Bolen Hill trails
Bolen Hill Trails feature a 5.5-mile trail network winding through 1,100 acres of conserved land, including parts of Lake St. George State Park.
Current map for the trail system; please click to access a larger version.
The Story of the Land
Bolen Hill Trails is a collaborative project of Midcoast Conservancy, Hills to Sea Trail Coalition, and the State of Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands. Over a period of 26 years, Midcoast Conservancy and its legacy organizations worked diligently to conserve eight properties that are contiguous with the 260-acre Lake Saint George State Park. This work has resulted in a total of over 1,400 conserved acres.
The land spans across the Georges River and Sheepscot River watersheds and has more than five miles of frontage on the Sheepscot River that contains spawning and rearing habitat for the southernmost genetically distinct population of Atlantic salmon.
What You Might See
From ridgelines to ravines this rugged trail network starts near the shores of Saint George Lake, takes you up and over the ridge of Bolen Hill and down the back side along the banks of the Sheepscot River. The mostly forested land, with some trees well over a 100 years old, may seem like a remote wilderness, but evidence of its current and past agricultural and industrial history still dapple the landscape. The parking lot is surrounded by actively maintained hay fields, still working hard to feed local livestock, as it has for centuries. As you wander through the forest, notice the old farming equipment and stone walls, once used to pen sheep and cows on open pastureland, now surrounded by trees. Along the banks of the Sheepscot River, old woods road, washed out culverts, and cable ties can be seen in areas left behind from when the river was heavily used and manipulated during logs drives.
Today the land is in conservation and provides a respite for wildlife and humans alike to connect with these vital lands and waters. The Bolen Hill Trail network takes you through various habitats and topography, you never know what you will see around the corner. If you get a clear day, and the wind is blowing just right, there are even glimpses of Mt. Washington and Saddleback from the top of the ridge.
From the nearly 900-foot ridge of Bolen Hill with its impressive late successional red spruce, west and downhill to the Sheepscot River that is lined by hefty eastern hemlocks, the area which is part of Midcoast Conservancy’s 1,000 acre Liberty Woods Community Forest is not to be missed. Three loops give visitors plenty of hiking options and opportunities for solitude.
Directions:
Bolen Hill Trails
~278 Belfast Road, Liberty, Maine
The trailhead and parking area are located on Route 3, approximately 1,000 feet west of the state park entrance.
Use of this trail network a Lake St. George State Park fee of $5 for those under 65 yrs old who do not have a 2026 Maine State Parks pass.
