Directions: From Village Street in Jefferson, turn onto the North Mountain Road and drive 2.2 miles to a small parking area on the right, located about 100 yards after the road turns to dirt and shortly before the Rocky Mountain Road. The preserve can also be accessed near the Fire Tower Road, by driving 1.6 miles up North Mountain Road; turn left onto Fire Tower Road and park off to the right side. Walk across North Mountain Road and follow the right edge of field to the preserve entrance.
The 475-acre West Branch Preserve, owned by Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association, borders 5000 feet of the West Branch Stream, which flows into Damariscotta Lake, by way of the Davis Stream.
Some land on the east side of Davis Stream has been put into conservation easement, to further protect the watershed. The preserve is made up of three sections, two located in Jefferson, on the east and west side (formerly called Mountain Preserve) of North Mountain Road and the third section located in Somerville (formerly called Rocky Mountain Preserve, now called West Branch, Somerville).
Mary and Joe Fiore donated land to DLWA for the West Branch Preserve in two parcels in 1998 and 2001, including 155 acres on the west side of North Mountain Road and 320 on the east side. Land for the 235-acre West Branch Preserve, Somerville was purchased with money from an anonymous donor in 2006 to boost the total acreage of the West Branch Preserve to 710 acres.
There is a large network of trails linking the three sections of the preserve. The trail hub connecting the sections is located at the small parking area off North Mountain Road, just before the Rocky Mountain Road intersection. Plan on two to three hours to hike this extensive network of trails in the Jefferson end. Hiking boots or sturdy footwear is a must on this trail consisting of rugged and very steep terrain.
From the parking area, enter the woods at the back of the parking area. Walk about 20 paces and turn right onto a narrow trail blazed in blue. The trail opens up on an old woods road for about 50 yards then re-enters the woods and soon comes to a “T.”
Turn right on the wide path and follow the blue blazes (the trail to the left goes about 30 yards to balancing rock and the preserve’s boundary). There are many tree markers on this section of the trail.
The trail crosses a small boggy area after an ironwood tree sign before coming to a second “T.” Turn right and follow the trail until it comes to a field. Enter the field and turn left, following the edge of the field up and around to the top of the knoll where the trail re-enters the woods (well marked).
The trail comes out to the power lines where it joins the trail coming in from the Fire Tower Road. Do not cross the power lines, but bear left and head downhill.
Hikers coming in from the Fire Tower Road need to cross North Mountain Road and follow the right edge of the field to the back corner and enter the woods by blue blazes.
Cross the power lines, where on a clear day the Camden Hills are visible, then meet up with the trail to the parking area (on left) and the main trail down to the West Branch of the Davis Stream (to right).
Head downhill to an old woods road, and walk straight across it onto a narrow trail, that immediately bears right. The trail continues to go steeply downhill, past moss covered ledges and crosses between two boulders, then curls back to the left. The trail is rocky in this section and extra care is needed to maintain good footing. The trail comes to an active beaver pond and dam, and the outlet of the pond that continues to flows down the West Branch of the Davis Stream. This is a beautiful little spot and the highlight of the trek.
The trail follows the stream then splits. Turn left to do the figure eight loop, or turn right to return to the parking area.
The left turn follows the stream for over a half a mile. A short distance from the intersection, hikers will come to a small brook masked by tall grass. Walk to the right a few yards and cross a small wooden bridge.
A series of bog bridges (watch for poison ivy) lead to a small pond, which rejoins the West Branch. Cross the power lines on a trail that splits a grove of alders then heads slightly uphill to a path that re-enters the woods (trail is overgrown on power lines, so look closely to find trail entrance on other side). The trail meanders back down to the stream and follows it for some distance.
The path then heads steeply uphill to the right and away from the stream and comes to, and then follows, a barbed wire fence for a short distance. Care should be taken to follow the blue blazes in this rugged section of the trail, as there are a few downed trees obscuring the markers.
The trail then crosses a high ridge, and heads back down to the power lines by a large rock. Cross the power lines, and the stream comes into view on the right. Stay straight at the junction (right turn takes hikers back to the beaver dam) and walk straight uphill to an old woods road. Turn right onto the old woods road and walk about 100 yards, turning left and heading uphill again to the power lines.
To return to the parking area, turn right before the power lines and follow the trail. To return to North Mountain Road and the Fire Tower Road, cross the power lines, enter the woods and then follow the left edge of the field to the road.
It takes about two, to two and a half hours to hike from the parking area to the beaver pond, along the figure eight loop and return. Hiking in from the Fire Tower Road and back takes about an hour and a half.
To extend the hike back to the parking area or for an alternate route, walk out to the Fire Tower Road and turn right onto the North Mountain Road. Walk about 50 yards and enter the woods on the west side (left) by a rock with a blue blaze.
This trail returns to the parking area, and passes many vernal pools, a freshwater spring, crosses Oriental Stream, and has a spur trail that goes out to the Dyer Headwaters. The trail is blazed in blue paint, white Mountain Trail Conservation Land circles, and orange and blue plastic streamers. The trail is well marked, but hikers need to pay careful attention to follow them, and not get sidetracked onto an unmarked woods road.
Extra care is needed in crossing Oriental Stream, which is dotted with moss-covered and slippery rocks. Shortly after the crossing, the trail branches out.
The left spur trail goes out to a grass-covered pond on Dyer Headwaters. The trail to the right heads out to the power lines and back to the parking area. Cross the power lines, turn right and follow the woods line until it comes to a wide trail (blue trail marker hidden).
The final half-mile of trail is fairly flat and passes a large vernal pool on the right, before coming out to butterfly meadow, named for its shape. Cross the meadow and enter the woods for a short distance then cross a small field to a chain fence. The parking area is located across North Mountain Road from the fence.
Plan on two and a half to three hours to hike the West Branch Preserve, Jefferson, from the parking area to West Branch Stream, along the figure eight loop, to Fire Tower Road off North Mountain Road and back by way of the trail on the west side on North Mountain Road. Allow more time to sit and enjoy the scenery, or to have a picnic.
