Shaker Bog Trail, Poland

I don’t know if it’s the suggestion of being associated with the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village nearby, but this approximately 0.5-mile one-way trail that follows the eastern edge of the Shaker Bog feels kind of holy! Or it did when I hiked it on a recent warm spring-like day in early March, with the low sun warming the trail and glinting off the ice and open water of the wetland. The bog plants at times seem to glow a deep purple, sometimes a brownish-red.

The bog is part of a 1,700-acre protected area that includes the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village. The trail was not blazed when I walked it, but it was easy to follow, and included a few steps-long side paths to the water’s edge. The best spot, about 0.3 miles from the trailhead, has a couple of rocky outcroppings, making for a good resting place.

The path peters out eventually, and if you try to keep going, you’ll run into a barbed wire fence.

The only downside to the walk is the small parking area off Route 26 at the boat launch. The space is big enough just for two cars. Route 26 is fast, so it makes sense to turn around so you can nose out of the spot rather than back into the road, but this is only possible if yours is the only vehicle there.

Directions: The trailhead and small area for parking is located off Route 26, at the Shaker Bog boat launch. Take care pulling out into the road. It’s located on the left side of Route 26 (the western side) about 0.35 miles north of the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, and 700 feet or so north of the intersection with Quarry Road. The path is blocked with boulders and is marked with a small Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) sign.