From the highest points in the Kennebec Highlands, a 6,400-acre expanse of wooded hills and wetlands just north of Augusta, one can see to the White Mountains, Mt. Katahdin, and the Camden Hills. Foreground views encompass the Belgrade Lakes and vast stretches of contiguous forest land – broken only by an occasional blueberry field, marsh, Read More
Hiking
We are fortunate that Maine has hundreds of miles of trails to explore. These locations are great for all levels of hiking—from winding trails along Maine's coast to high mountain peaks in western Maine and beyond. Always check the weather before heading out, and let a friend or family member know where you are headed if you are hiking alone. Don't forget to check in when you return. Enjoy your time exploring Maine's public lands!
Kennebec Highlands — Kimball Pond
The 7 Lakes Alliance acquired a 278-acre property around Kimball Pond in Vienna. The property includes Kimball Pond’s headwaters (including areas prone to erosion), a tributary stream, and wetlands area. Kimball Pond is home to a popular fishing spot for brook trout. The Kimball Pond area is also home to sustainably harvested forestland. The goal Read More
Knight’s Pond Preserve
Knight’s Pond is situated less than a mile from both Cumberland and North Yarmouth centers and is suitable for a range of recreational activities, including ice skating, fishing, dog walking, mountain biking, trail running, snowmobiling, hunting, and more. Visitors are permitted to snowshoe and cross-country ski, although the trails are not maintained for these activities Read More
Kennebec River Access
The City of Gardiner acquired land by the mouth of Cobbosseecontee Stream in its historic district that doubles the amount of publicly accessible river frontage in the 10 surrounding towns that border the Kennebec. This 2-acre parcel triples the size of Gardiner’s waterfront park by linking the heavily used boat launch with another State-owned parcel, Read More
Kennebunk Plains
At 3,200 acres, the protected sandplain grassland community found at the Kennebunk Plains is the largest intact example of this ecosystem in New England. Grassland habitat, never abundant in the Northeast, is declining rapidly due to development and changing agricultural practices. The sandy dry soils underlying the Plains made them a particular target for residential Read More
Lake George Regional Park
In periodic surveys of recreational resources throughout Maine, the Department of Conservation (DOC) repeatedly identified a deficiency in west-central Maine where residents clearly needed more resources for water-based recreation. Seeking to fill this need, the Department searched for12 years before an ideal property came on the market–a former summer camp at the southern end of Read More
Leavitt Plantation Forest
The fate of an 8,600-acre forest, which has supported generations of local families, came into question in 2000 when the land was slated for auction into more than a dozen parcels. Leavitt Plantation Forest in Parsonsfield represents York County’s largest contiguous block of sustainably managed forest in single ownership, and provides high-value forest products that Read More
Little Concord Pond Addition (Speckled Mountain Parcel)
The Speckled Mountain parcel was part of an early Land for Maine’s Future (LMF) project that included multiple parcels totaling 37,000 acres. This 64-acre tract, near state park land that the Bureau of Parks and Lands holds around Little Concord Pond in Woodstock, includes a portion of the Bald-Speckled Mountain trail on the west slope Read More
Lobster Cove Meadow and Penny Lake
The Boothbay Region Land Trust has created many popular preserves on the Boothbay peninsula, protecting valuable wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities for community residents. A Land for Maine’s Future Program grant and funds from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service helped to create two new preserves encompassing both Boothbay Harbor’s major freshwater wetlands. The properties are rich Read More
