Crooked Farm and Sproul Preserves, Bristol

The 130-acre Crooked Farm Preserve and the 50-acre John and Peg Sproul Preserve are connected (although as of 2021 their trail systems were not, except via the somewhat rough dirt road, Old County Road).

Crooked Farm offers meadows, wildflowers, views of the Pemaquid River, and an oftentimes solitary walk. There can be some wet sections to the trail. The full loop is just about 3.0 miles. The small parking area is probably big enough for three cars.

The Sproul Preserve is smaller, and offers access to Boyd Pond and Ross Pond, both swimmable in nice weather. The two loops — 0.5 miles and 0.2-miles — are well marked, although there are some intersecting unmarked trails along the way. The small parking area can hold around four to five cars.

Directions: From Damariscotta, take the Bristol Road 9.9 miles and turn left on to Old County Road at the Bristol Library. Travel 0.8 miles and turn left into the preserve parking area (before the Carpenter’s Boatshop). If you continue another 0.7 miles, you’ll come to the parking area on the left for Sproul Preserve. The section of road after the Carpenter’s Boatshop can be impassable in muddy and snowy conditions, and is pretty rough. The land trust recommends in these circumstances that visitors park at the Crooked Farm parking area and walk the 0.7 miles to Sproul.