QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: 12,268 acres
- Trail Mileage: 3.5 miles
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: moderate
- Sights: Speck Ponds, mountain views (at power line)
This trail system brings walkers to two quiet, remote ponds, Speck and Lower Speck ponds. Based on the number of gnawed trees and lodges that dot the pond edges, it appears a good-sized community of beavers live here!
The 3.5-mile well-made trail begins on Hutchinson Pond Road. Park at a little pullover area on the right, directly across a private driveway. There was no trail sign by the road when I visited, but if you follow the grassy track in front of the parking area, you’ll reach the trail signs in about 150 feet. One of them asks that dogs be on leash to protect nesting birds, another says camping isn’t allowed.
On the access trail to the pond loops, the trail builder has noted where the path passes from Albany into Norway by posting two signs, “Norway” on one side of a tree, for incoming walkers, and “Albany” on the other side, for those who are on their way out.
At close to half a mile the path crosses a power line (look for the rock cairns to find the path here!) and then descends quickly to reach the bigger of the two ponds. Some canoes have been placed by the pond’s edge.
On the way to Lower Speck Pond, the trail crosses an ATV/snowmobile trail. You can loop around both ponds before heading back. The trail has a few ups and downs, and Maine’s ubiquitous roots and uneven terrain to navigate, but overall, it’s fairly moderate.
The trail is protected within the 12,268-acre Crooked River Headwaters conservation easement.
Important note: Parking is very limited. If the lot is full, hikers should return another time. Cars cannot park along the road.
Directions: From Hunts Corner Road, turn onto Hutchinson Road. The small parking area for the Speck Ponds Trail is on a turn-out about 1.45 miles on the right across from a cottage with the address 300 Hutchinson Pond Road.
The path that cuts across the power lines is very overgrown , we had a really hard time finding the trail marker.
If people look slightly to the left of where they have come out of the fist part of wooded trail, they can see a grouping of 2-3 birch trees. The red marker is on the darker colored tree next to that.
Other than that it is pretty well marked, though a bit overgrown in some areas.
Thank you for your trail update! It’s too bad to hear the path is overgrown, but I guess it adds to the experience 🙂
Need better direction to parking
Almost missed trail parking but eventually found it. Trail sign not visible until walking in. Agree with above comment about path cutting across power lines very overgrown-took multiple tries before I actually found it. Also had a hard time locating red markers at several points on trail, went off path numerous times. Buggy and overgrown but parts were a nice walk in the woods.