Ezra Smith Wildlife Conservation Area

I couldn’t stop taking pictures of the bog bridges here that stretch on and on! They comfortably bring walkers over a narrow section of the 50-acre wetland that runs down the middle of the preserve. (This is a fen, altered by beavers.) You’ll find this scenic forest-trail spectacle if you take the northern trail, the Doghair Fir Loop, which makes a 0.6-mile loop on higher ground, some of which passes bunches of small firs and pines (doghair refers to crowded thickets of young conifers). The total distance of this loop is about 1 mile.

The southern loop on the forested 0.5-mile Deer Trail loop is tucked just below Route 41 on a steep hillside. From the main parking lot, this loop is 0.4 miles away, making for a 1.3-mile walk.

The preserve is well taken care of by the Kennebec Land Trust

Directions:The property is about 0.4 miles south of Blake Hill Road. If you’re coming from this direction (north), you’ll reach the first of two trailheads on your left (east side) of Route 41 in Mount Vernon. Vehicles travel fast on Route 41, so take care. The parking area is big enough here for several cars. There is a secondary trailhead just a short ways farther on Route 41, about 0.4 miles, with a smaller pullover parking area.