It’s a coincidence that information about a new loop trail at Baxter State Park’s northern reaches came to me via a circuitous route.

Brad Viles, whose tales you sometimes see in this space when I’m away, called Monday to check in and to tell me he’d heard about this new hiking trail at Baxter from Chris Drew, chief ranger at the park. Viles is a freelance hiking writer who spends his free time on the trail, any trail. And when he isn’t hiking, he’s maintaining part of the Appalachian Trail over Pleasant Pond Mountain in The Forks and Caratunk. You could say hiking is in his blood.

So Drew contacted Viles recently after work on the Traveler Mountain Trail had been completed to let him know about the newest offering from the trail crews at Baxter State Park. Viles deferred to me, and Drew and I finally connected via phone Wednesday evening. (I had to pull him away from his gardening chores. Sorry, Chris.)

Park crews have created a 10.6-mile loop trail that connects the Center Ridge and North Traveler trails by creating a new 4.3-mile-long trail that ties in The Traveler. What this means is a hiker can now leave the South Branch Pond Campground, hike to The Traveler via the Center Ridge Trail, and return to the campground via the North Traveler Trail.

And this isn’t just a walk in the park, Drew said. “It’s a sleeper.” You climb and descend only 84 feet less than you would hiking from Chimney Pond to Baxter Peak, and it’s a rugged hike, taking 8-10 hours. “Get an early start,” he advised.

The rewards are priceless, though. Drew said he’d done the loop earlier this week when the air was crisp and clear, and from Center Ridge he counted 101 mountain peaks in a 360-degree panorama.

Part of the thinking that went into developing this trail, Drew said, is to provide another hike for folks seeking a new challenge and another way to draw visitors from the heavily used southern section of the park to its northern reaches. If you’ve not ventured this way, put it on your list of places to visit. Even if you don’t take the challenge of the rugged peaks, you’ll be impressed with the feeling of solitude.

A few winters ago I skied in to South Branch Pond with five friends. We were the only people around. I still have a vivid image in my mind of the night sky. I’ve never seen so many stars! There wasn’t a bit of light around to dull the view and the stars stood out like diamonds on black velvet.

“We’d like to have folks discover this part of the park,” Drew said, “and take some of the crowds from Katahdin.”

Here’s how Drew and his crew describe the newest offering:

“The Traveler Mountain Loop includes three separate mountain summits in a 10.6-mile circuit that has a vertical rise of over 3,700 feet. The spectacular panoramic views from the summits of The Peak of the Ridges, Traveler Mountain, and North Traveler Mountain must be experienced to be appreciated. The average round-trip hiking time of fit hikers is 9-10 hours.

“The 3.6-mile hike from the Lower South Branch Pond Campground up the Center Ridge Trail to The Peak of the Ridges begins as a flat wooded hike parallel to the shoreline of the South Branch ponds. The hike from Upper South Branch Pond to The Peak of the Ridges (Center Peak) has a vertical rise of 2,269 feet in over 2 miles. This is the most difficult portion of the Traveler Mountain Loop Trail. This vertical rise is only 84 feet less than the vertical rise from Chimney Pond to Baxter Peak on Mount Katahdin. It is highly recommended that all hikers ascend Traveler Mountain via the Center Ridge Trail and descend via the North Traveler Mountain Trail.

“The hike from the Peak of the Ridges to Traveler Mountain begins with a 2,200-foot hike across and down the Little Knife Edge, a vertical spine of columnar rhyolite rock. At the base of this rock formation the hiker will cross a small alpine meadow and begin [an ascent] through stunted coniferous forest and several small scree walls of stone.

“Traveler Mountain is the highest volcanic mountain in New England (3,541 feet) and possibly the highest on the entire East Coast. The upper portions of the Center Ridge Trail and The Traveler contain large rhyolite talus (loose rock) that is covered with the thin ‘map lichen’ that becomes slippery when wet.

“The hike from Traveler Mountain to North Traveler Mountain begins with a descent over open rock before dropping into another coniferous forest. A short ascent will bring the hiker to The Traveler Ridge (2,990 feet), an open ledge over half a mile in length. A descent from Traveler Ridge passes through a scenic dwarf birch forest that gradually ascends to the open ledges of North Traveler Mountain. The North Traveler Trail will take the hiker back to Lower South Branch Pond.

“The Traveler Mountain Trail from The Peak of the Ridges to North Traveler Mountain is 4.3 miles long. Nearly half of this distance is bare rock.”

Drew said Traveler Mountain was formed by a “volcanic blowout similar to the Mount St. Helens explosion. Traveler rhyolite is a fine-grained and dense granite that is smoother in texture than Katahdin granite. Traveler rhyolite is essentially identical with the rhyolite of the Kineo flint in the Moosehead Lake region.”

Should you decide to head up for a hike, be sure to check with the park for rules and regulations. The easiest way might be to check out the Web site at http://www.baxterstateparkauthority.com/or you could call 723-5140.

The Togue Pond gate hours for fall are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Friday and 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the weekends. The Matagamon Gate is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days per week. Remember that anything you bring into the park should be taken out in true Leave No Trace practices.

Don’t chase animals or feed them and respect other hikers or campers. The park strongly recommends you have the following items in a daypack: water (two quarts minimum), a flashlight, extra food and clothing, sturdy footwear, first aid kit (blisters are common, so don’t forget the moleskin), a map and/or guidebook, a compass, matches, emergency blanket, whistle, knife, parachute cord, and a repair kit.

Dress appropriately for the weather and hiking. That means look to synthetics and stay away from cotton. Be sure to have raingear, too; the weather can change in minutes. This time of year it wouldn’t hurt to have an extra synthetic fleece tucked in your pack.

As for safety, stay on the trail. The park’s guidelines point out that since 1963 there have been 19 fatalities on Katahdin, “80 percent of which were caused by people leaving the trail.” Also, if you stay on the trail, you’re not trampling on fragile plants and causing trail sprawl.

And take stock of your physical abilities. If you are with a group, plan your trip for the least experienced and physically fit person. Remember to plan as much time for your descent as for your ascent. Hiking with a buddy is highly recommended. Always let someone else know where you plan to hike, when you plan to return, and who to call if you do not do so on time.

Drew reminded me that this year there have been two fatalities in the park so far. Last year’s total was three. Search and rescue operations are running on the yearly average of 40-44. Three people have been airlifted from the mountain this year. The most common reasons for people getting lost is poor preparation (they can’t read a map, they didn’t expect the hike would be so tough) and not allowing enough time for the hike and thus getting caught by darkness.

Jeff Strout can be reached at 990-8202 or by e-mail at jstrout@bangordailynews.net.