With charming lakes, pristine wooded areas, diverse wildlife, and bountiful recreational opportunities, the West Grand Lake Forest offers excellent examples of so much that makes Maine’s nature extraordinary. It is located within a network of more than 1.4 million acres of preserved land that extends all the way into Canada. It shares a border with Read More
Wildlife Watching
Maine is home to many iconic species of wildlife—the Common Loon, black bears, Canada lynx, Osprey, and of course, moose! Exploring Maine's outdoors often offers you a glimpse of these beautiful creatures. Learn more about Maine wildlife in our Creature Feature. Explore these locations for a chance to see Maine's wildlife up close. Please remember to leave their nests, dens, and young offspring alone if you come across them while exploring.
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
John H. Murphy Memorial Trail
This short trail connects to others in Blue Hill, all managed and maintained by the Blue Hill Heritage Trust. These trails make it possible to travel through Blue Hill Village without having to walk on major paved roads. The John Murphy Trail is made of crushed gravel so that strollers and those using mobility devices Read More
Meadow Brook Mill Stream Conservation Area
This 0.3-mile trail is accessible for most people, with its hard-packed, 6-foot-wide gravel trail that can be used with wheelchairs or strollers. Follow this trail to view Meadow Brook and the beautiful Mill Stream, which flows out of Parker Pond into the Bagaduce River. The Blue Hill Heritage Trust has protected and manages the land Read More
Rhoda and Lee Cohen River Trail
The Rhoda and Lee Cohen River Trail at Round Top Farm Preserve is an eight-foot-wide trail with a gentle grade, accessible for wheelchairs, strollers, bicycles, and anyone traveling on foot. The trail is 0.3 miles long and connects Round Top Farm to the Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site. You can get to the trail Read More
Gulf Hagas — Whitecap
This 8,400-acre parcel of mostly forested land is in the middle of Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness. It lies right next to Gulf Hagas, the summit of Whitecap Mountain, and 11 miles of the Appalachian Trail. It was therefore the focus of conservation efforts by the Forest Society of Maine and the Appalachian Mountain Club in order Read More
Moose River — #5 Bog
This preserve, managed by the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands since 2009, encompasses thousands of acres of beautiful forests, frontage along the Moose River, and the #5 Bog. This bog is the only large intermontane peatland in the northeastern United States, and it was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the U.S. National Parks Read More
Crooked River Forest
Grants from the Land for Maine’s Future program in 2016 helped enable the purchase of several forested parcels near the Crooked River in Harrison and Otisfield. The largest of these is Loon Echo Land Trust’s Intervale parcel, which contains more than a mile of frontage on the river and some easy trails down to the Read More
Grafton Notch Conservation Project
In 2007, the Grafton Notch Conservation Project was completed to preserve this parcel of pristine, heavily wooded land that is located in one of New England’s top hiking areas. The property encompasses the southeast slope of Old Speck Mountain, four miles of the Grafton Notch Loop Trail, and a popular snowmobile path. These 3,688 acres Read More
