When a timber company with lands along the Androscoggin River began to divest itself of its Maine holdings in the late 1980s, local residents grew concerned that the woods they had long enjoyed for traditional recreation might be subdivided and developed. They circulated petition drives, created a video about the property, and sought help from Read More
Horseback Riding
What a great way to explore Maine! Here are some trails that you can enjoy while riding on horseback. Some of these trails are also open to ATVs and snowmobiles, so be alert while riding on these paths.
Aroostook Valley Trail
For half a century, freight and passenger cars ran a regular service through this rural region. The last freight service ended by 1960 and the rail lines were abandoned for decades. Community members saw the conversion of these rail beds into multi-use trails as a means to meet the recreational and fitness needs of local residents, lure Read More
Black Brook Preserve
Of all the towns in rapidly growing Cumberland County, Windham ranks second in percentage population increase over the past three decades. Many former farms and woodlands have sprouted housing developments and it looked as if this 105-acre property in the heart of town would be the next to go. The land, between three heavily traveled Read More
Blackstrap Hill and Wilshore Farm
At 400 feet, Blackstrap Hill is one of the highest points in Cumberland County. The hill is covered in a mix of conifers and hardwoods, with notable stands of rare black birch, mature hemlock and old-growth trees (including a white oak 14 feet in circumference!). Blackstrap Hill’s wooded slopes are visible for miles, a welcome Read More
Bradbury-Pineland Corridor
The State owns two major tracts of public land in eastern Cumberland County, both within 40 minutes of Maine’s two largest urban areas – Pineland Public Reserved Land (600 acres) and Bradbury Mountain State Park (800 acres). These two resources are located only three miles apart, and the trail corridor and park expansion created to link them with Read More
Ducktrap Preserve
The Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) program has helped an ambitious effort to protect all the lands bordering the Ducktrap River, buffering critical salmon spawning and rearing habitat in one of the last eight rivers in Maine with runs of native Atlantic salmon. This land protection project has met with remarkable success, thanks to the Read More
Fuller Farm
Lying in Maine’s fastest growing community, Fuller Farm has a pastoral mix of hayfields, grasslands, and woodlands that slope down to the Nonesuch River. The 23-mile river, which flows into Scarborough Marsh (Maine’s largest saltwater marsh), is classified by the State as a “high value fishery” and as a “priority watershed,” having several fish species Read More
Jay to Farmington Rail Trail
For more than a century, trains passed through meadows, wetlands, and dense woods en route between Jay and West Farmington. After train service was discontinued, the rail company that owned this 15-mile corridor generously agreed to sell it for less than its appraised value — enabling the State and local communities to protect this valuable Read More
Jordan Farm
The William Jordan family has been operating their farm in Cape Elizabeth for more than half a century, with much of their extended family still involved in agricultural operations. The Jordans sell vegetables wholesale and through a farm stand, and run a popular pick-your-own strawberry operation. The farm’s success is due to the family’s hard Read More
