Vienna Woods

You start your hike at this 71-acre Kennebec Land Trust preserve on a short woods road that takes you very quickly to the trailhead. Once you turn left onto the trail, you commence a gradual climb of about 0.4 miles to a short path leading to the “pinnacle,” an open ledge with a sturdy granite bench and views over the forest and small hilltops northeast of the preserve.

If you continue your walk past this point, you’ll head sharply downhill to a 1.2-mile double loop made up of the Hemlock, Vienna, and Rock Garden Trails. (Rock garden is a poetic way to describe areas of exposed bedrock.) The Hemlock/Rock Garden loop is about 0.7 miles, and the Vienna loop is about 0.5 miles, which includes the relatively steep ascent up the Pinnacle Access Trail.

Directions: From Vienna village, take Route 41 northwest from the intersection with Kimball Pond Road. At just over 1.6 miles, turn left onto Trask Road. Continue up the very steep Trask Road for 0.4 miles until you reach the end of the paved road, where there’s a small parking area and trailhead sign on the right.