QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: 63.5 acres
- Trail Mileage: 1.5-mile loop
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: easy
- Sights: old-growth hemlock stand
The 63.5-acre town forest contains a seven-acre grove of old hemlock trees that dates back to the early 1800s and earlier! The feel of this forest, and other old-growth woods, is not to be missed; they are open, dark, cool, and soothing. I find it a bit sad that old-growth forests in Maine are uncommon, but I suppose we must appreciate these forest stands when we find them. This particular grove is close to the trailhead, so you don’t have to walk far to experience it.
The town has marked a 1.5-mile loop with blue blazes in the woods. There are other tracks crisscrossing this loop. I didn’t explore them. The forest was quite wet when I visited in early June 2017.
The town says there are only 11 documented old-growth hemlock stands in Maine, and this is one of the oldest. Hemlocks can live to be 400 years old, so these ones are just reaching maturity. Here’s more info about the forest, and other Waldoboro parks.
Directions: You can see a couple of signs for the Town Forest from Route 1 (a new one and an old one). Turn off Route 1 onto West Main Street, and then almost immediately turn into the large parking lot. The trail starts at the western end of the lot.
