I tried Bannock Mountain for the first time today, and I'm glad I did. I took the Joe Augus Memorial Trail north from Maine Rte. 43. It's a snowmobile trail in winter, and was in very good condition. It's basically an old two-track dirt jeep trail. It is not blazed, but the trail is wide and easy to follow. In a few places, plants like raspberry bushes are growing over the trail, but you can still follow it with little difficulty. I did the hike during a light shower, but barely felt anything because the trail is almost completely covered by tree canopy, except for the summit. The trees are chiefly beeches and maples, though there are also oaks, birches and basswoods, especially on the lower half of the trail. On this late July day, there was a tremendous range of mushrooms growing alongside (and sometimes in) the trail. It's a pretty setting, though there are no views until the summit. After the first few minutes going up, the climb is steadily and consistently upward.
The summit is...peculiar. There is a half- built house there, and apparently work stopped some years ago. I've never seen anything like it. There are some views to the west looking toward Clearwater Pond. But leafy trees, haze from faraway fires and a rainy day limited the view to the outlines of distant mountains. It would be much better on a clear winter or early spring day. There were a few small, juicy raspberries growing at the summit.
Finding the trailhead off of Rte. 43 took a couple of tries. It is west of Shaw Hill Road, perhaps a few hundred yards west of 1589 Industry Road. There is a small clearing at the trailhead on the north side of the road. There is no parking lot; I parked on the unpaved shoulder of Rte. 43. Be careful getting out of your car; I think it's a 55 MPH zone and while there aren't lots of cars, they do go by fast. About ten to fifteen feet or so in from the road, there is a rectangular wooden sign marking this as the Joe Augus Memorial Trail.
One more note: One hiking report on Peakbagger suggests that they climbed to the top from the north and east, up Bannock Mountain Road. But the only entrance to Bannock Mountain Road, off Shaw Hill Road, blocks it with a chain and a "Private Road" sign. (This is the road shown here on the map). I'd take the southern route up that I did, instead.