Calumet Park

Augusta

Calumet Park is a 27-acre park located on Northern Avenue in Augusta. Near the road, the park offers a playground, tennis and basketball courts, a ball field and, in winter, an ice skating rink. A wooded area extends downhill behind the field. Although the Augusta City Park literature describes the park as having trails, it's really more of a glorified bushwack through the woods. An older man who lives near the park told me that when his children were young, they used to be able to follow the trails all the way to an ice cream stand on Mt. Vernon Avenue.

Getting There
From Downtown Augusta, take Northern Avenue (Route 104) north about 0.6 miles. Calumet Park is on the left at the top of the hill.

The Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: Unknown (about ½ mile?)
Time: 30 minutes

The trail begins in the far north corner of the ball field, heads straight into the woods and angles downhill behind houses. The trail passes under power lines and angles left, heading down steeply into a gully under a canopy of very tall pines and mixed hardwood species. The trail dead ends a few hundred feet down the hill. Retracing the trail back up hill, just past the powerlines the trail forks to the right and parallels the field. Here the trail becomes very overgrown with vegetation as it passes through a boulder field and an area full of old junk and a very old rusty car. The trail angles downhill to the right and dead-ends again. Backtracking uphill again, the trail heads straight out toward the south corner of the park and comes out in the short alley/driveway south of the park.

Kid-Friendly Factor
This is a nice short hike for little ones, if you don't mind the adventure of dead-ends and a little bit of steep ups and downs. My kids especially enjoyed seeing the rusty old car. The playground and field offer extra enticement to reluctant walkers.

USVA Togus

Chelsea/Augusta

The first time I drove into the US Vetrans Administration Togus property, I was pleasantly surprised to find not sterile, institutional wasteland, but a magical landscape of graceful trees, stately red brick buildings and pockets of enchanted woods and wild wetlands.

Originally founded as a summer resort, Togus (derived from “Worromontogus” or mineral water) became the first National Asylum (later Home) for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers in 1866. Today the Togus complex consists of a Medical Center, a VA Regional Hospital and a National Cemetary, surrounded by undeveloped woods, fields and two small ponds. Several trails traverse these wild edges, giving visitors much to explore.

Getting There
From Stone/Hospital Street in Augusta, take Route 17 east 4 ½ miles to the second light. To access most of the trails, turn right here at the Togus maine entrance. Trail heads are located throughout the campus; exact starting points are noted in trail descriptions.

The Trails

The Togus property is crisscrossed with many, interconnected trails that are each individually short enough for a quick lunchtime walk, yet a traveler with more time and energy can combine several trail segments into a respectable hike. The Togus property is generally flat and, with the exception of the Chestnut Ridge and Shady Lane Trails, very little climbing is required.

Beaver Dam Trail
Distance: 0.3 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

The beaver dam trail, true to its name follows a series of small beaver ponds along Greeley Brook, crossing a wild landscape of ferns under a canopy of red maple trees interspersed with white pine, paper birch and red oak. Keep your ears open for a beaver slipping into the water or slapping its tail in warning.

From Route 17, turn right into Togus at the main entrance and follow the main road 0.3 miles, to where it forks. The Beaver Dam Trail begins to the right, on the north end of the small pond next to the hospital visitor and patient parking lot. The narrow dirt trail crosses a grassy area, past a bench under a pine tree overlooking the pond and follows the inlet upstream through a shady hardwood forest, past a beaver dam (thus the name) and small beaver pond. Two more benches give visitors spots to rest and reflect. Just beyond the last bench, the trail becomes somewhat overgrown with deep grass and is crossed by the beavers’ logging trail--to the right you can see several downed logs and gnawed stumps. Farther upstream, as the you near Route 17, the trail makes a right turn and comes out onto the main entrance road just 0.1 miles in from the light. From here you can go back the way you came, or return via the sidewalk along the road.

Greeley Brook Trail
Distance: 0.4 miles
Difficulty: Easy

From Route 17, turn right into Togus at the main entrance and follow the main road 0.3 miles, to where it forks. The Greeley Brook Trail begins on the left side of the, just before the bridge over Greely Brook. This a wide, grassy, overgrown old road heads east from the main road, crossing a grassy patch before entering a sparsely wooded area of young poplar, cherry, oak and spruce. The trail arcs around to the right, opening up into a wide, grassy marsh where and comes to an unmarked intersection with Nature Trail #1. Continue straight ahead a short distance to where the Greeley Brook Trail ends at the intersection with the Foggy Bottom Trail.

Powerline Trail
Distance: 0.3 miles
Difficulty: Moderate

From Route 17, turn right into Togus at the main entrance and follow the main road 0.4 miles, to the hospital visitor and patient parking lot. From the northwest corner of the lot, at dirt road follows along the left bank of the small pond. Follow this road a couple of dozen yards; straight ahead the Chestnut Ridge trail continues along the road and a right turn begins the Powerline Trail. After passing the pond, this grassy two-track trail passes follows the powerline right-of-way 0.3 miles to the junction with the Ice Pond Trail near an old dilapidated bench.

Ice Pond Trail
Distance: 0.2 miles
Difficulty: Difficult

Take your sense of adventure on the Ice Pond Trail which begins at the terminus of the Powerline Trail and is extremely overgrown with vegetation and small trees. The trail becomes so overgrown that it fades away completely as it nears the pond.

Pine Grove Trail
Distance: 0.4 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Easy

On Route 17, continue past the main entrance to Togus about one mile and turn right onto Route 226. Take your first right onto the Hallowell Road. In about 0.1 miles, you will pass a large blue sign on the right. Park along the road just past the sign; the Pine Grove Trail begins just inside the woods north of the sign.

The Pine Grove Trail is a wide, level, fairly straight grass path that travels under a peaceful canopy of pine and mixed hardwoods (oak, maple, beech). The trail passes a wetland on the right with a view of the East Cemetery. The trail enters its namesake, a grove of tall white pines, then the mixed forest resumes and the trail comes to a crossroads. A left turn leads to the Foggy Bottom and Greeley Brook Trails; a right turn leads to a road gate; straight ahead is also marked “Pine Grove Trail” but beyond this intersection the trail becomes more overgrown and eventually dead-ends behind a white house at the edge of the Togus property on Route 17.

Nature Trail #1
Distance: Approximately 0.1 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Easy

From Route 17, turn right into Togus at the main entrance and, following the main road take the right fork, continue past the hospital and turn left into the overflow patient parking lot (about 0.8 miles from the light). At the northeast corner of the parking lot, a cryptic “Togus Nature Trails” sign marks the start of Nature Trail #1. The trail heads east from the lot and crosses Greeley Brook, here a wide, tranquil stream. Beyond the brook, it goes through an open meadow of tall grasses dotted with blue spruce trees which somehow give this open area a high mountain feel, despite the complete lack of vertical ascent. The trail crosses the Greeley Brook Trail at an unmarked intersection, enters the woods and ends where the Foggy Bottom Trail enters on the right (also unmarked); straight ahead leads to the Pine Grove Trail in a short distance.

Foggy Bottom Trail (Nature Trail #2)
Distance: 0.2 miles (one-way)
Difficulty: Easy
From Route 17, turn right into Togus at the main entrance and, following the main road take the right fork, continue past the hospital and other buildings, turn left into the road to the West Cemetery, about 1 mile in from the light. Take this road about 0.2 miles. The Foggy Bottom Trail begins on the left, just before the cemetery gates. The Foggy Bottom Trail is a wide, grassy two-track road that heads straight through a somewhat open pine and mixed-hardwood forest. After a couple hundred yards the trail forks; the Greeley Brook Trail heading to the left and the Foggy Bottom Trail heading right. Soon after the first fork, the trail forks again at an unmarked intersection. Here a right turn will take you to the Pine Grove Trail, a left turn leads to Nature Trail #1 and straight ahead a metal gate crosses the road.

Chestnut Ridge Trail
Distance: 0.7 miles
Difficulty: Moderate

The Chestnut Ridge Trail follows a broad gravel road under a canopy of mixed hardwood and provides one of the only opportunities for hill-climbing in the Togus trail system. From Route 17, turn right into Togus at the main entrance and follow the main road 0.4 miles, to the hospital visitor and patient parking lot. From the northwest corner of the lot, at dirt road follows along the left bank of the small pond. Follow this road a couple of dozen yards; straight ahead the Chestnut Ridge trail continues along the road, heading south and climbing uphill. Near the top of the hill, a short side trail to the right leads to the water tower; straight ahead heads downhill toward the west cemetery. The trail enters the the north end of the cemetery where magnificent hardwood trees shade the Civil-War-era marble headstones that follow the contours of the land like rows of crooked teeth. Continue southeast along the gravel road, forking left onto the paved cemetery road. Just shy of a brown metal shed, the Shady Lane Trail heads downhill. Follow this trail to a lower section of the cemetery to where the trail forks. The left fork resumes the Chestnut Ridge Trail, heads downhill through the woods and along the edge of a field behind the tall smokestack. The Chestnut Ridge Trail ends where it meets the Shady Lane Trail.

Shady Lane Trail
Distance: 0.2 miles
Difficulty: Moderate

On Route 17, continue past the main entrance to Togus about one mile and turn right onto Route 226. Take your first right onto the Hallowell Road. Continue on the Hallowell Road about one mile to the East Cemetery. Turn in at the first entrance and follow the narrow lane to a small brown shed. The Shady Lane Trail begins just on the other side of the shed (parking is available at a number of pull-outs along the cemetery road). The Shady Lane Trail lives up to its name; this narrow passage rambles downhill under low-hanging beech and maple branches to a lower section of the cemetery. Here the trail forks, with the left fork leading to the final stretch of the Chestnut Ridge Trail and the right continuing the Shady Lane Trail downhill through the woods, ending in a field behind the tall smokestack. Chestnut Ridge Trail also ends here and you can make a loop of it.

Kid-Friendly Factor
All of the Togus trails, with the exception of the overgrown Ice Pond Trail, are suitable for children of all ages. Most of the trails are wide and flat, following old roadways and therefore accessible to strollers and little legs. They are also relatively short and without much in the way of ups and downs, making them do-able to even the littlest walkers; review the trail descriptions, length and difficulty labels to help you determine which trails would be most interesting and suitable for your little ones.

Pleasant Hill Conservation Area

Augusta

This 200 acre parcel of city-owned land on the east side of Augusta has a great deal of potential, however it has not been well-developed for hiking. The old road is too wet for hiking, the side trails are not well-marked and a tire dump makes for an unattractive mosquito-breeding ground. However, hikers intrepid enough to take on this rough bit of land will find themselves in a peaceful--even pleasant--patch of woods, well-removed from the road noise of Route 17 and far from over-crowded with other hikers.

Getting There
From Stone/Hospital Street in Augusta, turn east onto Eastern Avenue (Route 17) and go about two miles. Turn right onto Pleasant Hill Road and follow it to where it dead-ends in about ½ mile. A post with “Tree Farm” and “City of Augusta” signs lets you know you’ve come to the right place. There is room for about two cars to park in the gravel in front of the sign.

The Trails

Distance: Approximately 1 mile (loop)
Difficulty: Moderate

Any hiker venturing into Pleasant Hill should come with a sense of adventure and a willingness to get lost. Immediately upon entering the property, an old rutted road leads straight ahead into the pine and hemlock woods. This road appears heavily used by ATVs and deeply rutted and very wet. After about ½ mile it becomes a small, impassable lake. Instead of heading into this mire, take your first left a few hundred feet into the property. This wide dirt trail leads uphill, over roots and rocks. Orange-painted blazes and arrows on tree trunks at trail intersections point the way along a short loop that curves fairly steeply uphill to the left and back down again, along the property boundary and pops out on the side of Pleasant Hill Road about 100 yards from the parking area. More intrepid travelers with plenty of time may choose to explore the many side trails that radiate off this main loop.

Kid-Friendly Factor
Although Pleasant Hill lacks a destination (like a pond or waterfall), which is nice when you have kids in tow, it offers an opportunity to work on climbing hills without a whole lot of distance to worry about. In midsummer, the wet ruts on the two-track road are full of frogs and could keep kids busy for hours trying to catch them.

University of Maine at Augusta Outdoor Leisure Center Trails

Augusta

Just a short drive from downtown Augusta, the University of Maine at Augusta Outdoor Leisure Center Trails offer hikers a variety of options: a short stroll through fields, a lovely hike under the canopy of a mature pine and hardwood forest, a somewhat confusing ramble through a network of trails looping through field and early successional forest of field pine and invasive honeysuckle. The trails are wide and comfortable for walking, the woods, where dense, are cool and peaceful, and the scraps of old fitness stations and bits of degrading artwork add interest. Instead of adding to the destruction of the world by shopping at nearby Consumer Hill, why not spend an afternoon getting in touch with nature on UMA’s Leisure Center Trails?

Getting There
From the west rotary in Augusta, go North on State Street, which turns into Civic Center Drive. In about 2 ½ miles, turn left onto Community Drive following it around to the left of the Civic Center for about .4 miles to the UMA Outdoor Fitness Center. Park near the sign by the tennis courts (a large blue moose track painted on a boulder marks the spot). Straight ahead, past the tennis courts and through a small patch of woods a large sign and map marks the beginning of the trails.

The Trails

The UMA Outdoor Leisure Center trail system is made up of five interconnected loop trails. Although most of the trail intersections are marked by arrows, the trail symbols have worn off most of them, making it difficult to know which trail you are on most of the time. Some additional side trails and connecters that don’t appear on the map add to the confusion. However, all trails eventually loop back to the beginning, so it would be impossible to get too lost. To complete all of the trails in one outing, expect to spend 1-2 hours on the trail.

Deerfield Trail
Distance: 0.6 miles (loop)
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

The Deerfield Trail makes a loop around the tennis courts and a large field partially overgrown with small white pine and honeysuckle. The pathway is a large, mowed swath around the perimeter of the field.

Porcupine Trail
Distance: 1 mile
Time: ½ hour
Difficulty: Moderate

The Porcupine Trail, a wide path of packed earth and pine needles climbs up and down gentle hills and gullies and meanders through the densest part of the forest. Tall, straight white pines stand in majesty along with paper birch and American beech over an understory of small woodland plants like wild sarsaparilla and Canada mayflower. The trail’s previous life as a fitness trail is apparent in a few remaining fitness stations (challenge yourself to try the monkey bars--I couldn’t even manage one rung!). At least one art installation along the path leads the hiker down a steep staircase of birch logs to a small, perfectly round (and empty) pool and a partially excavated (and fake) skeleton.

At the halfway point, the trail comes to a backwards fork, with a sharp right leading back downhill through the other half of the Porcupine Trail and back to Deerfield Trail just slightly downfield from where the trail started at the sign. Straight leads to another fork; the start of the Moose Trail.

Moose Trail
Distance: 0.7 miles
Time ½ hour
Difficulty: Moderate

The Moose Trail continues through the dense woods of the Porcupine Trail and into the more open sections of field pine, young aspen and honeysuckle that characterize the Bear and Chipmunk Trails. Taking the left fork at the end of Porcupine Trail, the trail leads uphill a short distance through the woods and out into the open where the trail meets a 5-way intersection. The right path leads down the other half of the Moose Trail and back to the Porcupine. The first left leads down to a parking lot behind Katz Library and Jewett Hall at UMA (go this way to check out another macabre art piece depicting a horned skeleton standing over a bloody dragon). Straight ahead and the second left are the Bear Trail, which connects with Chipmunk Trail.

Bear Trail
Distance: 0.6 miles
Time: 15-30 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate

From the 5-way intersection at the end of Moose Trail, go straight into an area of low pine trees, up a short hill that levels off in a wide sandy area and downhill again. At the bottom of the hill the trail forks. The right fork is the Chipmunk Trail. Take the left fork into an open area under the power lines, through a muddy, vehicle-rutted section of trail and loop back around to the 5-way intersection.

Chipmunk Trail
Distance: 0.4 miles
Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate

From the fork with the Bear Trail at the bottom of the hill, go right, paralleling the power lines on your left for a short distance before arcing left, across power lines and paralleling them back in the opposite direction. The trail curves right, crosses a washed-out culvert, climbs a short, steep hill and comes out in an open area behind the UMA campus. The trail crosses over a wooden bridge and re-enters the woods. Another fork in the trail here leads to another short loop that reconnects with itself. The trail crosses a long, gradually-sloping uphill section of field behind UMA, re-enters the woods, crosses back under the power lines and meets back at the 5-way intersection.

Kid-Friendly Factor

The UMA Outdoor Leisure Center Trails are a great place to take kids for a hike. For the most part, the trails are wide and smooth and could easily accommodate a jogging stroller (avoid the muddy ruts of the Bear Trail and the blown-out culvert on Chipmunk). The woods along the Porcupine and Moose Trails and dense and mysterious--the perfect place for building fairy house (use only natural, non-living materials, please) and make-believe games of bear hunt or knights and dragons and fairy princesses--and the trails are short and reconnect often enough to allow you to turn back when little ones’ legs have had enough. Be cautious about the dilapidated fitness platforms on Porcupine and the sometimes steep drop-offs along the trail.

Savage Park

Augusta

Savage Park is a surprisingly verdant and wild seven-acre parcel of land directly adjacent to the new Route 3 bridge on the east side of the Kennebec River. I’m sad to see the somewhat neglected condition of the park’s trails, which were one of the projects I worked on as the team leader of a group of teenage workers in the Maine Conservation Corps when I first moved to the area many years ago. Though the trails are somewhat overgrown and bridges dilapidated, it is still worth exploring Savage Park’s quiet woods.

Getting There
Savage Park is located on Riverside Drive north of Cony Circle, on the left, just past the intersection with Route 3. A small semi-circle driveway offers ample parking.

The Trails
Distance: Approximately 1 mile
Hiking Time: About ½ hour
Difficulty: Moderate

From the parking area, cross the large tree-dotted field and pass a row of birches enclosing the covered picnic area. From here follow the wide grassy path into the woods, where the path narrows to a dirt track. Under a canopy of mixed hardwood trees (aspen, beech, birch, maple and oak) interspersed with white pine, the trail heads west to a T-intersection at the top of a small bank. The right-hand fork follows the bank a short distance, and then arcs right, back toward the entrance, meeting the wide grassy path just beyond a grove of staghorn sumac (just before it turns back toward the entrance, it appears to angle down into the pine trees, but then peters out). A few yards past the intersection, the left fork comes to a set of log steps down the bank on the right. Heading down the stairs, the trail crosses a wooden bridge over a small stream, which is dry now in early September. Several of the bridge’s boards are broken or missing. The trail climbs another set of log steps up the opposite bank. This bank and the rest of the trail to the river grows thick with poison ivy, so watch your step. The trail descends another small set of steps and opens out onto the railroad tracks just above the Kennebec River. Head south (toward the Rt. 3 bridge) along the tracks about 100 yards to where some brownish rock ledge is exposed along the bank to your left. Near the far (south) end of this ledge, the trail resumes, unmarked. From here the trail climbs back up through the trees, and comes to a small stream crossing near one of the biggest white birches I have seen. From the birch tree, the track fades away a bit into some brushy undergrowth for a few yards before meeting back up with the obvious trail. A right turn here will lead you in an arc back toward the far end of the picnic area and a left turn will take you back past the original set of steps and to the T-intersection.

Kid-Friendly Factor
Savage Park would not be my first choice for taking small children on a hike. The narrow and overgrown trails and stairs make it impassible for strollers, and the hazards of broken bridges, poison ivy and broken glass and rusty metal along the train tracks make it less than desirable as a place to allow little ones freedom to explore. It would be a nice short but interesting hike for an older child with more predictable hiking skills and the ability to detect and avoid poison ivy. The big field and covered picnic area might make the park a good spot for a birthday party or play group.

Augusta Nature Education Center

Augusta

Unlike the indoor nature centers you may familiar with, you know the kind in a cozy little building decked out as a hands-on museum with fish tanks and mounted animals, the Augusta Nature Education Center is truly a natural center, set completely in the outdoors, covering 175 acres of woods, fields, ponds and streams. Operated by the Augusta Nature Club since 1919, the Center offers more than five miles of trails that can be linked together in infinite combinations. Outstanding features of this self-proclaimed “diamond in the rough” include the Lily Pond, the Quarry Pond, the Granite Quarry, the Amphitheater and more. With the construction of the new Cony High School next to the Vo-Tech Center, the Nature Center’s trails have been improved, many of them widened and re-graded, with the addition of kiosks at all of the entrances, signs at every trail juncture and two new bridges (North Bridge and South Bridge) over Whitney Brook.

The Augusta Nature Education Center is open during daylight hours 365 days a year, for non-motorized use only, including hiking, biking, nature study and cross-country skiing.

Getting There
The Augusta Nature Education Center is located on the east side of Augusta, situated between Cony Street Extension and Route 105. Eleven entrances offer access points to the Center’s trails. To access entrances 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10, take Cony Street from the Cony rotary, continue straight on Cony when Rt. 105 veers to the left. To reach Entrances 5, 9, 10 and 11, turn left on Malta St. into the Hodgkins Middle School grounds, and park in front of the school. Entrance 5 is near the back of the loop road to the right of the school; Entrances 9, 10 and 11 are situated around the perimeter of the sports field to the left of the school. To reach Entrance 4, turn left onto Haskell St. and take it to the end, park on the street. Entrance 3 is located on the left side of Cony Road Extension just as it crosses Whitney Brook; there is space for about one car to park at this entrance. To reach Entrances 1 and 2, turn left onto Pierce St., which leads you into the grounds of Cony High School and the Vocational Technical Center, park in the lot to the south of the Vo-Tech Center. Entrance 1 is located to the left of the Vo-Tech Center and Entrance 2 is located to the right of Cony, across the new sports field. Entrances 6, 7 and 8 are located along Route 105 (South Belfast Ave.); these entrances have no parking options.

The Trails
Total Trail Distance: 5 miles

The Augusta Nature Education Center’s thirteen trails link together into a variety of loops that offer hikers options from short strolls to long treks. The trails have an excessively complicated system of blazes and trail names, with often a single pathway changing names as it meanders through the Center. Fortunately, the trails are well-marked with new signs at all intersections and maps posted at intervals. Contact the Augusta Nature Club to get a copy of the latest map to help plan your trip and find your way around in the Center. Most of the trails wind through the dense mixed-hardwood forests of the Nature Center, although a few, most notably the Jordan Farm Trail and Whitney Brook Trail travel through more open areas.

Jordan Farm Trail
Entrances 2, 6 and 7
Difficulty: Easy
Blazes: White
The Jordan Farm Trail is a wide gravel road that bisects an open field studded with apple trees and small pines to the Quarry Pond, a lovely pool of dark water, shaded on the near bank by overhanging trees and reaching to a sheer wall of granite on the opposite side. From the pond, the Jordan Farm Trail follows the eastern border of the Center.

Jordan Farm Alternate Trail
Entrances 2, 6 and 7
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
The Jordan Farm Alternate Trail is a narrow dirt track that travels through the woods, skirting the open field. The Alternate Trail meets the Jordan Farm Trail near the Quarry Pond, and then dips back into the woods, rejoining the main trail at the top of the hill.

Hillside Loop Trail
Entrance 2
Difficulty: Moderate
Blazes: White and Red
The Hillside Loop trail is a narrow dirt track whose two branches link the Jordan Pond Trail and Whitney Brook Trail up and down the pine and hemlock wooded hillside.

Crabapple Trail
Entrance 1, 2 and 3
Difficulty: Moderate
Blazes: Blue
The Crabapple Trail offers a short loop up through the wooded hillside, connecting at various points to the Hillside Loop, the Whitney Brook Trail and the Witch Hazel Trail.

Bruce’s Woods
Entrance 1 and 3
Difficulty: Moderate
Blazes: White
Bruce’s Woods Trails loop through the woods, up and down the hill, just south of the Vo-Tech Center, passing through the Cony Rope Climbing Center, and skirting the back side of Lily Pond. The path of the trails through this area can be somewhat confusing, with a number of crisscrosses.

Whitney Brook Trail
Entrance 7 and 3
Difficulty: Easy
No Blazes
The Whitney Brook trail follows the path of Whitney Brook, a small sluggish stream that spans the Nature Center from south to north. This medium-wide grassy road follows the mostly open east bank of the brook and passes some of the Center’s highlighted natural features, including the Lily Pond (a small pond full of frogs and resplendent in summer with pink-flowered water lilies), the Dam, the Waterfall (a stone sluice, nearly dry in later summer) and the Beaver Works (an opportunity to view up-close beaver-gnawed stumps). From the Whitney Brook Trail, hikers can cross the stream to other trails at one of three bridges.

North Brookside Trail
Entrance 7 and 10
Difficulty: Moderate
Blazes: White
The North Brookside Trail is a narrow dirt track that connects to the Lower Hemlock Trail at both ends, and travels through the woods above the Granite Quarry and Whitney Brook.

South Brookside Trail
Entrance 3
Difficulty: Moderate
Blazes: White
The South Brookside Trail starts near the South Bridge and skirts the wooded west bank of Whitney Brook. This narrow dirt track passes the Dam and Waterfall on Whitney Brook and the Amphitheater, an arc of exposed granite with a two-tiered wooden structure for seating or a stage. The South Brookside Trail also passes by Deadman’s Cave and ends in the Granite Quarry.

Lower Hemlock Trail
Entrance 7, and 10
Difficulty: Moderate
Blazes: Blue
The Lower Hemlock Trail follows a dirt pathway through dense, quiet pine and hemlock forests. At its southern terminus, the Lower Hemlock Trail links up with the Quarry Road Trail and Upper Hemlock trail; at its northern terminus, it connects to the Jordan Farm Trail across the North Bridge, and the other end of the Upper Hemlock Trail. The North Brookside Trail loops off of the Lower Hemlock Trail.

Upper Hemlock Trail
Entrance 7, 8, 9 and 10
Difficulty: Easy
Blazes: Blue
The north branch of the Upper Hemlock Trail travels a wide gravel road from the White Oak Trail, down hill through pine forests, past a small birch grove to where it links with the north end of the Lower Hemlock Trail and North Brookside Trail. The south branch of the Upper Hemlock Trail climbs a wide dirt track from the junction of the Lower Hemlock Trail and Quarry Road Trail, through Ovenbird Corner, where several trails meet in a quiet hemlock grove, back up to the White Oak Trail.

White Oak Trail
Entrance 8 and 9
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Blazes: White
The White Oak Trail loops between the Upper and Lower Hemlock Trails and around Amphibian Pond. From Entrance #9 to the junction with the Lower Hemlock Trail, the White Oak Trail is a wide gravel road, from Entrance #8 around Amphibian Pond, it is a narrow dirt track. Amphibian Pond is a small wetland area, that has recently completely grown in with cattails. It creates a break in a small pine grove. The trail follows a ledgey ridge between the pond and Route 105. The northern connection between this backwoodsy section of the trail and road-like part appears to be under construction at this time, entailing a small climb up the bank to the main trail near of shiny new culvert. Look for white oak trees (distinguishable by their rounded edges) growing amongst the red oaks and pines.

Quarry Road Trail
Entrance 4 and 7
Difficulty: Easy
No Blazes
The Quarry Road Trail varies between is a narrow road that connects the Lower Hemlock Trail to the Witch Hazel Trail. The Quarry Road Trail travels the high ground above (and to the west of) Whitney Brook and offers connections to the South Brookside Trail.

Witch Hazel Trail
Entrance 1, 3, 4 and 5
Difficulty: Easy
Blazes: White
The Witch Hazel Trail is a broad gravel road that travels down the hill from the Hawthorne Trail to Whitney Brook and back up again to the Vocational Center and Bruce’s Woods Trails. True to its name, the woods along the Witch Hazel trail are dotted with witch hazel bushes. Look for these small trees with scalloped leaves and tiny yellow flowers that bloom in the autumn.

Hawthorne Trail
Entrance 4, 5, 10 and 11
Blazes: White
The Hawthorne trail is a wide dirt track that loops from the Malta Ledges near the water towers, past Blueberry Bend, a small open meadow covered in low-bush blueberry bushes to Ovenbird Corner.

Kid-Friendly Factor
The Augusta Nature Education Center is a fabulous place for kids to explore. The many looping trails offer a variety options for short or long hikes, depending on hiker ability, and the center abounds with interesting destinations, such as the three ponds, the quarry and Whitney Brook. Some of the trails lend themselves to jogging strollers—Jordan Farm Trail, Upper Hemlock Trail, part of White Oak Trail, Hawthorne Trail, Witch Hazel Trail, and Whitney Brook Trail—while the others are too narrow, steep or rocky for a safe, comfortable stroll, but are great for more mobile children. A summer day camp (Augusta Nature Camp) run at the Nature Center every year gives testament to the many attractions the Center offers kids.

Getting Involved
To support trail upgrades and maintenance with a donation or to become a volunteer, contact the Augusta Nature Education Center.

Pine Tree State Arboretum

Augusta

The Pine Tree State Arboretum is arguably the most interesting natural area in Augusta, offering ponds, wetlands, tree plantings, fields and dense woods. A wilder cousin of the genteel, groomed arboretums of bigger cities, the PTSA offers visitors a more adventuresome experience in trying to distinguish between the over 300 species and varieties of trees in the collections and the native growth.

Originally part of the vast State Hospital Farm that fed and employed the patients of the Augusta Mental Health Institute (AMHI) from 1840 until 1972, this 240-acre natural gem is owned by the state, but operated by a nonprofit organization under a 99-year lease. plagued by perennial funding and staffing shortages and maintained largely through volunteers, the Arboretum’s trails and tree and plant collections are somewhat worse for the wear, however the beauty and serenity of its quiet trails and wild landscape are well worth the minor inconveniences of broken boardwalks and neglected gardens. For those of us who enjoy these trails on a regular basis, becoming a member and/or volunteering our time gives us an opportunity to give back and help maintain the trails and facilities.

Nature lovers will appreciate the wide array of wildlife to be experienced at the Arboretum. Birds abound among the treetops—over 150 species have been sighted; I saw my first scarlet tanager, American redstart and American bittern here, to name a few—turtles sun themselves on half-sunken logs in Viles Pond, frogs sing from the wetlands, deer travel the woods and numerous species of dragonflies and butterflies color the fields throughout the summer.

Hikers may choose to hike one of the three main loop trails, or connect them in endless combinations using link trails, for a total of nearly five miles of hiking options. Be sure to pick up a map at the kiosk just north of the Viles Visitors Center—trails crisscross frequently with link trails and can be confusing, especially at junctures where there are no signs, although recently-painted tree blazes help to alleviate this problem. Maps are also posted at several points throughout the trails. Dogs are permitted on a leash. The Arboretum is open every day from dawn to dusk, year-round.

Groomed cross-country ski trails and marked snow-shoe routes extend the pleasures of the Arboretum year-round.


Getting There
The Pine Tree State Arboretum is located on the east side of Augusta, approximately 1 mile south of the Cony Circle rotary on left side of Hospital St. (Rt. 9). You can park either at the DEP visitor parking lot (turn left at the light on the Piggery Rd.) or at the Viles Visitor Center (turn left at the Arboretum sign). The official starting point for the trails is located near the old sugar maple just north of the Visitor Center. Pick up a map and membership brochure at this kiosk.


The Trails
Total trail distance: 5 miles

Viles Pond Loop
Difficulty: moderate
Hiking time: ½ hour
Blazes: red

The Viles Pond Loop trail offers a pleasant ramble through the woods and passes by many of the Arboretum’s more interesting natural and historical features. The trail starts near the Visitors Center, at the ancient sugar maple and can be enjoyed in its entirety, or used as an access point for the Woodland Loop. Some of the collections that can be viewed along the Viles Pond Loop include the black ash planting, heirloom apple collections, the Rhododendron Grove (come here in June to see these beauties in full bloom) and the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Gardens. One of the loveliest spots along this trail and in the Arboretum is the Hosta Garden. Over 290 specimens from 190 varieties of hosta grace the wide, sloping gravel pathway, along with a variety of wildflowers, in the cool shade of graceful white birches. The first 100 hostas in the garden were moved here from the Arnold Arboretum’s collection at Case Estate in Weston, MA in 1994 and are tended by volunteers from the Maine Hosta Society.

The Viles Pond Loop also treats visitors to views of a brick well that houses the valves and pumps that ran the hospital’s vast waterworks and the enormous cistern that held the water for the hospital and now houses the Johnson Education Center, a covered outdoor classroom. Despite its name, the loop merely skirts the west bank of Viles Pond, a small, shallow, manmade body of water that nevertheless teems with wildlife. To get a better view of the pond, rather than turning right at the sign, go straight, past the Piggery, the concrete and metal remains of the building that once housed the pigs raised to feed the State Hospital’s patients until 1944 when it was destroyed by fire, and the farm discontinued raising pigs. Beyond the Piggery, this link trail passes Viles Pond along its north shore, offering visitors a resting spot on a large granite bench. Retrace your steps back to the sign to continue the Viles Pond Loop. The Viles Pond Loop meets the Woodland Loop in a clearing on its southeast corner, but link trails provide access to both of the other trails at several points along the trail.


The Woodland Loop
Hiking time: ½ hour (plus time on connecting trails getting there)
Difficulty: moderate
Blazes: green

The Woodland Loop takes you on a gentle upland hike through the Arboretum’s fragrant pine woods and demonstration tree farms. One of the highlights the Woodland Loop offers is the Space Shuttle Pines, whose seeds traveled aboard the space shuttle Atlantis in 1991, orbiting the earth 93 times and traveling 24 million miles. Upon their return to Earth, the seeds were grown into seedlings and planted here during Arbor Week 1994 by Kennebec County 4-H members and International Paper. Unfortunately, the pines have been vandalized in recent years, as evidenced by the broken and missing tops of several trees.

The Woodland Loop trail takes you past a tree harvest demonstration project and clear-cut demonstration. Both of these projects fulfill part of the Arboretum’s mission as a Demonstration Tree Farm. Near the bottom of a gentle hill, the Woodland Loop passes the Constitution Pine, the Arboretum’s oldest and tallest tree, which dates back to 1787.

The Outer Loop
Hiking Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
Blazes: Blue

The Outer Loop passes through the most remote and wilderness-like sections of the Arboretum. Unfortunately, this longest of the Arboretum’s trails is closed due to lack of staff time for mowing and maintenance and a broken boardwalk at the “Wetlands Enhancement Project,” on the northern branch of the loop. Segments of the trail are still in good condition and are accessible from the other loops and link trails. One especially lovely section begins at the Governor’s Grove and enters the deep woods. Walk quietly through this dark, mossy forest and you may hear the haunting song of the veery in a high treetop. The trail passes a small open area with a vernal pool and a nearby picnic table before entering another thickly wooded area. A short way beyond this area, the official Outer Loop route, passes a sign that warns “unmaintained trail beyond this point.” Beyond the sign, the trail becomes thickly overgrown with tall grasses for a fair distance, and crosses a couple of wet areas via wobbly but serviceable bog bridges. To avoid the unmaintained section, take a right at the fork in the trail just prior to the sign, and continue on to the Woodland Loop. The southernmost branch of the Outer Loop passes between the Larch Plantation and Green Ash Plantation and joins up with the Woodland Loop before heading off into unmaintained territory.

Kid-Friendly Factor
I have traveled much of the Arboretum with a jogging stroller (both single and double), but it is a workout and some areas are simply impassable. A more practical way to travel with small children is to carry them in a backpack, sling or front carrier. Toddlers will enjoy running around in the grass and trekking short distances along the trails. For preschoolers and older children, the Arboretum offers a wealth of opportunities for exploration and adventure. The frog and turtle-filled ponds will be especially attractive, but the trails, fields, trees and historic remains will all provide endless fascination. At the Sugar Maple kiosk, you can pick up a Quest brochure which takes you on a 10-question scavenger hunt throughout the Arboretum’s trails. This is a great way to engage school-age children in the history and nature of the Arboretum and to become better acquainted with some of the lesser-known trails.

Getting Involved
To become a member or volunteer visit http://www.pinetreestatearboretum.org/ or call 207-621-0031.

The Augusta Greenway Trail

Augusta

Paralleling the Kennebec River on its east bank, the Augusta Greenway Trail offers a quiet alternative to the busier Rail Trail. Although this gravel walkway dead-ends after only a mile, it offers a pleasant, shady stroll with numerous granite benches for resting and viewing the river. The Greenway is a lesson in contrast; it gives visitors a view of the underbelly of Augusta—Memorial Bridge, the snow dump, stormwater overflow pipes, invasive plants—while at the same time birdsong chimes from the trees and shrubs along the trail and cooling breezes drift up from the river. Signs showing a map of the Greenway and providing information about the river’s wildlife appear frequently along the trail. Unfortunately the signs, as well as many of the granite benches have been marred by graffiti.

Getting There
The Augusta Greenway Trail officially starts at the northern terminus of the Kennebec River Rail Trail, in the Maine State Housing Authority parking lot, proceeds north through the Waterfront Park, crosses the river on the Father Curran bridge and then heads south behind Old Fort Western and City Hall. However, if you’re not meeting the Greenway from the KRRT and want to avoid all that urban interface, start from Eastside Boat Landing Park. Take Arsenal Street from Cony/Bridge Street, turn right on Williams Street just past Augusta City Center, and left onto Howard Street, which takes you into the park.

The Trail
Distance: 1 mile (one-way)
Walking time: 1 hour (round-trip)
Difficulty: Easy

From Eastside Boat Landing Park, the Augusta Greenway Trail proceeds south along the river, passing under Memorial Bridge and along the snow dump. The trail takes a fairly straight and level path under a canopy of box elders and other hardwood trees. At about the halfway point, the trail climbs a slight rise and comes into an open area, passing by the soon-to-be-redeveloped Kennebec Arsenal. This collection of eight granite buildings and the recently-restored retaining wall and wharf dates back to the Northeast Boundary Conflict and is the best surviving example of an early nineteenth century munitions depot. Be sure to take a short side trip down the steep granite staircase to get a closer look at the magnificent retaining wall and dock, made up of enormous blocks of granite, and recently restored through a Save America’s Treasures grant. South of the Arsenal, the Greenway becomes wooded again. This part of the trail seems wider and more road-like than the northern segment, perhaps for some maintenance purpose. At a point almost directly behind Riverview Psychiatric Center, the Greenway dead-ends, with no established connecting trails through the AMHI campus to the nearby Arboretum. An adventuresome hiker might choose to climb the steep, weedy hill here or a few-hundred yards north, just below the giant smokestack, but for the casual walker, turning around and returning to the starting point offers the best bet.

Kid-Friendly Factor
The Greenway’s broad, level path is great for strollers, although those with bigger, chunkier wheels do better on its gravel surface. The fairly short distance makes it do-able for beginning hikers or bikers, and they may feel more comfortable on this trail than the busier Rail Trail. The Eastside Park has a beautiful playground for pre- or post-hiking fun, although I avoid it with my toddlers because the smaller slides and ladders are part of the same structure as very high platforms and ladders that make me nervous with two little ones. The park also has picnic tables and a small grassy area for running around.

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.

Capitol Park

Augusta

What better place to start a guide to walks in Maine’s capital than at Capitol Park? Situated between the Statehouse and the Kennebec River, Capitol Park is a lovely 20-acre parcel of lawns and trees, offering visitors an impressive view of Maine’s verdigris-domed house of governance. Capitol Park was the first piece of land consciously set aside for public use in Maine. With amazing foresight, Maine’s early government established the park along with the grounds for the Capitol in 1827, when Augusta was established as the seat of governance. According to the state’s website, the park was fenced off from cattle and planted with trees for the purpose of creating a “dignified setting” for viewing the Capitol. Over the years Capitol Park has served many, varied purposes, including camp site and parade ground during the Civil War and leased farmland after the war. The park was restored in 1878 and in 1920 the Governor commissioned the firm of Frederick Law Olmstead, the landscape architect best known for designing New York’s Central Park, to create a plan for the park and surrounding grounds.

Today Capitol Park is indeed a dignified setting for viewing the Capitol, as well as a peaceful escape from the traffic of State Street and the bustle of activity surrounding the Statehouse. Stately oaks, beeches and pines shade quiet pathways and benches and tables offer numerous spots for picnicking or quiet contemplation. The Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, dedicated in 1985, presides over the northern edge of the park, near Capitol Street, its overlapping wedges of concrete and bronze with cut-out silhouettes of three soldiers providing a haunting tribute to those who served. Other memorials in the park include a granite block dedicated to the victims of 9/11 and an obelisk-topped mausoleum in the northeast corner.

You can access the Kennebec River Rail Trail from Capitol Park via its municipal sister, Capital Park, across Union Street, where the YMCA and ball fields are located.

Getting There
Capitol Park is located on the west side of Augusta, directly across State Street from the Capitol. Parking is available along Capitol and Union Streets, and in the visitor parking lots near the Statehouse and State Library/ Museum/ Archives building.

The TrailsHiking time: ¼ - ½ hour
Difficulty: easy

Visitors can stroll casually along the broad gravel paths that wind around Capitol Park, or break free from the designated avenues and ramble over grassy expanses to explore the trees and monuments nestled throughout the park, or view the Kennebec River from the park’s easternmost edge.

Kid-friendly Factor
Capitol Park is a great place to take kids. The level, gravel paths work well for strollers (those with somewhat more substantial wheels than mall strollers) and are easy for kids to walk on, but the real draw for kids will be the big lawns for them to run around on. The trees and shrubs along the eastern end of the park also offer great hide-and-seek potential.