QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: 53 acres
- Trail Mileage: ~1 mile in network (excluding Edge Trail)
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: easy
- Sights: views, meadows
This park is a little oasis atop Robbins Hill, with a couple of wheelchair-accessible loops made of crushed stone that wind through wildflower-laden fields. In August, crickets might jump on and off the trail all around you, as if celebrating your progress. There are picnic tables with shelters and westward views of the upper Kennebec River Valley and the High Peaks. I unfortunately visited on a hazy day so couldn’t make out distinct mountains, but they still loomed a blurry blue in the distant haze. There are a couple of plaques near the shelters; one identifies the mountains you’re looking at.
The Woods Trail, which is not accessible, winds through forest, offering a cool, shady respite from the sun that drenches the meadows. The Edge Trail was too overgrown for walking on my visit.
The Old Canada Road National Scenic Byway, a 78-mile road with a long history going back thousands of years, begins here.
Directions: From Skowhegan, drive north on Route 201 for 10.3 miles. Turn left at the Robbins Hill Scenic Area, it’s 0.5 miles past the junction with Route 43. From Bingham, the turn, on your right, is about 12.2 miles. Drive up the hill to reach the sheltered picnic tables.
