QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: 14 acres
- Trail Mileage: .1 miles
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: moderate
- Sights: Saco Falls, Pleasant River
The Downeast Salmon Federation’s description for this walk says it’s a community favorite on a hot summer day for swimming and sliding, but I didn’t see much evidence of this when I visited on a hot summer day in 2019. There are not many places to park (just a couple narrow places to pull your car off the road) and the river appears to flow fast.
There is a small trail sign near the western end of the bridge, on the left if you’ve just crossed it. You can pull over one car here and walk .1 to a small area where you can access the river and look at the pretty falls. The original parking area shown on the official map was very overgrown when I visited.
Directions: From Route 1 in Columbia Falls, head north on Station Road for 2.8 miles, then continue straight onto Saco Road. Go another 1.3 miles. Saco Falls will be on the right. There is a small “trail” sign on the right, right before the bridge, and a small for one car to pull over.