QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: more than 500 acres
- Trail Mileage: 11.5 miles one way
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: easy
- Sights: peat bog, Oyster River, Split Rock
The squiggly lines in my map are mountain bike paths. I tried to bike most of them, but my map is not complete and they seem to change frequently. But the main paths are easy to follow, and there are a few trail maps posted at intersections.
The Georges River Land Trust has created a long-distance trail that makes its way along the 7-mile Rockland Bog Trail and a 4.4-mile stretch through Jack Baker Woods and the Thomaston Town Forest.
The section of trail through the Rockland Bog, a 700-acre peat bog, includes a pretty walk atop a ridge, as well as some wetter areas and stream crossings.
When you get to Jack Baker Woods, look out for one of the famous “split rock,” a glacial erratic, which is about half a mile west from the trailhead on Beechwood Street. Within the first half mile of the trail, you’ll pass along three sections of long boardwalk.
There are many bike trails and walking paths contained in the 350-acre Thomaston Town Forest. The biggest parking area for the Thomastown Town Forest is at the end of Clark Street, or the “pollution control trailhead” on the official maps. You can catch the long-distance trail here, or use the biking paths. These are groomed in the winter for x-c skiing and fat biking, I believe!
Directions: There are a handful of trailheads to this system. From the land trust: For the northern most trailhead to the long-distance trail through the Oyster River Bog, park in the lot on Route 90, 1.8 miles west of the intersection of Routes 90 and 17 in West Rockport. The parking lot at the southern end of the long-distance trail (Jack Baker Woods) is on Beechwood Street in Thomaston, 3.3 miles south of the intersection of Beechwood St. and Route 90.
To access the town woods, you can start at the Jack Baker trailhead, or at these two lots: one at the Thomaston Pollution Control Plant at the end of Booker Street, off Route 1; the second at the water tower, along a dirt road (Water Tower Road) off Route 1 across from the Thomaston Green.
Is there cross-country skiing? If so is there any grooming or maintenance performed on the ski trail? Where does one inquiry about daily conditions?
I read at some point that part of the trail may be groomed for fat biking, but I don’t think it is specifically groomed for x-c skiing? I don’t live in that area, so am not up to date on conditions or treatment, unfortunately. The best people to ask are at the Georges River Land Trust!