Jamies Pond

Manchester/Hallowell

Also know as Jimmy Pond or Jimmies Pond, Jamies Pond Wildlife Management Area offers hikers a mini-wilderness experience just minutes from Downtown Hallowell. The nearly 800-acre preserve encompasses Jamies Pond, a 107-acre pond almost free of development thanks to the pond’s role as Hallowell’s water supply from the 1920s through the 1980s. The City of Hallowell, Land for Maine’s future and an anonymous donor funded the purchase of the pond and surrounding land from the Hallowell Water District with in 1991, and since then the Kennebec Land Trust has assisted in the addition of three parcels. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife holds title to the land and manages it for wildlife. The surrounding woods are made up of tall white pines, American beech, red oak and other mixed hardwoods with hemlock mixed in. The forest floor is largely open and littered with mossy granite boulders. In the spring and early summer expect to hear warblers singing from the canopy above and, if you’re lucky, you may hear the haunting call of a loon out on the water. In the winter, the trails are open to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Getting There
From Water Street in Hallowell, take Central Street west, up the hill about 1.8 miles. Arc left onto Shady Lane and go about 0.4 miles to the intersection with the Outlet Road. Turn right and go about 1 mile to Jamies Pond Road. Turn right. You will reach the winter parking area (the road is gated here off season) in about 0.3 miles. Continue another 0.5 miles to the pond parking area and boat launch.

The Trails


Jamies Pond Wildlife Management Area has a trail network made up of eight distinct trail segments that can be combined into a variety of loops, providing an endless array of hiking options and opportunities. The trails are all well-marked with blue tree blazes and maps at all of the major intersections; pocket maps are available at the kiosk. The trails are all narrow dirt tracks (in places they follow wider old logging roads) with roots and rocks jutting up throughout and numerous crossings over small rivulets.

Most of the trails begin to the right of the parking area (as you’re facing the pond), near a small “Trails” sign. A short distance into the woods a large kiosk displays a map of the area and the trails and other information related to wildlife. Just beyond the kiosk the trail crosses a small inlet stream on a wooden bridge.

Lower Pond Trail
Distance: 0.3 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: moderate

The Lower Pond Trail skirts the northwest bank of the pond. Although the trail is removed from the pond by about 100 feet or so, you can still view the water through the gaps in the widely-spaced trees. The trail is fairly level, without a lot of ups and downs, and crosses a number of small inlets, usually over well-made stone crossings. The Lower Pond Trail ends at a junction with the Pine Point Trail and a connector trail that leads to the Middle and Upper Pond Trails.

Pine Point Trail
Distance: 0.2 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Moderate
Pine Point Trail leads to one of the prime destinations at the Jamies Pond Wildlife Management Area--Pine Point, a large, smooth slab of granite that juts out into the water at the tip of a small peninsula. Pine Point Trail begins where Lower Pond Trail ends, continuing to skirt the northwest bank of the pond. The trail forks at the junction with Hemlock Trail. Take the left fork, angling downhill to the edge of the pond at Pine Point. The point, a large chunk of rock that juts out into the pond, is an ideal picnic spot.

Upper Pond Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Moderate
The Upper Pond Trail starts at the right fork in the trail, just across the bridge. The trail passes an old granite dam on the right and continues uphill, away from the stream. At the first fork in the road, take the right branch (the left is the Middle Pond Trail). When the trail forks again near the top of the hill stay to the left (the right fork starts the Forest Trail). From here the trail traverses the heill, meets the Vernal Pool trail at another fork and then heads downhill to meet once again with the Middle Pond Trail and ends at the junction with the Lower Pond Trail and Pine Point Trail.

Middle Pond Trail
Distance: about 0.3 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Moderate

The Middle Pond Trail is a short connector trail that connects with the Upper Pond Trail at both ends. It follows a similar path to the Lower Pond Trail, but slightly uphill from it.

Forest Trail
Distance: 1.5 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult


The Forest Trail starts loops uphill from the Upper Pond Trail, passing through a number of forest types: dark pine plantation, young beech forest, dense early successional woods of young fir and hardwood trees, quiet hemlock grove. The Forest Trail is very wet and muddy through several sections, especially during early spring.

From the Upper Pond Trail the Forest Trail forks to the right near an old cellar hole, crosses Meadow Hill Road (resuming across the road and just to the right on an old tote road) and heads uphill. The trail forks to the right, leaving the tote road just shy of a wood fence and “No ATV” sign that marks the property boundary, and traverses the hill just below the summit through a young beech wood. The trail begins to angle downhill into hemlock groves and through very wet areas where the vegetation grows densely, nearly obscuring the trail in some segments. The trail follows the banks of the feeder stream for a short distance, crossing side streams several times on log bridges or stone steps before crossing over the main stream below a beaver dam on a new bridge recently constructed by an Eagle Scout. In this area the forest canopy is more open, letting in the sunlight. The trail begins to head uphill again. A short spur trail that forks off to the left leads uphill from the Forest Trail to the power line corridor. The main trail angles downhill, crosses Jamies Pond Road, follows along a stone wall on the left and heads down , coming out of the woods directly across the parking lot from the lake (just to the right of the brick HWD building).

Collins Road Access Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Moderate
To reach the Collins Road Access Trail continue on the Outlet Road (which changes to Bog Farm Road and then Collins Road) about 1.8 miles beyond the turn to Jamies Pond Road. There will be a small parking area on your right with a “Jamies Pond Wildlife Management Area” sign. The Collins Road Access Trail is a narrow path through an area of tall hemlocks and ferns. It crosses several wet areas using stepping stones and ends at a fork that marks the junction with the Hemlock Trail and Vernal Pond Trail.

Hemlock Trail
Distance: 0.5 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult

The Hemlock Trail starts at the juncture with the Collins Road Access Trail and the Vernal Pond Trail. From the Collins Road Access Trail, take the right fork, heading uphill slightly. For a short distance the trail follows a stone wall with a massive granite boulder in it and then heads downhill, crosses the Tote Road and ends at the point where the Lower Pond Trail and Pine Point Trail meet.

Vernal Pool Trail
Distance: 0.7 miles
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult

The Vernal Pool Trail starts at the junction with the Collins Road Access Trail and the Hemlock Trail. Coming from Collins Road, take the left fork and follow the trail gradually uphill through a predominantly beech forest . The trail passes several large granite boulders and levels out at the top of a hill where it follows a stone wall for a short distance before angling to the right and downhill. The Vernal Pool Trail crosses the Tote Road and ends at the juncture with the Upper Pond Trail.

Tote Road
Distance: approximately 0.5 miles
Difficulty: moderate

The Tote Road provides access from the Manchester end of the WMA. To reach the trailhead, take Western Avenue (Route 202) from Augusta west to Manchester and turn south on the Pond Road. In about two miles, turn left on Meadow Hill Road and go 1.4 miles to a small grassy driveway on your right. There is a “Jamie’s Pond Wildlife Management Area” sign just beyond the parking area. The tote road heads downhill from here and crosses the Vernal Pool and Hemlock Trails. True to its name, the Tote Road Trail follows the path of an old road. It is somewhat overgrown with grass, ferns and other plants in some areas, is not well-marked with tree blazes like the other trails and at one point comes to an unmarked fork (take a left).

Kid-Friendly Factor

The tall trees and mossy boulders make Jamies Pond a magical place for kids to explore. The narrow, bumpy trails are definitely not do-able with a stroller, although you can push a stout jogging stroller along the closed section of the Jamies Pond Road, over a recently-constructed wooden bridge and uphill to the end of Meadow Hill Road (to reach this road from Manchester, follow the directions to the Tote Road Trail, and continue straight to the end of the Meadow Hill Road). Little ones can ride in a backpack or sling and those with stouter legs would enjoy some of the shorter loops. Try to make it all the way to Pine Point for a picnic and some water play. Older kids should be readily able to manage a longer loop and would enjoy fishing or canoeing in the pond. I have taken a group of kids over the Forest Trail, which was a challenge with the many wet areas, dense vegetation and length of the trail, but they all made it.

Getting Involved
Jamies Pond trails are maintained by Friends of Jamies Pond volunteers. To become a volunteer, contact the Hallowell Conservation Commission (207-623-4021) or the Manchester Conservation Commission (207-622-1894).

Hallowell Recreation Area/City Forest

Hallowell

The Hallowell Recreation Area, known locally as “The Res” offers hikers an unexpected patch of wilderness just minutes from downtown Hallowell. The small but lovely reservoir has a decidedly “wild” feel, with a beach on one side and surrounded on the other sides by dense woods of tall pines, white birch and other mixed hardwoods, with wintergreen, Canada mayflower and other native plants growing in the understory. The surrounding woods, encompassing 188 acres, are dotted with springs and vernal pools and the remnants of Hallowell’s historic granite quarries. Hallowell Recreation Area is the largest city-owned property open to public use. The area also includes a neglected-looking ball field and basketball court, which once served the City’s recreation programs, and covered picnic areas near the beach.

Getting there
From Water Street in Hallowell, take Central Street west, up the hill 1.5 miles. Turn right on Town Farm Road, and go 0.5 miles to Reservoir Road, on the left next to a small, square pond. Alternately, you can take Winthrop street 1.4 miles from downtown Hallowell, turn left onto Town Farm Road and go 0.2 miles to Reservoir Road. Reservoir Road is gated off-season and a small parking area to the right of the road offers space for about 8-10 cars. During the summer, drive up Reservoir Road about ¼ mile to a gravel parking area next to the beach.

The Trails
Distance: Approximately 2 miles (loop)

Time: 1-2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

The trails are unmarked, but not difficult to follow. They are also unnamed, but I refer to them here as the “snowmobile loop” and “reservoir loop” for convenience. You can choose to take the shorter reservoir loop that skirts the water’s edge just inside the woods, or the longer snowmobile loop that climbs up higher through the woods. They both start and end at the same place. If you have a lot of time and are feeling adventuresome, you can explore the other snowmobile trails that fork off from the snowmobile loop at two points.

From the winter parking area, follow Reservoir Road approximately ¼ mile, passing another small pond on the right, to where the trail opens out to a gravel lot (summer parking area), with a somewhat dilapidated baseball field on the right, a crumbling basketball court and old, out-of-service bath house on the left, and a pond--The Res--straight ahead. Four covered picnic areas appear to be under construction in the grassy area between the gravel and the water.

The trail begins in the woods just to the right of the reservoir. It follows a wide, but somewhat bumpy snowmobile trail, with small side trails occasionally providing access to the water’s edge.

At the far corner of the pond the trail forks. The left fork (reservoir loop) is a narrow footpath that skirts the far shore of the reservoir, through the woods, with glimpses of The Res to your left. Under a large pine tree the reservoir loop trail forks. The left fork takes you downhill and across the outlet stream over a series of rocks, just below the granite dam, and comes out of the woods near the beach and picnic area. The right fork continues on a short distance, eventually dropping down a small bank to re-join the snowmobile loop. Turn left at the snowmobile loop to return to Reservoir Road.

The right fork (snowmobile loop) follows the snowmobile trail uphill, angling to the left. The trail passes a big slag pile on the right. Just beyond the pile, a short side trail on the right leads to a shady water-filled granite quarry. The trail continues uphill to a four-way intersection at the top of the hill. Turn left and begin to head downhill (the first 100 yards of this section of trail is wet but passable in spring). Continue downhill through a hemlock and mixed hardwood forest to where the trail meets another four-way intersection.

The left fork continues downhill, through another wet area, and crosses a small stream. A narrow footpath leads up into the woods on the left of the trail; this is the far end of the reservoir loop. Continue downhill to a small gulley where the outflow of a small beaver pond on the left flows over the trail. Cross the stream on small rocks and head back uphill a short distance, emerging from the woods along the edge of Reservoir Road, just shy of and across from the ball field (a large rock and a huge section of concrete pipe mark this end of the trail).

Kid-Friendly Factor
The Res is a great place for kids. The walk from the road to the water is wide, flat and easy for little walkers, beginning bikers or parents pushing strollers. The reservoir loop would make a challenging but fun hike for kids four to five years or older, and the wider but longer snowmobile loop offers a longer walk for older kids or even a challenging run for beginning mountain bikers. I pushed the double jogging stroller the whole length of the snowmobile loop, but the trail is fairly bumpy, with roots and rocks jutting up, and it took two of us to push the stroller up the steeper part of the hill, so I wouldn’t recommend it unless you really want the extra exercise and don’t mind the wear and tear on your stroller. The ball fields and beach offer additional space for running around, and what kid isn’t entertained for hours by throwing rocks and sticks into water?

Vaughan Woods

Hallowell

My husband grew up knowing Vaughan Woods as “Hobbit Land,” because of the miniature stone chairs and tables hidden throughout the woods. He has never been able to re-find and show me the Lilliputian seating arrangements--whether they were figments of his childhood imagination, dismantled to make fire rings, or spirited away by the elves I may never know. In any case, Vaughn Woods has such an enchanted feel, it’s not difficult to imagine sprites twinkling among the mossy tree trunks, gnomes patrolling the stone bridges and (cold-loving) dryads and nymphs bathing below the waterfall.

This privately-owned parcel is cooperatively managed by the Vaughan Homestead Foundation, the Gibson Family, the Kennebec Land Trust and local volunteers. Vaughan woods covers 166 acres, with a number of trails meandering through a mature hardwood forest, rambling across fields and crisscrossing Vaughan Brook on magnificent stone bridges. The piece de resistance, a large, arched granite bridge crosses a cascading Vaughan Brook just below the waterfall rushing down the face of an old granite block dam.

Getting ThereFrom Water Street in downtown Hallowell, take any of the cross streets west one block to Second Street. Turn left and follow Second to the stop sign at the intersection with Middle St. and the Hallowell-Litchfield Road. Just before the intersection there is a small parking area on your left (there is no sign to indicate you are at Vaughn Woods, but there is a small kiosk just inside the trees). Climb over a small stone wall or go under the gate to the right of the parking area.

The Trails
Vaughan Woods’ trails are un-named and un-marked, but well-worn so it is relatively easy to distinguish trail from non-trail.

The Main Loop
Distance: Approximately 2 miles
Time: 1-2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate

This is a wide, level trail, surfaced in mulch and leaf litter with long gradual ascents and descents. From the woods next to the parking area, the trail angles down to the left, skirts a small field and re-enters the woods. Once inside the woods, turn right. The trail crosses a series of small, arched stone bridges over small hillside drainages (keep your eyes open for the trolls that guard the bridges). Vaughan Brook is far below, on your left. The trail parallels the brook under a canopy of pine and mixed hardwood (American beech, white birch, red oak), slowly descending to water level. As the trail nears the level of the brook, you will see a large arched bridge ahead. The bridge crosses Vaughan Brook just below the holding pond. Stop a moment to enjoy the surge of the water rushing down the falls and cascading over rocks below.

Just beyond the bridge, the trail forks. Go either way; the trail loops back to this point. Taking the right fork, the trail ascends a long gradual hill through mixed hardwood and hemlock forest. In a grove of tall hemlocks, the trail levels out some and forks again. The right fork is a short spur that angles downhill to I-95. The left fork continues the gradual ascent. The trail levels out somewhat in a small opening in the trees and forks again. The right fork angles downhill a short distance to Hall-Dale High School. The left fork continues to climb gradually a short ways before it begins a somewhat steeper descent to a long, rolling field. It follows the field down hill, veering left, over a couple of undulations, and back into the woods. It crosses a small stream over a large slab of granite and rejoins the beginning of the loop at the fork. From here, retrace your steps across the bridge and along the ridge, through the small field and back to the parking area.


Other Trails
There are a number of ancillary trails that parallel Vaughan Brook and explore other parts of the woods, but they are closed right now due to erosion, bird nesting or are impassable with snow. I will return later in the summer for an update.

Kid-Friendly Factor
Vaughan Woods is one of my favorite places to take my kids. The broad, smooth trails work great with jogging strollers (even the double) and they could all manage most of the Main Loop by age two, and they could spend all day playing Pooh sticks at the bridge, or throwing rocks in the water below. For older children, the tall woods offer myriad opportunities for hide-and-seek and what better place than the enchanted Hobbit Land to build fairy houses? Keep in mind that some parts of the trails drop off rather steeply; the tragic accident last year, in which a middle-school child died as a result of injuries from a fall at Vaughn Woods should serves as a reminder for us to remain vigilant of our children, even in seemingly tame hiking locales.

Kennebec River Rail Trail, Part 2

Gardiner to Hallowell

The final section of the KRRT, from Farmingdale to Hallowell, officially opened on October 4, completing the 6.5 mile rail trail. This southern half of the trail extends 3.75 miles from the Hannaford parking lot in Gardiner to the southern edge of downtown Hallowell, at which point it joins Water Street to the rail trail parking lot north of town. If you don’t have time to complete the whole Gardiner to Hallowell section, opt for walking the area between Hallowell and the KV Health Club access at mile 5.0. This part of the trail is more scenic, traveling through a pleasant mixed hardwood forest, and more removed from the road.


Getting There
To start on the KRRT from the southern terminus in Gardiner, turn into the Hannaford parking lot on Maine Avenue. Park near the Rail Trail kiosk at the northeast corner of the parking lot. In Farmingdale, you can access the trail at Sheldon Street, Bowman Street, Hill Street and across from the KV Health club. In Hallowell, access the trail from the south end of Water Street or at Greenville Street. Not all of these access points offer obvious parking.


The Trail
Length: 3.75 miles (each way)
Difficulty: Easy
Walking Time: 2-4 hours (round-trip)

The trail starts at mile 6.5 in the Hannaford parking lot. From there, the trail heads north, under Bridge Street. For the first half-mile, the trail is squeezed between Maine Avenue on the left and the tracks on the right, with the river gleaming just beyond. This section of trail is wide open, with no trees to offer shade. After passing into Farmingdale at Sheldon Street, mile 6.0 (where the only bench on the southern portion of the trail is located), a few trees and houses begin to separate the trail from the road, providing some buffer from the noise of traffic. Just before Bowman Street, around mile 5.75, a small drive-through coffee shop offers refreshment to weary walkers. Approaching mile 5.5 and Hill Street, the trail again travels right along Maine Avenue. After mile 5.0, at the KV Health Club access, the trail departs from the road, dipping down a hillside, along a grassy floodplain that thickens into a dense stand of mixed hardwood. The trail passes over small inlet stream and then crosses tracks, skirting along the river into a stand of giant oak trees, including one double-trunked specimen with an impressive girth. Around mile 4.5 the trail moves into a lovely forest of white birch and other hardwood trees. Unfortunately the rock crusher humming up the hill to the left mars the peace of these woods somewhat. The trail crosses back over the tracks just below mile 4.5. At mile 3.75, on the Hallowell line, the a small stream cascades down the bank to the left in a number of small waterfalls, and passes under the trail. At mile 3.25 the trail goes under Maine Avenue/Water Street and crosses Greenville Street. The trail crosses a wooden bridge over Vaughn Brook just before mile 3.0, then crosses the tracks again, and heads downhill to Water Street. At mile 2.75 the off-road part of the trail ends. At this point, northbound bicyclists must cross Water Street to the northbound bike lane. Where the downtown parking begins, bikes will need to merge with traffic until the trail starts up again at the north end of town. Pedestrians will need to navigate the broken and often closed sidewalks through town.

Kid-Friendly Factor
Like the Augusta portion of the KRRT, this section is also paved and smooth, with little change in grade. This surface makes it ideal for strollers and little bikers. In areas where the trail comes near the road or a steep bank, it is fenced off, making it safe for little ones to explore. Although all of the bikers I have encountered have been courteous and not too fast, it’s best to stick to the right side of the trail and allow them plenty of space to pass. Getting through Hallowell to connect one section of trail with the other could pose some hazards to small kids on foot or bike.

Kennebec River Rail Trail, Part 1

Augusta to Hallowell
The birth of the Kennebec River Rail Trail marks Augusta’s entrance into the ranks of cities with riverside recreation trails. When complete, the KRRT will cover 6.5 miles from Gardiner through Farmingdale and Hallowell to Augusta. At this point, two sections are finished: Augusta to Hallowell and Gardiner to Farmingdale. The final, middle section of the trail is scheduled for completion in September 2007. The sheer number of people out jogging, strolling, and biking on any given day attest to how valuable safe, pleasant trails are to our communities.

Getting There
The Augusta-Hallowell section of the Kennebec River Rail Trail can be accessed at three points. The trail’s northernmost terminus opens out into the Maine State Housing Authority parking lot, directly under Memorial Bridge, at the south end of downtown Augusta (this is also the handicap access point to the trail). To reach the second access point, turn onto Union Street just south of Capitol Park and turn right into the parking lots for the ball fields at Capital Park (near the YMCA). To access the trail in Hallowell, park in the lot at the north end of Water Street.

The Trail
Distance: 2 miles
Walking time: 1-2 hours
Difficulty: easy

The Augusta-Hallowell portion of the Kennebec River Rail Trail is surprisingly peaceful, considering it is located only a short distance from State Street. Trees line the trail for most of the distance, and the river bank drops steeply down to the water, affording visitors a view of the Kennebec’s placid waters and the forested east bank, which appears undeveloped most of the way. Aside from the wastewater treatment facility near the Capital Park access point, a few warehouses and some type of abandoned-looking industrial installation near the Hallowell entrance, very little industrial development remains to remind walkers of the railroad’s existence.

The trail is wide, level and paved for the Augusta portion, topped with crushed stone in Hallowell. Because it follows the rail bed, there is very little change in grade the entire distance, the only climbing required is to reach the access points in Hallowell and Capital Park.

Kid-friendly Factor
Thanks to the non-existent grade and wideness of the paths, the rail trail is a great place to push a stroller and for little kids to try out shaky biking skills. Although the trail is well-used, I’ve found most people are extremely tolerant of kids biking in the wrong lane or darting across the pathway unexpectedly.

Getting Involved
To help support the completion of the rail trail, contact the Friends of the Kennebec River Rail Trail.