Virgil Parris Forest Trails

This is a really great double-trail walk to do in the winter, when South Pond is frozen and you can head across the ice to hike not just the Packard Trail (off of Sodom Road), but also the Lowell Trail. Both are in the Virgil Parris Forest, protected by Western Foothills Land Trust. Be careful on the pond and make sure the ice is thick enough to cross! But if you visit in the springtime and summer, you get to enjoy the pond, streams, and small falls. If the summer has been a dry one, the streams might be dry, however.

The Packard Trail offers both longer and medium-sized loops. The shorter Packard Trail is roughly 2.6 miles, with delightful footage along the mostly undeveloped South Pond. Much of the trail is wide and smooth, and while there is a steepish hill down to the water and some other short hills, it is at times pleasantly level!

About 0.2 miles from the start of the trail, if you take a left at the first intersection, you’ll reach a small waterfall, just before the trail begins to descend more steeply to the pond. Once you reach the pond, you can dip down to the water along short side spurs. It seems swimmable, albeit a bit mucky!

The Humble Trail, which branches off the Packard Trail and is marked light green on the land trust map, tacks on an additional 2.2 miles, mostly easy to moderate. If you do the largest loop possible, a perimeter loop that combines Humble and Packard Trails, it’s slightly under 3.5 miles.

Lowell Trail takes you up to a ridge, with views between trees of the pond and to the southeast, in a roughly 1.7-mile loop. Be prepared for some steep, short climbs, as the trail hugs the side of a hill. At the base of the trail, very close to the trailhead, is a nice place to access the pond. (Don’t park here, though! Park to the side of the road where you don’t block other vehicles.)

Remaining on the land are the remains of a farm and family cemetery of the Packard family, who settled here in the mid 1800s. The preserve is named for this fellow from Buckfield, who served in the U.S. House from 1832-1841.

Directions: To hike the Packard Trail off Sodom Road, there is a small parking area at the trailhead. This spot is roughly 1.4 miles from the intersection of Sodom Road and Route 117. If you want to start on the other side of the pond and hike the Lowell Trail, drive down John Ellingwood Road, which you can catch off Route 117, near the town garage. Veer right before reaching the Wells Wood Turning and Finishing business, which is behind a gate. Look for a trailhead kiosk at the start of the narrow lane that runs straight to the pond. Both of the access roads to the Lowell Trail and Packard Trail are unpaved and can be bumpy, but they’re passable for low-clearance cars. Note that parking for Lowell Trail is off the side of the road, close to the trailhead, and not at the boat launch.