Spencer Pond

Because there is a decent road that’ll get you close to Spencer Pond, there might be less need for this hiking trail. Those who drive in can park at a gate and walk 400 yards or so to the pond’s edge, which has accumulated a bunch of canoes.

But for those purists who prefer to walk in, there is the slightest trace of a 0.5-mile trail between Route 17 and the pond, requiring a bushwhack through grass and shrubs on an old track. The trail ascends slightly, adding to the overall discomfort. The does pass a little stream with a tiny waterfall, though.

The trailhead may be a touch hard to find. Look for a rock pillar with a red blaze set off from the road a few feet. Once you find it, the trail will likely be overgrown. At roughly 0.3-mile, the path comes out on a dirt road. A trail sign here indicates to go right on the road, and in about 0.15 mile, you’ll pass a gate and see another trail sign for the foot trail to the right. (Up the hill to the left is a private house with a No Trespassing sign.) You’ll soon come upon the little pond with scattered canoes. There are no mountains to be seen, and it’s not good for swimming, but the pond is quiet and peaceful. 

Directions: From Oquossoc, follow Route 17 south for about 13 miles (about 2 miles south of Height of Land scenic overlook). The trailhead is on the left (east), where there is a shoulder to pull over on the side of the road, big enough for two cars. If you reach Beaver Pond, you’ve gone too far. Turn around and the trailhead is roughly 0.7 miles on your right, slightly beyond a rough gravel road.