Macdonald Woods Conservation Area and Readfield Town Forest

The Kennebec Land Trust does a wonderful job maintaining its trails. This conservation area is no exception. When I visited, the wide grassy paths through the woods were mown, the signage at junctions was helpful, and the trails were well marked.  Plus — there were juicy blackberries growing along the Inner Loop trail in the Readfield Town Forest section. (The preserve is composed of two contiguous parcels, one protected by the land trust and one owned by the town…Additionally, the conserves are adjacent to the New England Forestry Foundation’s Luce Memorial Forest, which backs up to the Kennebec Land Trust’s Rosemarin and Saunders Family Forest. Seem like there should be a connector trail? Regardless, it’s a wonderfully big conserved area). 

Though the Town Farm Road (part of the trail system) is helpful for making loops, try as much as possible to stick to the pleasant interior walking paths that meander through the forests and past sites of historical interest.

To access the trail system, you can either park in a small parking area at the top of Kents Hill Road, right before it turns into a private way, or on the left side of the narrow Belz Road. There’s more room for cars at Kents Hill Road. From Kents Hill, you walk down a hill and you’ll shortly see signs for the walking paths on your right. Or, if you start on the Readfield Town Forest side, leave your car at Belz Road and walk 0.3 miles past the gate to the trail system.

Directions: From Route 133 near Berry Pond, turn north on North Wayne Road for 3 miles to the T; turn right (east) on the Kents Hill Road; go 1 mile uphill (past the Innes Ridge Rd on left); look for a KLT sign, parking is on the left side of the road at the sign. If you start at the Readfield Town Forest, turn right onto Hathaway Road from North Wayne Road, about 1.3 miles from Route 133. Go 0.7 mile and turn left onto Belz Road. Just before the gate at the end, park with care on the left side of the road.