| Black Cap Mountain | |
| Elevation Ft: | 1020 |
| Prominence Ft: | 570 |
| Location: | Penobscot County, Maine, U.S. |
| Map: | USA Maine |
| Coordinates: | 44.7536°N -68.5661°W |
| Easiest Route: | Hiking, |
Black Cap Mountain is a mountain in Penobscot County, Maine, United States.[1] The mountain is southeast of Eddington, Maine, and the Penobscot River.[2] It is accessible from Maine Route 46, near its intersection with The Airline (State Route 9).
The mountain is named for its granite peak, which is mostly bare with a few scrubby trees. From the mountain there is a panoramic view of western Maine, the Western Maine Mountains, and the eastern portion of the White Mountain National Forest.
Black Cap consists of a range of hills, approximately long, with an average breadth of wide.[2] Both Boy Scout Camp Roosevelt and Fitts Pond sit at the base of the mountain.[3] The summit is home to a number of microwave,[4] radio and television broadcasting antennas, including WMEH of Maine Public Radio.[5]
The mountain is prominent in the area and is part of the southeastern vista of Bangor.[6] It can also be seen from the Penobscot Bay and the sea.[7] The area around the mountain has been affected by several natural disasters. The 1938 New England hurricane leveled the surrounding forest,[8] and a spruce forest was planted in its place.[9] The mountain also has beech trees and blueberry bushes. The latter began to grow after a series of forest fires swept through the area in the 1800s clearing the forest and opening the land.[9]
The Katahdin Area Council, owners of the Camp Roosevelt,[10] own two-thirds of the mountain. Private landholders own the rest of the land, with energy company Emera owning one acre on the summit of the mountain for a radio tower.[11]
The mountain has a popular hiking trail, whose trailhead adjoins the parking lot for Camp Roosevelt.[12] [13]