Description: Named for the railroad line it parallels, the Maine Mountain Division Trail provides a gently rolling excursion in the rural Sebago Lake Watershed Area, northwest of Portland. The trail extends 4.8 miles from Standish to Windham. Maine's Department of Transportation owns the onward section between South Windham and Fryeburg and has yet to develop it. Trail advocates hope the entire route will someday connect with Portland's well-developed trail network. Start from the western trailhead at Johnson Field in Standish. Pause at the trailhead kiosk to fill out a registration form for use of the parkland within the watershed. From the large parking area, you'll follow a dirt road trafficked in summer by local YMCA campers. The road undulates past stands of mixed conifer and deciduous trees for about a half mile before reaching the trail. Technically, the Mountain Division Trail is a rail-with-trail, although the rail is no longer active. Narrow in places with steep embankments, the rollercoaster like trail sometimes runs level with the tracks and sometimes dips below. The soothing aroma of balsam fir permeates the air, especially near the Presumpscot River. (Note: Description provided by Rails to Trails Conservancy; see Traillink.com)
Directions: To reach the trailhead at Johnson Field in Standish, take State Route 35 to its intersection with State Route 114. The parking area is on 35, a quarter mile east of the intersection. You'll find limited roadside parking in Windham.
No comments:
Post a Comment