Hikes In and Around Waterboro, Maine

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Hikes In and Around Waterboro, Maine

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Experience World Class Fishing on Little Ossipee Lake in Waterboro, Maine

It’s easy to get outside and hike in Waterboro and surrounding towns. Whether hiking on foot, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing, you’ll find flora and fauna of interest, as well as historical evidence of yesteryear.
Ossipee Mountain
Rising above Waterboro is Ossipee Mountain, with an elevation of 1,058 feet. The Ossipee Mountain Trail is maintained by the Ossipee Mountain ATVers for hiking, ATVs and other outdoor adventures. Along the way, search for an abandoned development and two cemeteries dating back to the Civil War. At the summit stands an historic fire tower, which is listed on the National Historic Lookout Register. This is actually an extinct volcano, so it offers interesting geology worth exploring.
Trailhead: McLucas Road, Waterboro
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate
Waterboro Barrens
Fourteen miles of trails form a network throughout this 3,500-acre preserve, which features a boreal pine barren. Many of the pathways, managed by The Nature Conservancy, are former fire roads built to fight the wildfires of 1947. Search for rare butterflies and moths as you walk along a bog, swamps, ponds, a small gorge and the Little Ossipee River.
Trailhead: Bluff Brook Road, Waterboro
Degree of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate



Sawyer Mountain Highlands
With trailheads in Limerick and Limington, hikers will find 5.5 miles of trails leading to the summit. At the top, look for the sign that marks the site of the whale oil light used during the 18th Century to aid navigation in Portland Harbor.
Trailhead: Sawyer Mountain Road, Limerick; Route 117, Limington
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
Jagolinzer Preserve
Enjoy a short loop walk that passes by an old dam and along Pease Brook and the Saco River a this 20-acre preserve. The half mile loop offers great opportunities to view birds, dragonflies and other wildlife.
Trailhead: Olive’s Way, Limington
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Indian Cellar Preserve
Eight trails traverse the gentle hills at the preserve. The 2.5 miles of trails take hikers along boardwalks and bridges that cross wetlands and border the Saco River. Among special species here: American Chestnut tree
Trailhead: Old Alfred Road, Hollis
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate
Knox Mountain
A one-mile route in Vernon S. Walker Wildlife Management Area leads hikers up to the spacious flat rock top. From the summit enjoy 360-degree views.
Trailhead: Turn off Route 11 across from Symmes Pond, Newfield
Degree of Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Bond Mountain
The forest has taken back the area surrounding the 1820 Thomas Bond Homestead and Bond Mountain Spring. Old cellar holes offer a glimpse into the past, and the evolving wildlife never stops telling tales. The overlook features views of West Newfield and Rock Haven Lake.
Trailhead: Route 11, Newfield
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate to Steep, trail not well maintained
Shapleigh Barrows
The Shapleigh Barrows encompasses 1,170 acres and lies in part within the Vernon Walker Wildlife Management Area. It’s the location of a pitch pine/scrub oak forest and is home to Blanding and wood turtles, as well as over 300 varieties of moths and butterflies.
Trailhead: Route 11, Shapleigh
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
Abbott Mountain
Located in the 3,954-acre Vernon S. Walker Wildlife Management Area, the 1.25-mile route to the summit is steep at times. At the summit you’ll be rewarded with fabulous views of the White Mountains and Atlantic Ocean. Despite numerous signs, hikers are welcome.
Trailhead: Intersection of Owl’s Nest Road and Pitts Road, Shapleigh
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate
Shaker Woods Preserve
Walking trails at this 34-acre preserve are bounded by Hay Brook and the Middle Branch of the Mousam River, both of which flow into Estes Lake. Public canoe and kayak access is also available.
Trailhead: Stone Road, Alfred
Degree of Difficulty: Easy
To learn more about lakefront properties for sale on Little Ossipee Lake, click on the green box above.
To learn more about the Waterboro area of the Sanford Lakes Region, check out these blog links.
Little Ossipee Lake in Waterboro, Maine Offers Great Fishing, Water Quality, and a Beautiful Lakefront
Lake Sherburne, Waterboro, Maine: A Four-Season Lakefront Getaway Destination
Wonders of the Kennebunk Plains and Waterboro Barrens in Maine
Lots of Outdoor Recreation Awaits in the Sanford Lakes Region town of Waterboro, Maine

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