Let’s get the whole name thing out of the way. The Chick Hills are really Big and Little Peaked Mountains. Chick Hill is just north of Big Peaked Mountain. Since everyone knows the mountains by the wrong name, I’ll stick with that common usage.
An eagle making a flyover
Whatever you call them, they’re east of Bangor along the Airline right at the Hancock county line. You can see them from all around Bangor. They are a part of a collection of granite hills that include Bald Bluff Mountain and Eagle Bluff (a popular rock climbing spot).
Little Chick Hill from near the summit of Big Chick Hill
The standard route up Big Chick Hill is the service road for the tower on the summit. Obviously, that’s not Wicked Wild. Rather than ascend the road, use it for your descent. Start your hike on the trail just to the right of the road. This trail winds through the woods then climbs steeply up Little Chick Hill. As you near the summit, you break out of the trees and follow along a cliff top with fine views. This section is what earned the mountain a place on the list.
Near the top of the steep section on Little Chick Hill
The trail passes just to the right of the summit. Turn right and step out onto a clifftop with fine views. MDI peeks over a hill to the south—you’ll get clear views of The Island from Big Chick Hill. Follow the blazes east along the top of the cliff. Descend steeply off the cliff and into the woods. Descend steeply through the woods to an old woods road. Cross the woods road and pass through a swampy area of large boulders. The trail begins to climb Big Chick Hill. It gets rockier and steeper. Reach slabs in an open oak forest. Quickly, you emerge on open slabs with the tower on the summit visible. Follow the slabs to the summit (the blazes stay away from the edge of the cliff, but the views are better on the unblazed trail that skirts the edge).
Nearing the summit
From the open summit, you have great views of the surrounding hills and Mount Desert Island in the distance. This is a great hike all year. In the summer, the granite slopes are bursting with blueberries. In the fall, the rolling country is awash with color.
Mount Desert Island from along the trail on Little Chick Hill
After following the road back to the trailhead, you’ll have hiked 3.2 miles and climbed 1200 feet.
Chick Hill Road is 3.8 miles east of the junction of ME9 and ME46 in Eddington. Follow ME9 east. Turn left onto Chick Hill Road at the bottom of a hill where you have a spectacular view of Little Chick Hill. The parking is on the left where the pavement ends.
