A last minute day off with the hubs and a date day with our 14yr old dog while shipping the younger ones to doggie day care led us to look up and explore a new trail. We wanted to do a trail by simply due to proximity and how well laid out their trails are. They are generally well marked and the kiosks have maps and useful information. We needed an easy hike so we headed to one that we found on the website nearest home but was not listed a closed in the information; we found out when we got there. Not to worry! I quickly used to find the next closest to us and it landed us here at the Sylvan Trail. The parking area is spacious and located at the highway over pass on Flagg Pond Road. The kiosk was informative and even pointed out that there was treasure to be found in a geocache along the trail! Off we went to explore. Please note: Saco Trails does have trails that dogs are not allowed on, please check the rules as each trail is not listed as pet or non-pet. They also ask that you leash your pet. Keep in mind that some of these lands are privately owned or border lands that are and some allow trapping and hunting so it is for your pet’s safety as well as the wildlife. I do have a couple of pictures of our dog at the trail head without his leash yet on. Please abide by the rules of the trail. Ok, with that said, we set off in to the woods. This is a dirt path that is fairly flat and has roots and rocks and such. Extremely well marked trees are not hard to find. The early morning light was beautiful. I really liked the spider webs lit up with the morning light, but it difficult to snap a pic of. This trail was easy for sure… the roar of the highway gave way as the trail split and we ended up coming out in to a lovely field and the sounds of the insects took over. A HUGE bird… a hawk of some sort perhaps, flew up the trail in front of us. Part of the trail was a bit wet and marshy, another was walking along the edge of a field, yet another was a tote road and lastly was the short hike along the rooted path near the entrance. The trip was just shy of 2 miles, listed on the website as 1.7 miles. It was a great walk for an old dog and would be perfect for children as well. Bring your bug spray for sure and this is definitely a place that is a tick breeding ground so bring your tick spray for your furry pal too. Lovely trail!
