Allen-Whitney Memorial Forest

Manchester

The Allen-Whitney Memorial Forest is a 708-acre plot of land owned and managed by the New England Forestry Foundation. A network of trails provides access to the forest for non-motorized uses, including cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking and horseback riding. The trails are clearly intended more for winter use than summer; they are fairly overgrown with vegetation and the blazes are few and far between in some areas. However, the forest provides a peaceful and shady hike through varied terrain and vegetation types, with birds singing in the canopy above and wildflowers growing all along the trails. It is worth a bit of bushwhacking to experience the beauty of the forest.

Getting There
Take route 202 (Western Avenue) west into Manchester. Turn right on Route 17 and go 1.6 miles. Just past Lakeside Orchards, turn right onto the Worthing Road, follow it to the end (about 1 mile) and turn right onto Scribner Hill Road. Park at the Manchester Meeting House, about 0.2 miles down the road on your left.

The Trails
All of the trails begin at the kiosk at the back end of the parking area. There are no maps available at the kiosk, but you can download a map of the trail network from the Manchester town website. Unfortunately the map is not color-coded to match the trail blazes and not all of the cross-trails appear on the map. However with a little careful attention to the blazes and a willingness to get a little turned around, it's not too difficult to navigate the trails. In general, the red trail is marked as 1 on the map; the blue trail is 2, 3 and 4 and the orange trail is 5.

Whitney Way
Red Blazes
Distance: About 2 miles (loop and backtrack)
Difficulty: Moderate-difficult
Time needed: 1-2 hours (including return trip)

From the kiosk head straight into the woods along a wide, grassy road. In a few dozen yards, the trail T's, with a red arrow pointing left (a right turn leads back down to Scribner Hill south of the Meeting House). Follow the red trail left, uphill through a pine and mixed hardwood forest. The trail here appears to be an old road, overgrown with grass and plants. The trail crests a hill and a blue arrow points left where Allen's Trace begins. Continue straight downhill, passing another left fork marked with an orange arrow (Lion's Leap). The trail travels through a wet area and takes a left turn uphill (look for double red blazes). The trail continues uphill following a narrow path. After passing a granite ledge on the left, the trail angles left and uphill, becoming very indistinct. At a stone wall, the trail crosses an old road and gets somewhat lost in the woods, looping up and downhill before returning to the road. To avoid this confusion, turn left onto the road and follow it until the red blazes resume. The road curves left and steeply uphill before heading back downhill. The blue trail forks right and straight ahead and the red blazes end. Follow the blue trail straight ahead for a short distance and the red trail resumes to the left, uphill and traverses Allen hill along a snowmobile trail. At a T intersection, turn right and follow the red trail back down to the parking area.

Allen's Trace
Blue Blazes
Distance: About 2 ½ miles (loop)
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult

From the kiosk head straight into the woods along a wide, grassy road. In a few dozen yards, the trail T's, with a red arrow pointing left (a right turn leads back down to Scribner Hill south of the Meeting House). Follow the red trail left, uphill through a pine and mixed hardwood forest. The trail here appears to be an old road, overgrown with grass and plants. At the crest of a hill turn left at the blue arrow. The trail moves uphill through a stand of tall, straight red pines. The trail is fairly indistinct, with tall ferns growing in it. The trail crosses an old road and enters a mixed hardwood forest with some very large old maples. After the second large tree on the right, turn right at the blue arrow, and climb a hill through more red pines. There's not much of a trail here, just widely spaced blue blazes and weedy ground.

The trail moves into a denser stand of trees and comes to a T intersection, both directions marked with blue arrows. Turn left here (a right turn will lead toward Lion's Leap and the east side of the Whitney Way loop and can be followed in reverse of these directions) onto an old road. The trail crosses a snowmobile trail and heads gradually downhill into another pine stand before heading more steeply down into a denser mixed hardwood forest. The trail curves toward the left, opens into a wider tote road and comes to another blue arrow pointing right (Scribner Hill Road is visible to the the left). Turn right, following a snowmobile trail 100 yards or so to a tree in the middle of the road marked with a blue arrow pointing left. Turn left and follow an old road over level ground through beech and maple woods. The trail passes numerous spots that look like side trails—ignore these.

The trail comes to an intersection with a small trail entering from the left; follow the blue arrow right and pass through a wet area on the trail. Cross a small stream on good-sized rocks and climb uphill. The trail crosses another stone wall, levels out and passes some large hemlock and pine trees, following a seasonal stream bed on the right. The trail crosses another stone wall and meets a snowmobile trail, turning right at the blue arrow. The trail through here is quite eroded and wet, clearly becoming a stream during spring runoff and heavy rainfall. The trail turns left, climbs uphill and comes to another T intersection, with red to the left and blue to the right. Follow the blue trail downhill to a junction with a snowmobile trail with a red arrow again to the left. Go right here and almost immediately turn left at the blue blazes, heading downhill and left again at another blue arrow. The trail becomes narrow and weedy again and passes through an area of very low-hanging trees. The trail comes to a T intersection again; turn left and head downhill. At a fork in the trail, an orange arrow points left (to Lion's Leap) and a blue arrow points right. Following the blue trail a few yards downhill, the trail forks again, with the left (straight) fork returning to the parking area, the right heading back up the blue loop.

Lion's Leap
Orange Blazes
Distance: about 1/8 mile (one-way)
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult
Time needed: 15 minutes (plus time to hike in from the trail head)

Lion's Trace is a short connector trail that links Whitney Way and Allen's Trace Trails. To access Lion's Leap, follow Allen's Trace (the blue trail, above) to a fork marked by an orange arrow pointing right. From here, head downhill along a trail abloom with lily of the valley and red columbine (in early June) under a tall hardwood canopy and past a large old oak tree. The trail is marked alternately with orange blazes and orange surveyor's tape. It is also a narrow dirt track, unlike the other two trails which mostly follow old road beds. The trail curves left, crosses an old stone wall and heads downhill very steeply, leveling out in a hemlock grove where it meets Whitney Way at a T intersection marked with red arrows both ways. A left turn climbs Allen Hill and a right turn leads back down to the parking area.

Kid-Friendly Factor
I took my four-year-olds on Whitney Way and they were both very put out by the “pokeys”--the vegetation covering much of the trail, as well as the distance. They're both strong hikers, but without diversions such as streams or ponds for throwing rocks into or big boulders to climb and jump off, it was just drudgery to them. Older children might appreciate the subtleties of the deep woods and quiet bird song more, but I know I enjoyed it much more when I went back and hiked Allen's Trace and Lion's Leap without small children.

Getting Involved
To find out how you can get involved in maintaining the trail network at Allen-Whitney Memorial Forest, contact the Manchester Conservation Commission.

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.

Mt. Pisgah Community Conservation Area

Winthrop

The Mount Pisgah Community Conservation Area is a 94-acre conservation property owned by the town of Winthrop and part of the Kennebec Land Trust's 700-acre Mt. Pisgah Conservation Area. The Trail ascends the west slope of Mt. Pisgah, through a lovely and peaceful mixed hardwood forest, to the fire tower at the top of the mountain, and loops back to the parking lot via the old fire tower road.

Getting There
From Augusta, take Route 202 (Western Ave.) west toward Monmouth. Where Route 132 intersects 202, heading south toward Monmouth Village, turn left onto Blaisdell Rd. At the stop sign, turn right onto Wilson Pond Road (the road name is not marked at this intersection). At the stop sign, turn left onto Pisgah Road. In about 1.7 miles, a small parking area on your right marks the start of the trail.

The Trail
Distance: 2 miles (loop)
Time: 1-2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate-Difficult

From the parking lot, head up the fire road to where a large gate blocks the road. Just left of the gate, a sign reads “Mt. Pisgah Trail,” and a box mounted on a post holds a sign-in sheet and maps. Follow this trail, a narrow, somewhat rocky dirt track through a mixed hardwood forest. As you climb the gently-sloping trail, you move into an area of very big old hardwoods, and, farther along, the tree community includes many golden yellow birches, with very few coniferous trees. The understory is fairly open, dotted with many large boulders and the canopy is filled with bird song in the spring. Along the trail numerous The trail crosses through many wet, boggy areas with the aid of stepping stones and bog bridges. A large pile of split logs about halfway up the trail indicate that more bog bridge will be added soon. Nearing the top of the mountain, the trail enters a grove of old pine trees and levels off somewhat. In the pines, the trail crosses another dirt track; continue straight ahead and up a rocky incline to the top of the mountain. Here a 60 foot fire tower offers views of the surrounding hills and peaks. At the foot of the tower, a grassy patch provides the perfect spot for a picnic.

Take the same rocky trail back downhill a few hundred yards to where the trail you ascended curves to the right. Take a left fork here, near a gray post with no sign, to head down to the parking lot via the old fire road; a quicker and more direct, if somewhat less picturesque route than the one you ascended.





Kid-Friendly Factor
The Mt. Pisgah trail is a challenging hike for small ones. Having a destination (a mountain top!) and the more direct descent trail helps. I told my four-year-olds the fire tower wasn't open, to avoid a heart-racing climb up the open stairs. However, a much older child would enjoy the adventure of climbing the tower and checking out the views. The trail is definitely not stroller friendly, but isn't too long of a climb for toting the littlest passengers in a backpack or sling.

Getting Involved
The town of Winthrop and the Kennebec Land Trust jointly manage and maintain the Mt. Pisgah Community Conservation Area. Visit http://www.tklt.org/ to join the Kennebec Land Trust or learn about volunteer opportunities.

Old Narrow Gauge Volunteer Trail

Randolph

The Old Narrow Gauge Trail follows the rail bed of the former Kennebec Central Railroad, a narrow gauge rail line that transported passengers, coal and supplies to the National Veterans Home at Togus (now USVA Togus) from 1890 through 1929. The original rail line traveled five miles from Randolph to Togus. The first 1 ¼ miles of the original rail line lie within Randolph and the town owns a right-of-way to this section, which comprises the trail. An Eagle Scout built the trail in 1985, but the trail was not maintained and fell into disrepair. A committee formed in 2003 to improve and upgrade a more permanent trail. The trail committee plans to eventually continue the trail the entire five miles to Togus and link the trail to the Gardiner end of the Kennebec River Rail Trail using directional signs. The trail is accessible by foot and bicycle (no motorized vehicles), and by ski or snowshoe in winter.



Getting There
From the East side of Augusta, take Route 9 (Hospital Street) south to Randolph. Continue straight (Route 27 South) at the light 0.3 miles. The trail begins just , A large kiosk marks the trailhead across a driveway and strip of grass south of the south of Goggin’s IGA. The IGA parking lot is posted with signs saying the parking is for IGA customers only, but Webb’s gas station across the street is not posted. The trail can also be accessed along Route 226: from Randolph, take 226 east ½ mile; a crosswalk and green pedestrian sign mark where the trail crosses the road; the road shoulders are wide enough here for parking.

The Trail
Distance: 1 ¼ miles (one-way)
Time Required:
Difficulty: easy-moderate

Because the Old Narrow Gauge Volunteer Trail follows the path of a former rail line, it is a relatively wide, level path with not much in the way of ups and downs except where the trail dips in and out of the streambed at numerous stream crossings.



From the kiosk south of IGA, the trail passes a small pond on the left and follows the course of Little Togus Stream, a sweet little brook that tumbles along over mossy stones. This first section of trail is an easy walk over a wide, level swath of mown grass and gravel. Beware of the trail edges; poison ivy grows in thick masses along this section of the trail. About halfway between 126 and 226, the trail crosses over the stream via a large culvert. Just past the culvert a picnic table is nestled into a wide area next to the trail. In just under half a mile the trail reaches Route 226 (Windsor St.), crosses at a crosswalk and heads back into the woods. From here on the becomes a dirt track, with some rutted sections and numerous reroutes around former railroad bridges. At the same time, the trail becomes increasingly peaceful and remote. As you leave the road noise behind, bird song becomes more apparent and the forest grows denser, with tall willows, oaks and hemlocks filling out the canopy and lush ferns lining the stream banks. A few hundred yards beyond the road, the trail crosses the stream again. It appears a bridge is under construction here; two metal I-beams span the water, mounted on old concrete supports, and a seemingly temporary log and two-by-four bridge crosses between them. Shortly after the bridge, the trail passes a homemade sign marked, “Apple Tree Lane,” and goes through an area dotted with wild apple trees before moving into deep dark woods of tall pine and hemlock trees. In the woods it crosses a small side stream on a dilapidated plank bridge and re-crosses the main stream again on stepping stones.



The trail comes to a crossroads with what appears to be a well-used ATV trail. A wooden sign indicates that a left turn will take you to Deb’s Ice Cream and Route 27 and a right turn leads to the Birmingham Road. The trail comes out into a more open area, skirting to the right of a meander in the stream and then becomes narrower, more of a foot track than an ATV trail. Again the trail crosses the stream, this time on a board bridge, and heads back into the deep woods. Another wooden sign indicates “Iron Bridge X” along with a painted railroad crossing symbol on the tree below just before two strips of iron cross the stream where it is channeled through a narrow concrete sluice. In a short distance the trail comes to another stepping stone stream crossing, this one labeled “Whitetail X.” The trail follows along the left of a small meadow labeled “Beaver Swamp Bend” and then comes to “One Step Bridge,” a collection of small logs bolted together that take two or three steps to cross. The trail then crosses a wet area on some logs, this crossing labeled “Tan House Xing,” due to the tan house just visible through the woods to the right. In a short distance the trail crosses a gravel road and resumes in the woods, leaving the path of Little Togus Stream and becoming a wider, somewhat eroded ATV track. A short distance into the woods the last of the wooden signs indicates “Hankerson Rd. 1 mi.” This is approximately the boundary of Randolph and Chelsea, and the end of the official trail, however trail continues along, meeting the Hankerson Road just west of the Collins Road. A dirt road/four-wheeler trail begins across the Hankerson Road; an especially adventurous hiker could attempt to follow this track an additional two miles or so to Togus.

Kid-Friendly Factor
The first section of the trail (just under ½ mile) is wide and level enough for pushing a jogging stroller, and this fairly easy section trail is inviting for small legs and a pleasant walk for parents, but be sure to teach children to recognize and avoid poison ivy, or stay out of the bushes along the trail altogether, no matter how tempting the blackberries that also grow there in late summer may be. Beyond 226 the trail is too rutted and bumpy to accommodate a stroller; the many sketchy stream crossings make it impassible for strolling, and should only be attempted by those fleet of foot and willing to get wet--older children may enjoy the challenge, but little ones (and their parents) may get frustrated by having to be lifted across repeatedly.



Getting Involved
For more information about the history of the Kennebec Central Railroad and the Old Narrow Gauge Volunteer Trail, or to get involved with trail maintenance or donations, go to http://www.oldnarrowgaugetrail.org/.

Webber-Rogers Farmstead Conservation Area

Litchfield

The Webber-Rogers Farmstead Conservation Area is a 117-acre conservation easement that was donated to the Kennebec Land Trust by George and Judy Rogers in 2005. The land includes the farmstead area, the agricultural area with working hayfields and vineyard, and fields and woodlands with more than 2200 acres of shorefront along Upper Pleasant Pond. The trails travel through the wooded area and along the shores of Potter’s Brook and Upper Pleasant Pond, offering lovely views of both as well as the quiet sound of water lapping on the banks. The trail is short enough for a quick outing, yet it offers numerous inviting opportunities for exploration or quiet contemplation along the way.

Getting There
From Gardiner, head south on Route 201 (Brusnwick Ave.). After passing the I-295 interchange, continue 3.5 miles. Turn right on Thorofare Road and follow it to where it ends (about 0.8 miles) at Plains Road. Turn left on Plains Road. The trailhead is on your left after you cross the stream (about 0.1 miles). There is some parking along the roadside.

The Trails
Distance: 1.5 miles (loop)
Difficulty: moderate

The two trails form a loop through a lovely hardwood forest dominated by beech trees with lush ferns in the understory. The Shore Trail offers views of Potter’s Brook and Upper Pleasant Pond and the Ridge Trail passes some interesting glacial erratics. Both trails are narrow dirt tracks, that bounce over roots and rocks. The trail is well-marked with blue tree blazes. From the Webber-Rogers Farmstead Conservation Area sign near the road, walk straight ahead, along the edge of the woods. In a short distance you will come to a trailhead sign and a box with maps and a sign-in sheet. From here the trail enters the woods, crosses a small bridge and comes to a fork. A right at the fork leads to the Ridge Trail, the left fork leads to the Shore Trail.

Shore Trail
Take a left at the fork and follow the trail along Potter’s Brook, crossing a small seasonal streambed and a snowmobile trail. The trail passes a large oak tree and where Potter’s Brook joins Upper Pleasant Pond. The trail parallels the pond, climbs over a stone wall and angles uphill. Near the southern boundary of the Conservation Area, the trail turns right and right again, leaving Pleasant Pond and meeting the Ridge Trail.

Ridge Trail
From the end of the Shore Trail, the Ridge Trail heads uphill, following along a breezy ridge of wooded land. After the trail crests the hill and heads downhill again, it passes the aptly named Nose Rock (is this a gnome frozen in time?), climbs over another stone wall, crosses a small wet area on two wooden beams, crosses a snowmobile trail (go left) and rejoins the shore trail. Continue straight to the road.

Kid-Friendly Factor
The Webber-Rogers Conservation Area trail would be a great place to take kids for a hiking adventure. The trail is too narrow, rooty and rocky to accommodate a stroller, but a small child could be carried in a backpack and a preschooler or young school-aged child should be able to handle at least part of the trail if not the whole loop. Kids will enjoy the “enchanted” aspects of the trail--Nose Rock, the mossy tree trunks, interesting fungus and tall ferns along the trail, as well as the many views of water along the way. It would be fun to take a picnic to eat along the shore of Upper Pleasant Pond. Be prepared for wet sneakers and some tripping over roots and rocks.

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).

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.