Vassalboro Trails

Town of Vassalboro Trails

Vassalboro is blessed with many trails including the ITS 85 snowmobile trail running north-south through the middle of the community, three sets of trails on property of the Kennebec Land Trust, a trail at the Vassalboro Community School, the Town Forest and Red Brook trails adjacent to the ball fields in East Vassalboro, trails at the Annie Sturgis Sanctuary owned by The Native Plant Trust headquartered in Framingham, Massachusetts, trails within Alonzo Garcelon Wildlife Management Area managed by Maine IF&W and the Willow Trail adjacent to Ladd Dam in North Vassalboro. Below you will find brief descriptions of these trails with links in some cases to more information and maps as available.

This content is presented by the Vassalboro Trails Committee which works in Town to improve the condition of existing trails, enhance public information on trails and promote trail use for recreational opportunities and enhanced access to our public and natural resources. The Committee seeks the public’s input and participation.

Committee members serve one-year terms. The current membership of the Committee includes Richard Behr, Ken Bowring, Ryan Douglas, Meridith Cain, Sharon and Steve Farrington, John Melrose (Chair), Paul Mitnik, Paul Oxley, and Holly Weidner. Citizens interested in serving on the Committee should make their interest known to the Town Manager.

Trail Descriptions and Information Links

40 Acre Annie Sturgis Sanctuary

• The features rare plants, scenic hiking trails, views of the Kennebec River at the Mount Tom overlook and a Maine Critical Natural Area. Prime time at the Sanctuary is early to mid-May for spring ephemeral wildflowers and birds.
• The Sanctuary is located off the Cushnoc Road with an entrance sign on the west side of the road. Visitors should park on the road shoulder.
• Access to the Sanctuary is along an easement trail surrounded by private property. Please stay on the easement trail.
• For the safety of all visitors and protection of the plants and other natural resources, please use the following guidelines when visiting: Dogs must be leashed, leave no trace, no removing, cutting, or picking plants, no camping, fires or smoking, no motorized vehicles and no horseback riding.

For more information please visit the Native Plant Trust Website.

Davidson Nature Preserve

• The 97 acre Davidson Nature Preserve features blueberry fields, wetlands, and woodlands. * Over seventy species of birds have been identified and a heron rookery (inactive since 2019) is on site.
• A Kennebec Land Trust sign marks a small parking lot on the west side of Taber Hill Road south of the intersection with Hussey Hill Road.
• An easy half-mile mowed path leads from the KLT sign-in box through two blueberry fields to a view of the fen and the rookery.
• Along the way are two side loop trails.
• During April through June, visitors to the rookery viewing area should approach quietly, in small groups so as not to disturb mating and nesting herons.
• Dogs are not allowed.

For more information please visit the Davidson Nature Preserve Website.

Maine Interconnected Trail System (ITS) 85

• Vassalboro’s connection to Maine’s statewide network of snowmobile trails and provides connections to local trails.
• It extends from the Augusta line near Spectacle Pond to the Winslow line west of Route 32.
• It runs along the west side of Webber Pond, connects to the snowmobile clubhouse on the south side of Hussey Hill Road, and runs north parallel and west of Cemetery Street to North Vassalboro.
• In East Vassalboro there is a local trail in between Hussey Hill and Gray Roads that goes to China Lake through the Town Forest.
• The snowmobile trails are maintained by the Kennebec Valley Trailriders/Vassalboro Snowmobile Club.
• The local club maintains a facebook site that provides more information and updates

Seaward Mills Conservation Area

The 44 acre Seaward Mills Conservation Area features a 0.7 mile trail, 3800 feet of undeveloped frontage on Seawards Mills Stream

• A mature hemlock forest on the south side of the stream, and 15 acres of agricultural fields.
• The stream provides a critical alewife passageway between Webber Pond and Three Mile Pond.
• A Kennebec Land Trust sign and registration box mark the trail head at the edge of the field and woods off Seawards Mill Road .2 miles from Cross Hill Road.
• The agricultural fields are leased so do not walk through the farm fields or park in field entrances. Dogs are allowed on a leash or under voice command.

For more information and a trail map please visit the Seawards Website

Alonzo H. Garcelon Wildlife Management Area (WMA)

• Trails at the Alonzo H. Garcelon Wildlife Management Area (WMA) include an access road/trail to Spectacle Pond from Church Hill Road roughly a mile south of Hannaford Hill Road and a loop trail from Cross Hill Road .9 miles from Hannaford Hill Road following in part a snowmobile trail down a relatively steep slope to a nice shoreline view of Spectacle Pond.
• The ITS 85 snowmobile trail also runs along a portion of the west side of the Pond. The trails are well defined, although not necessarily marked, with a variety of secondary woods roads crisscrossing the area allowing for further explorations.
• In 2022, the Trail Committee brokered an agreement between the Town and the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to permit public use and maintenance of the Spectacle Pond Loop Trail extending from Cross Hill Road to Spectacle Pond.
• Vassalboro Public Works provided a gravel shoulder at the Cross Hill Road trail head so vehicles can now safely parallel park.

Vassalboro Community School Trail

• Offers a .4 mile trail located behind the school south of the athletic fields.
• It is used for outdoor studies and activities and includes boardwalk, a loop and a cleared area for outdoor instruction.
• Motor vehicles and bicycles are not allowed.
• All dogs must be leashed.
• Hunting and shooting is prohibited.

Vassalboro Wildlife Habitat

• The 366 acre Vassalboro Wildlife Habitat features two trails, 2,200 feet of undeveloped shoreline on Webber Pond, excellent birding, a silky dogwood wetland, and rare swamp white oaks.
• Access to parking and trail heads is off the Webber Pond Road just south of Natanis Golf Course.
• The one-mile Alewife Amble Loop, takes you along portions of an old electric trolley line and brings you to two points of land that provide great views of Webber Pond.
• On the west side of Webber Pond Road, is the short Virginia Rail Trail that leads to a cattail marsh and viewing platform for bird watching.
• Dogs should be under voice command or on a leash.

For more information please visit the Vassalboro Wildlife Habitat Website.

Vassalboro Town Forest Trail

• The Vassalboro Town Forest Trail is accessed .4 miles from Route 32 off the Bog Road in the parking lot next to the Town Garage.
• An information kiosk is at this parking lot. The Town Forest Trail provides two interconnected loops each about a half mile long on level terrain through softwood and hardwood forest.
• The eastern loop starts at the parking lot and extends 700 feet where going straight takes you to the east end of the Town soccer field while turning right ultimately brings you to the middle of the soccer field.
• The western trail loop continues at this point and travels through wetlands with bog bridging to the rail bed of the historic Wiscasset, Waterville and Farmington Railway and exits at the south end of the soccer field.

Click Here for a Link to the Town Forest and Red Brook Trails Map

Red Brook Trail

• The Red Brook Trail begins off the western loop of the Town Forest Trail and offers a 1.1 mile trail extension enabling access to a scenic section of Red Brook.
• This trail is primarily on land of the Kennebec Water District. The District and the Town reached an agreement authorizing Vassalboro’s Trail Committee to build and maintain this trail.
• Guidelines for the Town Forest and Red Brook Trails include staying on marked trail, no ATV, biking or horseback riding, pets shall be under owner’s control, no fires or camping, carry in-carry out, and wear orange during hunting season.

Willow Walk Trail

• The Willow Walk Trail in North Vassalboro follows the west side of China Lake Outlet Stream for about ¼ mile from Ladd Dam at the end of Willow Street to the Vassalboro Sanitary District off Cemetery Street.
• Parking is allowed on either end of the trail.
• The Ladd Dam is a point of interest year-round with the falls and one of the fish ladders now relied upon for the restoration of the alewife run to China Lake.
• The land surrounding the Dam is like a park and can be enjoyed by the public courtesy of the landowner, Ray Breton.