One can enjoy a winter afternoon hike at Crooked Farm Preserve with PWA and DRA on Saturday, Feb. 17 to celebrate Great Maine Outdoor Weekend. (Photo courtesy Hannah McGhee)
On Saturday, Feb. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon, one can celebrate the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend with a hike at Crooked Farm Preserve in Bristol, led jointly by Pemaquid Watershed Association and Damariscotta River Association. Join the fun and hike or snowshoe, weather depending, on the beautiful trails along the Pemaquid River with Jim Hatch, PWA preserve steward, and DRA Education Director Sarah Gladu.
Great Maine Outdoor Weekend is a series of events held twice a year, led by outdoor-oriented organizations and companies to celebrate the how, where, and what of being active outside in Maine. The goal of the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend, a project of the Maine Outdoor Coalition, is to make Mainers aware of the many wonderful and fun outdoor opportunities in the state, such as hiking at Crooked Farm Preserve.
On Feb. 17, hikers will be able to enjoy Crooked Farm Preserve in winter. The property is open to the public for walking, boating, hunting, and fishing, with nearly 130 acres of forest, wetlands, and open fields, including high knolls and ravines. The preserve features almost 1.25 miles of shore frontage on the Pemaquid River. Extensive wetlands along the river provide prime habitat for wading birds and ducks, as well as the edge habitat favored by moose, white-tailed deer, mink, raccoon, fox, and otter.
Crooked Farm Preserve was established in 2002 as a result of a community partnership between the Crook family, The Carpenter’s Boat Shop, PWA, and DRA, along with the financial support of the local community and funding from the Land for Maine’s Future Program with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. The preserve is owned by PWA and is held in conservation easement by and co-managed with DRA.
This family-friendly hike is free and suitable for all ages. Bring water and appropriate walking shoes or boots, snowshoes if conditions allow, and clothing suitable for the weather conditions. Binoculars and a camera are encouraged. The hike will last approximately two hours. Participants are asked to meet in the parking area of the Crooked Farm Preserve before 10 a.m.
To get to Crooked Farm Preserve from Damariscotta, take the Bristol Road (State Route 130) 9.9 miles and turn left onto Old County Road at the Bristol Area Library. Travel 0.8 miles and turn left into the preserve parking area, just before The Carpenter’s Boat Shop.
Pemaquid Watershed Association is a nonprofit, membership-based conservation organization with a mission to conserve the natural resources of the Pemaquid Peninsula through land and water stewardship and education. For more information about PWA, go to pemaquidwatershed.org or call 563-2196.
Damariscotta River Association is a nonprofit, membership-supported, and nationally accredited land trust and conservation organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the natural, cultural, and historical heritage of the Damariscotta region, centered on the Damariscotta River. For more information about DRA, go to damariscottariver.org or call 563-1393.
To learn more about the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend, go to greatmaineoutdoorweekend.org.
