Best places to go leaf-peeping in Washington and Hancock counties
Baring
Established in 1937, Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge covers nearly 30,000 acres in Washington County and is split into two divisions: the coastal Edmunds Division and the larger, inland Baring Division.
The Baring Division, located southwest of Calais in Washington County, has several well-maintained trails that are located near the refuge headquarters.
Columbia Falls
With a population under 500 according to the 2020 census, it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it village worth visiting, with views of the Pleasant River just past the former Union Church — built a decade before the beginning of the Civil War.
A walk along the Pleasant River Community Forest Trail will take you to a special surprise hidden along the riverbank, as well as offer spectacular opportunities to see wildlife.
Franklin
Grand Lake Stream
Sullivan
Trenton
The Trenton Community Trail is a 1.8 mile hike is located on forestland that surrounds the Acadia Gateway Center in Trenton.
Friends of Acadia purchased the property in 2007, then worked with the Town of Trenton to plan and construct the trail from 2009 to 2013.
About 0.5-mile from the trailhead, the trail splits into a loop that’s 1.2 miles long. And at the far end of the loop is a 0.1-mile spur trail that leads to a short bog boardwalk and viewing platform.