Annie Sturgis Wildflower Sanctuary

Vassalboro

The Annie Sturgis Wildflower Sanctuary is a 40-acre parcel of land along the Kennebec River owned by the New England Wildflower Society (www.newfs.org). Two loop trails wend their way through pine, hemlock and mixed hardwood forests, travel along and cross over a small, winding stream and even climb Mount Tom, a small hill at the heart of the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is noted for its stands of wild ginger, rare in Maine. The Sanctuary is open April 1 through October 1, dawn until dusk. Dogs and other pets are not allowed.

Getting There
From the Cony Rotary, head north on Bangor Street (Riverside Drive/ Route 201). After crossing the Vassalboro town line, continue north about 1.7 miles and turn left on the Webber Pond Road. Turn right at the stop sign, onto Cushnoc Road, and go north about 0.4 miles. The Wildflower Sanctuary is on your left, marked by a wooden sign that is somewhat hidden by trees. Park alongside the road.

The Trails
Total Distance: about 2 ½ miles (loops)
Difficulty: moderate-difficult
Time needed: 1-1 ½ hours

A large sign nailed to a tree laying out the rules of the Sanctuary marks the beginning of the trail. Go around the tree to the right, and follow the wide, grassy lane between two rows of pines and mixed hardwoods (there is a fair amount of poison ivy along this part of the trail, particularly near the beginning). The trails are marked by small metal disks labeled “New England Wildflower Society” nailed to the trees. The trail heads downhill somewhat between two farms. As it approaches a hay meadow straight ahead, the trail turns to the left and into the woods. Down a steep hill, the trail comes to an old, dilapidated bridge, with a path down into the drainage alongside the bridge to the left (this was easily crossed in dry weather; in spring or after a heavy rain it may be a different story). The trail heads back uphill and comes to a fork in the road, marked by a wooden box. The right fork leads to the Ginger Trail and Mount Tom and the left fork leads to the River Trail.

The Ginger Trail and Mount Tom
Distance: ¾ mile loop
Difficulty: moderate-difficult
Time needed: 20-30 minutes
From the sign-in box, take the right fork and follow the narrow track of pine-needle covered dirt uphill to another fork in the road, the left arrow points to Mount Tom, the right to the Ginger Trail (just before this intersection on the left, somewhat hidden by trees, another arrow points to the other end of the River trail). Mount Tom is a short hike up to the top of a small hill, where grand old stone chimney marks the location of a log cabin built here by the Sturgis family. Just beyond the chimney a bench offers a spot of rest and a view (though shrouded in trees) of the Kennebec River. The Ginger Trail heads down hill to another damaged bridge, again climbing down into and out of the stream bed on a trail along the bridge. The trail continues uphill and around through the woods, looping around once more to the out bridge and uphill to the fork.

The River Loop Trail
Distance: 1 mile
Difficulty: moderate
Time needed: 20-30 minutes
Just below the fork in the road marking Mount Tom to the left and the Ginger Trail to the right, the River Loop heads off to the left (as you're facing uphill), following along the right bank of a stream for a distance, before crossing it on sand bars and climbing up out of the drainage, doubling back along the stream on the opposite bank. The trail follows the stream, with a fence on the right side, for a distance before coming to a fork. A right turn takes you out to the railroad tracks and steeply down to the Kennebec. The left fork leads back to the sign-in box and from there back to Cushnoc Road along the initial trail.

Kid-Friendly Factor
The Sanctuary makes a nice hike for older (seven or eight-year-old) kids, long enough to be a bit of a challenge, but not overwhelming. My four-year-olds managed, but it involved a lot of coaxing (on my part), whining (on theirs) and the ever-present lollipop bribes. The trail is definitely not stroller-accessible. The climb up Mount Tom, with the old chimney and resting bench offers a bit of a fun destination.

Getting Involved
Contact the New England Wildflower Society for opportunities to donate to or volunteer for the Sanctuary.

Vassalboro Wildlife Habitat

Vassalboro

The Vassalboro Wildlife Habitat encompasses 285 acres of land owned and managed by the Kennebec Land Trust. A one-mile loop trail travels through the portion of the conservation area on the east side of he Webber Pond Road, following along the shore of Webber Pond. On the west side of the road, a short trail leads down to a cattail marsh. The remainder of the conservation area is set aside for wildlife habitat.

Getting There
From Cony Rotary in Augusta, head north on Riverside Drive (Bangor Street) to Vassalboro. After crossing the Vassalboro town line, continue 1.7 miles and turn right on the Webber Pond Road. Follow the Webber Pond Road 2.8 miles to a small parking area on the right. A Kennebec Land Trust sign marks the trail head. The sign shows a map of the trail and the preserve, but paper maps are not available; however the trail is well-marked and easy to follow (Brochure with map available here).

The Trails
Distance: Approximately 1 mile
Time needed: 30-45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate

From the parking area, the trail heads into a wooded area of tall pumpkin pines. White blazes on numerous tree trunks mark the path. The trail is overall level and wide, with some gradual hills. After heavy rains it's very wet in areas. The trail comes out of the woods under a powerline corridor, crosses a small bridge and splits in a T. Take a left turn along the broad grassy path. Orange surveyor's tape in the trees mark's the trail; turn right into the pine woods where the tape markings end. The trail heads down to the lake and follows the shoreline. The trail fades into the woods a bit at this point, but bright surveyor's tape marks the way (presumably the path of a trail still to be built). Cozy picnic areas with log chairs have been laid out along the shoreline. After following the shoreline for some distance, the trail angles right, back into the woods and re-joins the powerline corridor. Turn right and continue back to the bridge and from there back to the parking area.

Kid-Friendly Factor
The Vassalboro Wildlife Area trail is a well-marked, fairly easy trail that is ideal for kids of all ages, with the added bonus of the lake provides a fun destination. Although wide and fairly level, the trail is quite muddy and would probably not work well for a stroller, but babies in packs and older kids with sturdy legs will enjoy the hike, especially if you go late in the season when the mosquitoes have calmed down and the trail may be a bit drier.

Getting Involved
Contact the Kennebec Land Trust for membership and volunteer opportunity information.

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.