Located just steps away from the University of Maine’s campus in Orono, the Piney Knoll Conservation Area presents visitors with diverse wildlife, varied terrain, and bountiful recreational opportunities. Its 57 acres encompass riverside marshes, lovely meadows, and pristine forest stands, including the group of tall white pines atop a knoll from which the area derives Read More
Penobscot County
Millinocket Forest — Mud Brook & Sandy Stream
Located directly east of Baxter State Park, the Millinocket Forest presents visitors with some quality recreational opportunities and great views of Katahdin. With the help of funds from the Land for Maine’s Future program, the Trust for Public Land (TPL) purchased the 5,061-acre Sandy Stream property in 2011, which they then conveyed to the Maine Read More
Caribou Bog Conservation Area – Penjajawoc Marsh
The Caribou Bog Conservation Area houses more than 7,500 acres of wetlands and woodlands, 2,015 of which were acquired with the help of the Land for Maine’s Future program from 2005 to 2017. The land is currently made up of parcels owned by the Orono Land Trust, the University of Maine, the Town of Orono, Read More
Trail of the Senses, Hirundo Wildlife Refuge
Chosen By: Beth Comeau, Communications Manager Location: Old Town, Penobscot County Description: Two trails (one 0.15 miles and the other 0.24 miles) within the seven-mile trail system within the Hirundo Wildlife Refuge Activities: Hiking, photography, picnicking, wildlife watching Why it’s special: This trail is special because it meets ADA standards for accessibility so that more Read More
Eagle Bluff
Located in Clifton, Eagle Bluff is a beautiful, 160-acre popular local destination for rock climbing. It features more than 130 different climbing routes up its vertical granite rock face and a popular hiking trail to the top of the cliff. The cliff provides great views of Cedar Swamp Pond and Peaked Mountain. A local climber, Read More
Mattawamkeag River
As part of a complex multi-property purchase, the Land for Maine’s Future program funded State acquisition of 4,119 acres of woodland, wetlands, and cedar swamp along the Mattawamkeag River east of Kingman and 1,204 acres along 4 miles of its tributary, Mattagodus Stream. The highly productive wetlands that characterize both properties offer outstanding habitat for Read More
Newport/Dover-Foxcroft Rail Trail
When rails and ties were pulled up along the old Maine Central Railroad line between Newport and Dover-Foxcroft in 1993, area residents began to claim this rail trail (Four Seasons Adventure Trail) for their own. There are no other public lands in the area and people were eager to have a convenient site for outdoor Read More
Nicatous and West Lakes
By combining conservation easements on working timberland with public land acquisition, the State protected 22,370 acres of contiguous forest with 30 miles of undeveloped shoreline on two lakes and five ponds. The centerpiece of this property is 5,100-acre Nicatous Lake, widely considered to be one of Maine’s most beautiful water bodies with its pristine sand Read More
Amherst Mountain Community Forest, Public Reserved Land
Description: The Amherst Mountain Community Forest is part of the Public Reserved Land system, but unlike other units, it is managed jointly with the town of Amherst. The 4,974-acre parcel is home to brook trout, white-tailed deer, black bear, Peregrine Falcons, Ruffed Grouse (partridge), and American Woodcock. The area contains two popular hiking trails, Ducktail Read More
