The Middle Goosefare Trails include the Old Camp Loop and Sweetser Link. The Old Camp Loop starts from the parking location and trailhead kiosk at the Mobil Mart. Enter the woods traveling northwest. The trail is well marked with white blazes and the path is obvious. After a short distance (130 feet) the trail come to a “T” from which you can walk the loop either clockwise or counterclockwise. At the far end end of loop once stood a cabin built in the early 1900s by the late Anton Hahn, a Saco butcher and meat cutter. Look carefully on the inner side of the trail loop and you may find the base of the camp’s fireplace, which is still visible.
To return to the Mobil Mart parking area continue on the loop to the point where it began and exit as you entered. While this is a short walk, it is an excellent diversion to the automotive lifestyle we depend upon in southern Maine. Next time you pull in for gas, take a few minutes to walk the loop. It is especially beautiful on a fall afternoon once the leaves have begun to turn.
For those wanting to continue on from the Cabin to Goosefare Brook and Pond, look for the signs for the Sweetser Link. It is not far from the site of the old camp and leads down to a dale that was once a small duck and canoeing pond. Downstream from the bog bridge that crosses the small brook is Anton Hahn’s long cement dam, still standing, though no longer holding back the water.
The Sweetser Link will take you to the high Goosefare overlook, about a 10 or 15 minute walk. This trail leaves the Old Camp Loop trail about halfway through the loop. To reach the trail, follow the Old Camp Loop directions that guide you to the loop. Approximately halfway through the loop the Middle Goosefare Trail branches to the right, heading downhill in a southerly direction. The trail descends for about 200 feet before turning left (south-southeast) to follow the bank of Philips Spring Brook.
This trail is not as well traveled as the Old Camp Loop, but you will see white blazes to guide you. The trail at times will rise briefly above the brook, then return to the bank where plank bridges will carry you over wet spots. Four hundred feet after leaving the Old Camp Loop you can look to your left to see the remains of a concrete dam that once backed up the stream to form a small pond. After almost 1,000 feet, you will come to the Lew’s Quik Stop trail. Turning to the right will take you up a short hill to a wooded picnic area. Turning to the left will take you along the edge of the marsh to the site of a former dam.
The trails are built and maintained by volunteers and members of Saco Bay Trails. This trail system is a work in progress. Please make sure to “leave no trace” and to keep your dog on a lead. In addition please use poop bags. If you do see vandalism or excessive trash, please visit our website below and click on Trail Condition Report to notify us.
In spring, summer, and fall, ticks and other biting insects may be plentiful. Visitors should take precautions to avoid these, especially ticks and possible exposure to Lyme disease.
Visit Saco Bay Trails online for more information or contact:
From Main Street in Saco, follow US Route 1 north for approximately 2 miles to the Citgo station located on the left. Park near the trailhead at the Saco Bay Trails kiosk.
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