The Old Farm Road is, as the name suggests, an old road with a fairly firm packed gravel surface. This is a longer trail with some significant changes in elevation, along with occasional loose rocks, water bars (dips across the road for drainage) and roots, bumping the trail from “green” to “blue” on our rating scale. A few benches here and there along the Old Farm Road and at the public dock at the southeast tip of the preserve offer places to rest.
The Shore Trail, Ravine Trail, and Timber Trail are more technical, with rocks, roots, and bog bridges to navigate, as well as more changes in elevation and some steeper areas.
Dodge Point boasts an extensive trail system and is the northeast terminus of the River-Link Trail. Coastal Rivers maintains a dock on the Dodge Point shore for public use. Dodge Point consists of over 500 acres with more than 8,000 feet of frontage along the Damariscotta River.
There are four main trails on the preserve:
Old Farm Road Trail (2 mile loop, green/blue): The Old Farm Road Trail leaves from the parking lot and loops through the interior of the preserve. This trail is a moderately easy hike along old farm roads used by farmers in the 1800’s and loggers in more recent times. It winds through a mixed growth forest with gentle sloes and a large stand of red pine. Other trails branch from this main trail providing access to different areas of the preserve.
Ravine Trail (1.2 miles, blue): The Ravine Trail bisects the preserve and features steeper and more challenging grades.
Shore Trail (1.5 miles, blue): The scenic Shore Trail spurs off the Old Farm Road Trail and follows the shoreline of the Damariscotta River.
Timber Trail (0.8 miles, blue): The Timber Trail winds past stone walls though a mixed growth tree forest. From this trail hikers can access the northern end of the 5+ mile River-Link trail.
Points of interest: Sand Beach and Pebble Beach are fun spots for wading, swimming, picnicking, or fishing. Anglers fish for striped bass, mackerel, and blue fish.
Flora and fauna: Wildlife is abundant in the area, and sightings on the trails include fox, raccoon, deer, beaver, porcupine, and an occasional moose. Dodge Point is ranked #27 on eBird’s Species Leaders list for Lincoln County (in all, 128 species of birds have been observed here!) Dodge Point – and the Timber Trail in particular – is a great place to enjoy ephemeral spring flowers such as starflower, blue bead lily, trout lily, bunchberry, fringed polygala, trailing arbutus, and lady slipper orchid.
Signs of recent history: Dodge Point is threaded with many old stone walls, remnants of farmers’ property boundaries. There is an ice pond off of the Old Farm Road, where large blocks of ice were harvested prior to the introduction of electricity. The blocks of ice would be packed in sawdust for storage until summer and sold for use in iceboxes.
Brickyard Beach was the site of a local brick making operation. Brick making was traditionally a way for farmers to make money during the winter months, and required access to the right kind of clay, wood for baking the bricks, and a landing spot for loading the finished product onto boats. All of those conditions were met here, and you can still see many brick fragments at the shore.
More recently, Dodge Point was an award winning tree farm owned by the Freeman Family. The State of Maine purchased it in 1989, with help and funding from the Damariscotta River Association (now part of Coastal Rivers), the Maine Coastal Program, and the Land for Maine’s Future Program. Towering plantation red pine still dominate much of the forest and the State continues the longstanding tradition of careful timber harvest at regular intervals.
From US Route 1 in Newcastle, take the River Road exit (Snead’s Spur), proceed 0.2 miles and turn right onto River Road. Follow River Road for approximately 2.5 miles. The parking lot and trailhead will be on your left.
