Geele Farm Preserve
The Geele Farm trail system weaves through several privately owned properties. Most of this land is part of the original Geele Farm which was purchased by Charles Geele in 1886 for $1,000.
The Story of the Land
Historically, a county road traversed the northern end of the trail system, and part of the trail follows this old road. The stone remains of an old bridge can still be seen at the head of the marsh. Thanks to the landowners’ foresight and generosity in donating conservation easements and trail access across their properties, the Geele Farm will retain its rural character and will remain protected in perpetuity. The farm will continue to be used as productive farm and forest land, while locals and visitors will be able to walk the trails on this beautiful land forever.
The Geeles raised chickens and cows, and grew vegetables to feed their own family and to sell. Remains of old homesteads, including a brick cistern, foundations and an apple orchard are found throughout the farm.
Please respect private property, and carry out what you carry in. Feel free to walk along the shore front, but within the field please do not wander beyond the marked boundaries of the trail.
What You Might See
The Geele Farm has two main trails, with several scenic side trails. On the east side of the road, the relatively easy Fields Trail meanders through fields and along the shore of the Eastern Branch of Broad Cove, on the Medomak River. On the west side of the road, the more diffcult Saltmarsh Woods Trail weaves through second growth softwood forest and along the edge of an exemplary saltwater marsh on the Western Branch of Broad Cove, passing by several wetlands and vernal pools.
Salt marshes and mudflats line the shore, providing homes to many species of animals and plants. Rich in birdlife, some species live here year round while others, such as the great blue heron, visit seasonally. The property contains numerous vernal pools and wetlands, which make way to streams flowing from freshwater marshes into the saltwater.
Common tree species include red spruce, balsam fir, white pine, hemlock, birch, beech, and big-tooth aspen. The forest is mostly regenerated second-growth, and a dense understory of herbs, ferns, and wildflowers is present along the trail.
Directions:
Geele Preserve
828 Gross Neck Rd.
Waldoboro, ME 04572
From Waldoboro: Take Route 32 south from Rt. 1 in Waldoboro for 2.7 miles, turn left onto Dutch Neck Road, then right in 1/3 mile onto Gross Neck Road. Parking and the trailhead are on the right, at a green gate, in approximately 1.5 miles.
