QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: 57,703 acres
- Trail Mileage: 0.5 miles one way
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: easy to moderate
- Sights: Sysladobsis Lake
The wonderful half-mile Dobsis Narrows Trail, a shady, moss-lined path along the shore of Sysladobsis Lake, is one of two short walks — along with the Horseshoe Lake Trail — in the northern part of the 57,703-acre Downeast Lakes Community Forest. It’s taken care of by the Downeast Lakes Land Trust.
The only problem with this trail is it is too short! It is very beautiful, and so quiet, as much of this area is. We heard the wind and a solitary loon.
The well-marked trail is flat, but a bit rocky, bumpy and rooty. It emerges on an idyllic campsite with a stone fire pit, picnic table and outhouse. Swimming is possible here and probably deliciously clean and clear, but the lake bottom is stony.
Directions: You will be more comfortable in a high-clearance car when driving the roads in the Downeast Lakes Community Forest, but you could get by with a low-clearance one for this trail. Also helpful is to download a Google map of this area on your phone ahead of time and to use AllTrails to find the trailhead. From the north: Route 6, Follow Bottle Lake Road for about 6 miles. When it turns to dirt, take a right onto Depot Road. Follow Depot Road 1.5 miles to a five-way intersection. Take your second left, onto East Shore Drive. Go about 2.85 miles. Turn right at a narrow lane; from here, the trailhead is 0.5 miles. Pass two intersections with lanes on your left. At the third left, when the road bends sharply to the left, you’ll see a trail sign for the trail. Go left here; a small parking area for two vehicles will be on your right in about 900 feet. From the south: From Grand Lake Stream village, take Milford Road west, veer right onto Wabassus Road, a gravel road, and follow this for about 9.5 miles. Turn right onto a narrow lane (if you’re using Google Maps, the lane passes Deer Cove, at the southern end of Sysladobsis Lake. If you pass the turn to Big Sand Beach, you’ve gone too far.) Go about 3 miles, you’ll cross a narrow bridge/dam. Keep going straight at the intersection, follow the road (it becomes East Shore Road), for about 6.3 miles. Turn left at a narrow lane; from here, the trailhead is 0.5 miles. Pass two intersections with lanes on your left. At the third left, when the road bends sharply to the left, you’ll see a trail sign for the trail. Go left here; a small parking area for two vehicles will be on your right in about 900 feet.
