Bass Falls Preserve

Hikers start out on this beautiful Midcoast Conservancy preserve by crossing a meadow with nesting bobolinks, eastern meadowlarks, and sparrows (you must keep your dog leashed during nesting season, May through July). Once you enter the woods, you’ll walk a long, straight, wide and easy path through a dappled deciduous forest. This section of the trail is quite easy.

But as you approach the river, the land starts to pitch downward more precipitously, so expect some hill walking. If you head to the dilapidated fishing cabin, there’s a spot just beyond it, to the right, where you can clamber down the bank to stand on the rocks by the shallow Sheepscot River.

If you head over to the Turquoise Trail loop, upriver north of the cabin, you’ll huff your way up and down a bit before reaching a blissfully flat and scenic 0.25-mile stretch along the river. When you turn inland again, to complete the loop, you’ll cross a couple of small meadows where the vegetation might be growing high.

Directions: From the South: From Route 1 in Wiscasset, follow Route 218 north for 7.25 miles to the Bass Falls Preserve parking lot and kiosk, which are located in a field on the right. From the North: Follow Route 218 south to the Alna Store, which is located at the intersection of Route 218 and Dock Road in Alna. The Bass Falls Preserve parking lot and kiosk are located in a field on the left, 1/4 mile south of the Alna Store on Route 218.