A Cold War Wreck Still Lying in the Woods
On January 24, 1963, an Air Force B-52C Stratofortress on a low-altitude training run lost its vertical stabilizer in heavy turbulence and went down on the southern slope of Elephant Mountain, southeast of Greenville. Seven of the nine men aboard died. The pilot and the navigator survived after ejecting into deep January snow, and the navigator spent the night in a survival pack waiting for rescue. The wreckage was too remote and too broken to haul out, so most of it is still there. More than sixty years later you can walk in and stand among it.
This is not a hike for the view. It is a short, flat walk to a debris field that spreads across several acres of forest, the broken aluminum of a bomber slowly going green under the moss. A memorial plaque lists the names of the men who died. A sign at the trailhead asks visitors to treat the site with respect and leave everything where it lies. People do. It is one of the most quietly affecting places in the Moosehead region, and it stays that way because the people who make the long drive in understand what it is.
Walking the Site
The walk from the parking area to the wreckage is short, about a tenth of a mile to the first debris and a loop of roughly four-tenths of a mile if you follow the path through the main field. The ground is flat forest floor. There is no climbing involved despite the name. The tail section sits apart from the rest, and the vertical stabilizer that failed came down more than a mile away.
Move slowly and read the markers. The fuselage, engines, landing gear, and smaller fragments are spread through the trees, and a memorial sits at the heart of the field. This is a recognized historic site on the Maine archaeological inventory. Taking pieces is both disrespectful and illegal. Photograph it, walk it, and leave it whole for the next person.
Stop at the Moosehead Marine Museum or the Moosehead Lake region visitor center in Greenville before you drive out, and use that as your odometer reset point. The directions everyone uses are measured from town: roughly 6 to 7 miles north on Lily Bay Road, then right onto Prong Pond Road, then about 8 miles of gravel following the memorial signs. Reset your trip meter so you do not miss the turns.
Getting There
This is the hard part, and it is the reason the site stays uncrowded. From the blinking light in downtown Greenville, drive north on Lily Bay Road for roughly 6 to 7 miles, then turn right onto Prong Pond Road. From there it is about 8 miles of rough gravel logging road, following signs for the B-52 memorial, to the small parking area at the trailhead. The total drive from Greenville is around 15 miles and takes a good while because of the road surface.
These are active logging roads. They are rutted and rough, high-clearance helps, and logging trucks have the right of way at all times. There is no cell service out there. Bring a paper map or a downloaded offline map, a full tank, and a spare. Greenville is roughly an hour and three-quarters from Bangor and over three hours from Portland.
The crash site sits at the end of miles of private gravel logging road with no cell coverage and no services. Roads can close during active logging, wash out in heavy rain, and turn to soup in mud season. Do not attempt it in a low car or in winter. Tell someone your plan, carry water and a spare tire, and yield to every logging truck you meet.
When to Go
Spring
Mud season makes the logging roads dangerous or impassable into May. Wait until the roads firm up and dry out before driving in.
Summer
The roads are at their most reliable. Bring bug protection, because the black flies and mosquitoes in this deep woods are serious in June and July.
Fall
Firm roads, fewer bugs, and cool air. September and early October are the best window, but watch for active logging traffic.
Winter
The access roads are not maintained for cars in winter. The site is reached only by snowmobile, which is how many locals visit it from the Moosehead trail network.
A lot of Mainers see the crash site for the first time on a snowmobile, not in a car. In winter the road in is part of the Moosehead-area sled trail system, and riders pull off to walk the wreckage in the snow. If you ride, it is one of the more meaningful stops on the network. If you drive, go in summer or early fall and treat the place like the memorial it is.
B-52 Crash Site Visit Checklist
- Full tank of gas (no services past Greenville)
- Paper map or downloaded offline map (no cell signal)
- Spare tire and the tools to change it
- Strong bug spray (deep woods, fierce black flies in early summer)
- Water and snacks
- Sturdy shoes for the flat but rooty forest floor
- Camera, and the discipline to leave every piece of wreckage where it lies
FAQ
Can you still see the B-52 wreckage?
Yes. Most of the bomber was never removed. The fuselage, engines, landing gear, and scattered fragments still lie across several acres of forest, with a memorial to the seven crew members who died at the heart of the site.
How hard is it to get to the B-52 crash site?
The walk itself is short and flat, under half a mile round trip. The challenge is the drive: about 15 miles from Greenville, including roughly 8 miles of rough gravel logging road with no cell service. High clearance helps.
Is there a fee to visit the crash site?
No. There is no fee and no formal trailhead facilities, just a small parking area and a sign asking visitors to respect the site. It is reached across private logging land, so yield to logging trucks.
When did the B-52 crash on Elephant Mountain?
On January 24, 1963, during a low-level training flight, the aircraft lost its vertical stabilizer in turbulence and crashed. Seven of the nine crew died; the pilot and navigator survived after ejecting into deep snow.
Can I take a piece of the wreckage home?
No. The site is on the Maine historic archaeological inventory, and removing material is illegal as well as disrespectful. Photograph it and leave everything in place for the people who come after you.
