Whitefield Salmon Preserve
The Whitefield Salmon Preserve, along with protected property on the west side of the West Branch and to the north of Howe Road, supports over 4,000 feet of prime Atlantic salmon Rearing and spawning habitat.
Whitefield Salmon Preserve Map
The Story of the Land
Originally part of the Crowe Rope factory complex, the Whitefield Salmon Preserve was acquired by the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, now Midcoast Conservancy, in 1999 and features trails through a beautiful wilderness teeming with wildlife that follow the banks of both the Main Stem and West Branch of the Sheepscot River.
The adjacent Whitefield Salmon Preserve Addition (across North Howe Road where the Blue Trail exits the preserve) was acquired by Midcoast Conservancy in 2020 from the landowner who had previously opened it to public use, giving generous permission to the Whitefield Trails Committee to build and maintain the trail. This trail offers views over river rapids and oxbows, with numerous picnic and fishing spots on large rocks along the river's edge.
“In the 25 years that I’ve lived on Howe Road, quite a number of homes have been built. It's great to know that the preserve will always provide great habitat for critters and a chance for folks to walk in the woods along a lovely stretch of river”
- Stephen Spencer
What You Might See
Look along the water's edge and you might see beavers, frogs, turtles or osprey and bald eagles fishing along the river. Nesting boxes have been placed along the river on the Salmon Trail for wood ducks. As you walk the trails, listen for black-capped chickadees, nuthatches, woodpeckers, warblers, sparrows, common yellow-throated warblers and cedar waxwings. In early spring, look for lady slippers, wood anemones and trout lilies under the American hornbeams (musclewood).
According to locals, a deep pool below the falls near the beginning of the Sheepscot West Branch Trail makes a good summer swimming hole. As the trail drops back down to the river, look for hand-quarried rocks and sections of wire cable that are evidence of earlier settlers. At the top of the ridge on the loop, look for patches of reindeer lichen, small "ground pines", Christmas ferns and evergreen wood ferns.
Directions:
Whitefield Salmon Preserve
West End of Howe Rd.
Whitefield, ME 04353
From Wiscasset: Take Route 218 north for 17.6 miles. Turn left onto Route 126 and right onto 218 N. In 3.1 miles, turn left onto Route 32. In 0.7 mile, turn left on Howe Road. In 1.3 miles, gravel parking and kiosk are on the left.
