Williamsburg Forest, Williamsburg Township

By Sam Shirley

On our way to New Brunswick, we stopped in the the 180-acre Williamsburg Forest, which has an interesting topography and mix of forest types, including hemlock, tamarack, and red pines.

The trails are generally well marked and maintained, except for two areas where a microburst had brought down trees — on the eastern part of the Plantation Loop and the most northern part of the North Loop. But it looks as if land managers with Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District were in the process of doing a salvage harvest to remove many of them. If the trees are not cleaned up by your visit, you can pick your way through the branches.

We hiked all three loops for a very enjoyable hike of a bit more than 3 miles. (The first loop is approximately 0.9 miles in total, the second will add another ~1.3 miles, while the third will tack on yet another mile.) It’s a nice place for a walk in the woods if you’re in the area.

The history of the land is tied to its owners’ fates and fortunes. The 180-acre property once belonged to two homesteading families, but was abandoned in the Great Depression and acquired by the US Forest Service in the 1940s.

Directions: (From Piscataquis County Soil and Water) From Rt. 11 in Brownville, take a left onto High Street (it becomes Old Williamsburg Road). Continue up Brown Hill and past Moses Greenleaf monument. It will turn to dirt, passing several homes. The site is two-third of a mile beyond the last home and is marked with a sign on the right hand side. From Sebec Village, follow the paved road north to Moses Greenleaf monument or the “T” in the road. Turn left onto Old Williamsburg Road.