Sheepscot Headwaters Preserve
The Whitten Hill, Bog Brook and Northern Headwaters preserves were created by the Sheepscot Wellspring Land Alliance (now Midcoast Conservancy) to protect more than 1,250 acres of contiguous habitat.
The Story of the Land
These properties conserve large areas of forever wild land - this prohibits timber cutting, development and most human manipulation of the land. Protecting some land as forever wild is crucial for long-term ecosystem health and biodiversity.
Trails cross the forever wild preserves and privately owned lands; the generosity of private landowners makes this network possible. Please be respectful of the land to help us retain this privilege. A section of these trails is also a part of the Waldo County Trails Coalition's 46-mile Hills to Sea Trail, which links towns from Belfast to Unity. In addition, these trails connect to 11 miles of trail maintained by Georges River Land Trust.
What You Might See
The trails meander along pristine headwaters streams, pass glacial erratics and weave through groves of mature trees - some more than 200 years old. Panoramic views greet hikers at the tops of Frye Mountain, Hogback Mountain, and Goose Ridge. Signs of wildlife abound and the birding is excellent.
Along the Bog Brook Trail beavers are very active and moose, deer and other animals use the old logging roads that intersect the trail. The Goose Ridge Trail crosses two dams built in the early 1800s that powered a sawmill a quarter of a mile downstream. The Hemlock Hollow Trail crosses the uppermost section of the Sheepscot, which is excellent rearing habitat fo r brook trout and Atlantic salmon; if you look closely in the shallow pools you may see wild Atlantic salmon fry only a few inches long. Anglers can help endangered Atlantic salmon by practicing catch and release on the Sheepscot River and its tributaries.
Directions:
Montville, Freedom, Knox, Liberty
State of Maine
From Liberty: Take Route 220 north. In 3.3 miles, turn left on Halldale Road. In 0.5 miles, take slight right to stay on Halldale Rd. In 1.1 miles, parking lot is on the left.
From Freedom: Take Route 220 south. In 1.8 miles, go straight onto Halldale Rd. In 3.6 miles, parking lot is on the right.
