Traveler from the summit.

The summit sign and Mt.Katahdin.

The beginning of Little Knife's Edge.

Some of Little Knife's Edge.

Yup, this is the trail.

One of the crags on the ridge.

Katahdin from the col.

Katahdin from the ridge.

Another rocky crag along the trail.

What Can Be Seen...

The view looking south.

A closer look at Katahdin.

If you think Peak of the Ridges looks like a fun hike, then do it alongside The Traveler and North Traveler as an awesome loop hike. Not only is it scenic, but it's also unique, with the only other Knife's Edge outside of Katahdin. Get out there, and climb away!