Trout Brook Preserve
Trout Brook Preserve protects over 4,200 feet of the lower reaches of Trout Brook as well as frontage along the main stem of the Sheepscot River.
The Story of the Land
In 2005, the land was purchased from Maxine Peaslee Tornell and her family by the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association, now Midcoast Conservancy. Maxine’s mother, Thelma Lucy Wyman, inherited the property from her parents and lived there for almost 50 years after she married Earl Peaslee in 1922. Much of the property was pasture, with open fields at the top of the hill. Maxine loved that a wide variety of plants and animals made their home on her land and treasured time spent in their midst.
“The pasture was filled with wonderful wildflowers like Jack-in-the-pulpit, dogtooth violets, Dutchman's breeches, lilies, skunk cabbage as well as fiddleheads and the many crab apple trees. Plus all of the wildlife - deer and moose, raccoon and fox, rabbit, skunk and porcupine, partridge, etc.“ - Maxine Peaslee Tornell
Trout Brook has also historically been a good fishing locale where Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) have been known to spawn. Enjoy walking along trails by the stream, shaded by trees that keep the water cool and create ideal habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms.
What you might see
At the beginning of the trail, you will walk along the Wiscasset, Waterville, and Farmington (WW&F) Railway Right of Way that operated from 1894 until 1933. In the early 1900’s, train cars hauled potatoes, poultry, lumber, and even the mail.
When the Peaslees owned the farmhouse (now gone), the forested hill you'll walk up was open and treeless. Maxine used to watch and listen for her mother calling from the farmhouse below. Look for large mature pines, black cherry, white birch and old apple trees which are good clues of old pastureland. Spring visitors will be treated to a variety of warblers and thrushes that use this diverse forest. In the summer, you may see woodpeckers, grouse, woodcock and winter wrens near the brook. Look for signs of deer, fox, fisher, mink and porcupine in the soft soils along the streams or on the snow.
Directions:
Trout Brook Preserve
1888 Alna Rd.
Alna, ME 04535
From Wiscasset: Take US Route 1 to ME Route 218 north. In 7 miles, left to parking lot.
From Whitefield: Take ME Route 218 south. In 5.3 miles, parking on the right.
