Beech Hill Preserve, Rockport
There are trails we discover that deliver feelings of sheer euphoria. I knew, the moment I was met with crimson and burgundy blueberry fields at the Beech Hill Preserve trailhead, that this hike would be one of those.
After a gentle 0.6-mile climb along a wide, gravel path lined with blueberry fields and birch trees, I reached the wide-open summit hill. What I discovered brought tears to my eyes, as I took in the panoramic views of Penobscot Bay and stunning fall colors of Camden Hills. The hills were alive and I actually threw my arms open, feeling like my own Maine version of Julie Andrews. I dare you to come here and not get swept up by the beauty of this place.
But it gets better. At the very top of this breathtaking hill, is a sod-roofed stone hut, built in 1913 by Norwegian landscape architect and stone mason, Hans Heistad. A wealthy industralist philianthropist, John Grimmel, hired Hans to build the hut as a day cottage and picnic area for his family. It also served as a way to keep workers employed during the winter months.
Modeled after traditional Norwegian mountain huts, local stones were wrapped in burlap, hauled by horse up the Summit Trail, then set in place by hand.
The charming hut fell into disrepair in the 1930's, after the Grimmell family moved on. Then in 2003, the Maine Coast Heritage Trust purchased the land surrounding the hut, transferring it to the Coastal Mountains Land Trust in 2006.
In 2007, the hut was fully restored and visitors can now tour the inside during guided open houses and concerts, when the hut is unlocked. Check the Coastal Mountains Land Trust's open house calendar here.
Although my hike up the hill was solitary, (would I spin around like Julie Andrews if I had spectators?) there was another woman enjoying the views from the hut. We shared a brief conversation, mostly about the overwhelming beauty of the place, but also about creating time for hiking.
She’d recently moved to Rockport and now that she’s retired, has been visiting the preserve in all seasons. She lamented the fact that while working as a busy Executive Assistant, she never made space for hiking. She urged me to squeeze in the time to explore and hike now...to not wait for a less busy stage of life.
Happily, I was able to report that I’m already prioritizing hiking. I explained that I’d squeezed this hike into a work day, after presenting at a conference nearby. This preserve had been on my list since I first saw a photo of the stone hut, and when I looked up trails near my conference at the Samoset Resort, I was floored to discover that it was only ten minutes away.
The truth is, I don't have as much time to hike as I've had in other periods of life. I have a full time job, a family, and a very needy dog. So sometimes my hikes are easy local trails, or a short run down to the Back Cove at sunrise, a lunchtime walk near my office, or finding a new trail when traveling for work. But I do make it a priotity to keep exploring, and to continue to fill my cup with time outside.
This trail, took a total of 38 minutes, and it fully energized the rest of my day...and week. Now that I'm writing about it, and revisiting the photos, the gift of this gorgeous natural space keeps on giving. If you live in Maine or plan to visit, I hope you put this one on your list!
