QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: 313 acres
- Trail Mileage: 1.5 miles
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: easy
- Sights: Scottow Bog, fields, Nonesuch River, carnivorous sundews, wild cranberries
This is a lovely Scarborough Land Trust preserve to visit near the Maine Mall, with easy, flat, and at times grassy trails that loop through small patches of shady forest and sunnier, more open areas, including a forested wetland with wild cranberries in late summer. While the word wetlands conjures images of soggy trails, the paths seem to be mostly dry with occasional muddy spots.
A spur trail leaves the main loop for a pretty spot by the Nonesuch River. If you’re adventurous, you can continue along a narrower herd path to more riverside spots.
The 313-acre preserve includes a rare pitch pine bog for Maine and floodplains along the Nonesuch River. The Scarborough Land Trust says it plans to carve out more trails to connect the land here to the Scarborough Downs area.
Directions: Located on the east side of Payne Road, the preserve is 0.65 miles from the intersection with Gorham Road (Route 114) and about 0.4 miles from Holmes Road. The preserve is fairly large, with a lot of shade.
