Wes Baker Trails at Robbins Hill

This park is a little oasis at the top of Robbins Hill, with a couple of wheelchair-accessible loops made of crushed stone that wind through fields of wildflowers. 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 visited on a hazy day so couldn’t make out distinct mountains, but they still loomed a blurry blue in the distance. 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.