A change of pace and a little adventure
always adds new vigor to our everyday lives. Although it is true that, for many,
travel to foreign lands is what kicks renewal back into our souls, we often
overlook and dismiss the beauty and charm that surround us. There is no end to
the Maine adventure and many of those expeditions for daily rejuvenation can
occur right here in the Windham/Raymond area.
One backyard adventure can be seized at the
308 acres of trails in Windham at the Roscoe and Elva Lowell Preserve, known
simply as the Lowell Preserve. The preserve was purchased by the Windham Town
Council as a recreation area in May of 1999. Located at the East Windham Fire
Station on 47 Babbidge (Falmouth) Road, one can safely park their car and easily
find the entrance to the preserve at the left of the fire building.
Entering the newly mulched trail
entrance, the hiker will immediately find herself in a wooded paradise that
contains a number of trail loops, ranging from .3 to 3.4 miles in length. This
expansive sanctuary is open to every form of activity, accommodating individual
preferences that include walking and hiking, mountain biking, ATVing, snowmobiling,
horseback riding, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. The nature paths are
also dog friendly so a morning hike with your fur buddy off leash is a great
way to start the day.
The trails contain various surfaces that
not only include a few wood-chipped paths but packed soil, large rocks, and
exposed roots as well. You will also experience slow inclines from time to time
and walk over bridges built out of thick logs or wood slatted crossings. A
hiker will also meet up with large wet boulders to cross the beautiful McIntosh
Brook. As a result, it is best to wear some good hiking shoes to safely enjoy
your adventure.
The assorted trails that meander through
the preserve consist of three major loops that are marked by yellow, blue and
green blazes. The Maine Trail Finder describes the loops in detail. “The
yellow-blazed loop is called the Libby Hill Loop Trail and circumvents the
boundary of the property, almost 3.5 miles. Most of the Libby Hill Loop Trail
is for hiking, mountain bikes and ATV users. The blue trail-blazed trail is
called the Virginia Trail and heads towards the center of the property, looping
back after ending about half way into the property. The Virginia Trail is 1.7
miles in length. The green-blazed trail is called the Roscoe Loop Trail and is
a 1.5 mile loop in the northern section of the property.” And as with most
trail loops there are the connector paths that link up all the loops marked by
orange and red blazes. For more detailed information, go to the Maine Trail
Finder website: http://www.mainetrailfinder.com/trails/trail/lowell-preserve,
or visit the Windham Parks and Recreation website for a trail map at: http://me-windham.civicplus.com/Facilities/Facility/Details/Lowell-Preserve-34
The unknown author of a meaningful quote
once said, “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm, and
adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them
with our eyes open.” So, let us seek out the adventures that are so abundantly
around and available to us, the residents of this state and the towns
surrounding the great lakes region. When you need that break from your daily
routine to put a little renewed hop (and hope) into your life, you need not go
far. Visit one of the local nature preserves, of which there are many. First
stop? The Lowell Preserve in East Windham.
*It should be noted that during hunting
season, the Lowell Preserve, as with many of the other surrounding wooded
trails, are open to hunters. If you walk the preserve during hunting season,
wearing an orange vest is advisable.
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