Clarry Hill Preserve
With views of the White Mountains, Muscongus Bay, and the Camden Hills, Clarry Hill is an iconic landscape where agriculture, wildlife, recreation, and Maine’s natural splendor all converge.
The Story of the Land
Clarry Hill forms the watershed divide between the Medomak and St. George Rivers. Rising to an elevation of 643 feet, it is one of the highest points in both watersheds. Clarry Hill is particularly important because it includes a large contiguous area of productive blueberry land in the midcoast and exceptional panoramic views extending to the ocean and the western mountains. It is also of statewide significance because it contains critical habitat for two rare grassland bird species, the upland sandpiper and the vesper sparrow.
Clarry Hill has long been a destination for people near and far. This is a vital place where wildlife, agriculture, recreation, and Maine’s natural splendor all converge. The protection of this special place began in 2002 when Medomak Valley Land Trust, a Midcoast Conservancy legacy organization, acquired just 27 acres near the summit. The total protected area has grown to over 740 contiguous acres through the tireless commitment of multiple conservation organizations working to put Conservation Easements on neighboring parcels combined with community funded acquisitions of additional land. One of the most recent additions was the Clarry Hill Highlands project in which Midcoast Conservancy collaborated with the Maine Farmland Trust to protect an additional 263 acres surrounding the summit. These valued blueberry barrens will stay in production for generations to come. This innovative approach demonstrates the balance that can be achieved between working lands and conservation.
What You Might See
The Clarry Hill Trail provides access to both fields and forest and offers spectacular views of the Medomak watershed and beyond. The scenic vistas from the property are extraordinary and attract outdoor enthusiasts seeking unparalleled panoramic views from Muscongous and Penobscot bay to the Western Mountains. Clarry Hill can be enjoyed in all seasons to admire the views for bird watching, hiking, hunting, and cross-country skiing. The area is particularly popular among birders, who come from near and far to observe and document the annual migrations of thousands of hawks, shorebirds, and migratory songbirds.
About the Trail
Thanks to the generosity of our neighbors, there are trails over private land that Midcoast Conservancy holds easements on. Please be respectful of their property and stay only on the marked trail.
The trail is marked with bright blue arrows through the fields and blue blazes in the wooded areas.
Parts of the trail can be very muddy in the spring. The trail is mostly downhill from the top of Clarry Hill to the other trailhead on Jackson Road. There is no formal parking at the Jackson Road trailhead, so it is recommended to start from Clarry Hill. Please park in the designated lot next to the kiosk at Clarry Hill, not on Elmer Hart Ln.
Midcoast Conservancy’s fields are leased to a local blueberry farmer who keeps them in production. The trail largely follows the stone walls through the fields. Hikers should stay as close to the stone walls as possible and always stay on the trail to avoid damaging the plants. Dogs should also be leashed to prevent damage and because abutting landowners have animal traps in their fields. The trail may be closed at certain times of the year to protect the fields and prevent interference with harvesting or field maintenance activities.
Directions:
530 Elmer Hart Ln, Union, ME
From Waldoboro: From Rt 1, turn on to Rt 235 N. Drive about 5 miles, turn left on to Rabbit Farm Rd. Drive 1.3 miles to a stop sign. Turn right and then an immediate left on to Clarry Hill Road. After about a mile take a sharp left on to Elmer Hart Ln. Follow signs to Kiosk.
PLEASE PARK AT THE KIOSK! Do not park on Elmer Hart Lane.
