Surprising Finds at the Summit of Maine’s Mount Apatite

It was a crisp, beautiful Friday morning which to me, is perfect day for a family hike before school started back up. So that's what we did! It was one of those days that is too chilly for a swim but too warm to stay inside. I grabbed my son, Bentley, and my wife, Nelly, and told them we should head out for a hike up Mount Apatite. And, of course, we couldn’t leave behind our new furbaby, Moondog.

When we arrived at the mountain entrance in Auburn, we were all excited to begin, especially since it was Moondog’s first mountain hike. As we made our way up, we  laughed, explored, and took so many fun pictures!

Mount Apatite is truly a hidden gem, and not just because of it's fun hike but the summit is known for its unique stones and minerals, hidden in the rocks. Which makes it feel like a legitimate treasure hunt! There is a gigantic, old tree at the start of the hike, perfect to stop for a picture.

Once you get to the top, that's when the fun truly begins. My wife is so good at bringing all of our "equipment." So if you are going to Mount Apatite there are a few things you must bring: hammers, safety goggles, construction worker hats, gloves, buckets, and stone polishers. Well, that's what we brought. It made it fun for Bentley to dress up like a really mineral rocking finding man!

We did find quartz but others have uncovered tourmaline, beryl, garnet, fluorite, lepidolite and more!

But, wait, there's more. The most stunning thing that I believe we witnessed at the summit of this awesome rocky mountain were the rock designs!

So, not only can you discover gems and minerals but you can also witness stunning rock designs everywhere you go!

If you'd like to take the family on on epic hike, Mount Apatite in Auburn is your spot!