I chose this trail because I wanted to find the old castle tower remains located just up the road from this spot...but I'll get to that later.
Located at 14 Old South Freeport Road off of Route 1, the 1.2 miles of trails here are the result of a cooperative project of the Freeport Conservation Trust and the Casco Bay YMCA. The trailhead is also located at the far end of the YMCA's large parking lot.
This short and sweet trail begins at some large rocks that beg for climbing, then leads through woods of old pine, over boardwalks and finally down to Cousin's River.
Follow the white blazes all the way to the river. Once you've had time to explore along the water's edge, follow the blue blazes to your right, up the hill with high river views.
If you still have adventure left in you, take the 6 minute drive to see the Casco Castle Tower, located off of Castle Road. This incredible tower is located on private property, so you will only be able to view it from the road. I wholeheartedly feel that it was worth the trip...but I also get really excited about historic remains. As always, choose your own adventure. For the history on this tower, read on.
The Casco Castle was once a resort that included a hotel, a zoo and a ball field. It was linked to the development of the electric trolley car and built in 1903. Amos Gerald was the man responsible. He was the owner of the Portland and Brunswick Street Railway and hoped to increase patronage of the trolleys with amusement parks that could be easily accessed by them (remember the Riverton Trolley Park?). The castle, which was made out of wood, was joined by bridges to the stone tower. All but the tower burned down in 1914 due to suspected arson. This was never confirmed, so it will remain a mystery. It was incredible to see this tall tower standing among the woods. I do wish we'd been able to take a closer look, but we were forced to rely on our imaginations, which is sometimes better than reality.
