Kate Furbish Preserve, Brunswick

You can explore nearly twelve miles of trails at the Kate Furbish Preserve on Brunswick Landing, on both the eastern or western sides of the preserve. The two are separated by Harpswell Cove, and have two different trailheads.

The eastern side is accessible via Ordinance Road, which brings you through a neighborhood of old military bunkers (we know where Brunswick townspeople will be headed when the nuclear winter arrives!). The preserve land was conveyed to the town by the US Navy, and was once used for detonating munitions to dispose of them.

If you start at Ordinance Road and do its 3.5-mile perimeter loop clockwise, you begin on a dirt track (it is wheelchair accessible) that passes through a meadow and by the tip of a small pond. At the end of the meadow, the track turns sharply right to enter the woods. Then the road follows the southern end of the preserve before arriving at the shores of Harpswell Cove. The walking is very easy on this first section, wide, flat, and clear, with some rolling hills. The last winding leg of the path, along the cove and marsh, is beautiful, but the walking is more difficult, with more roots and a few deep gullies.

From the perimeter trail, you can also cut into the woods to head over to Buttermilk Cove and the Princess Point Road trailhead. There is a long and winding bike path that weaves in and around the paths meant more for walking. It can be a bit confusing at times (or it was in late 2022) but I presume all the trails will be clearly marked soon. The parking area for the Princess Point trailhea is at the Princess Point boat launch, and if you walk along the path some 50 feet, there is a great place to swim a dog in Buttermilk Cove. Additionally, you can pick up the trail system from Coombs Road.

Across the cove, the trails at Kate Furbish Preserve West can be found next to the golf course. Park across the street and look for a high wooden fence. Walk to the right of this, and you’ll eventually reach a wide, old road that heads into the woods. These tracks are flat and easy, with the exception of the connector trail between the two roads (the connector trail is blue and the roads are shown in white on the land trust’s map). Additionally, a narrower, windy side trail has been constructed on the north side of the preserve. It was marked with tags when we visited. It follows the marsh river for a while, and offers pretty views. This trail is easy, but not quite as smooth as the rest.

The trails at Kate Furbish are groomed for skiing. You can find updates on grooming conditions on the town’s website.

Directions for Kate Furbish East: From Orion Street in the old Navy base, now called Brunswick Landing, turn onto Purinton Road. Continue 0.3 miles on Purinton Road—it will bend sharply to the right at a cemetery. Continue straight for 0.5, and take a left at the next junction, onto Ordinance Road. Ordinance Road makes a small one-way loop at its end. Here, you’ll see the first trailhead on your right, through a hole in a metal fence. There is ample parking in the old paved lots at the end of this loop. If you continue on the loop a short ways, you’ll see the other trails on your right.

Directions for Kate Furbish West: From the four-way junction of Harpswell Road (Route 123) and Middle Bay Road, take a right, turning onto Merriconeag Road. Go just about 760 feet; there is a large parking area on the left. The trail to the Furbish preserve is across the road; it follows the far western edge of the golf course for a short bit. There are more trails through the old base that leave from this trailhead.