Griggs Preserve
In 1980, Margaret Dunham Griggs donated thIs riverfront land to the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, now Midcoast Conservancy, and expressed a strong desire to see some direct public benefits come from the donation, especially the possibility of educational use of this land.
Story of the Land
Griggs Preserve is a haven for wildlife thanks to its tremendous natural resources. Trails wind through beautiful forestland to a scenic vista overlooking the Sheepscot River. There, look right towards the reversing falls at Sheepscot Village and left to the railroad bridge in Wiscasset.
The 56-mile Rockland Branch railway borders the property to the North. It was established by Maine Central Railroad in 1901 to carry passengers from Brunswick to Rockland. The line is currently owned by the Central Maine and Quebec Railway and is used for freight trains. Downriver to the south, the old
"Iron Bridge" carried trains across the river from Moose Point, in Wiscasset, to Flying Point in Edgecomb; legend has it that Flying Point earned its name from the Native Americans who went there to hunt ducks and other migratory birds.
What You Might See
The White Shad Run Trail loops through huge white pines, stonewalls, rock outcrops, woodpecker hideouts, and even a porcupine den. As you hop over the babbling spring and walk alongside the railroad tracks, keep an eye out for deer, turkeys, raptors, porcupines and pileated woodpeckers.
Along the Blue Heron Leg, a short loop off the main trail that continues along the river and overlooks a small pond teeming with wildlife, you might see and hear songbirds in the branches above.
The Red Salmon Loop goes around a bog and crosses a natural spring where ferns and mosses are abundant, and a carpet of wildflowers blooms in the spring.
Directions:
Griggs Preserve
Trails End Drive
Newcastle, ME 04553
From Wiscasset: Take Route 1 north. In 2 miles, turn left on Cochran Road. In 1.25 miles, turn left on Trails End Road. In 0.2 miles, park on the left.
From Damariscotta: Take Route 1 south. In 5.6 miles, turn right onto Cochran Road. In 1.25 miles, turn left onto Trails End Road. In 0.2 miles, park on the left.
