Sawyer Mountain Highlands

I find it kind of sweet that this area is called the highlands, since we’re not talking immensely high elevations! What you do find here are the foothills that step up gradually to the great mountains of New Hampshire and northern Maine. Nonetheless, the little mountains in this area are great — they’re relatively easy to climb and many offer nice views, including this one. Don’t expect spectacular majesty and you’ll come away fulfilled by this hike, I think.

This preserve encompasses more than 1,400 acres, protected by Francis Small Heritage Trust. “The Sawyer Mountain Highlands are located in the largest unfragmented block of undeveloped forested areas in York and Cumberland counties,” according to the trust. “Sawyer Mountain is a special place
because it lies at the boundary between the foothills and the plains. As a result, it is home to a wide variety of plants and animals.”

You can approach the 1,213-feet Sawyer Mountain summit from the east or the west. The eastern trailhead off Route 117 in Limington seems more popular — probably because it is easier to get to. You can also do a 0.7-mile, easy nature loop from this trailhead. If you want to summit the mountain from this side, you have at least two options. One is to take a ~2.5-mile footpath, the Sherwood Libby Trail, which starts by climbing gradually and then levels out before climbing again. The other slightly shorter 2-mile or so route goes up the old Sawyer Road, which offers a relatively steady incline. The footing is somewhat rocky. At 0.8-mile, you’ll pass a route off to the right, leading to Norton Road. A side path from this trail leads to old home foundations and appears to be a dead end.

On the western side of the mountain, you will find a 1.3-mile trail thats starts from the unpaved Sawyer Mountain Road. You start up a steep path (Smith Trail) from the trailhead, which levels off for a pretty stretch through forest crisscrossed with stone walls, before joining the old Sawyer Road (rocky and slippery when wet). The road continues up the mountain to your right. About 0.4 miles later, you’ll come to an intersection with a sign for the summit, which is another 0.3 miles to the right and up. 

At the summit there’s an open grassy area. If you are standing facing the views, you’ll see a trail off to your left, heading over to another scenic overlook (not as nice as the summit).

There is also a gorge off the old Sawyer Road on the Limerick side of the mountain.

Directions: For the Limerick trailhead, take Route 11 in Limerick and turn on to the Emery Corner Road. Follow the Emery Corner Road for 2 miles until it ends at the Sawyer Mountain Road. Turn left on the Sawyer Mountain Road and follow it for 1.1 miles (it turns into a dirt road) up a steep hill to the parking lot on the right. For the Limington trailhead, you’ll find a parking lot off Route 117 at a sharp turn in the highway, 2.5 miles south of the junction of Routes 25 and 117, and 2.4 miles north of the junction of Routes 11 and 117. There’s room here for about 10 or so cars.