A collaborative effort of the Maine Forest Service and the Somerset County SWCD, the Yankee Woodlot in Skowhegan offers demonstration of woodlands management for multiple objectives, including production of high-quality forest products, creation and maintenance of diverse wildlife habitat and pleasing aesthetics for non-motorized recreational users.

Yankee Woodlot offers primitive trails for non-motorized recreation. The trailhead is located behind the Cooperative Extension building at 7 County Drive in Skowhegan. We encourage visitors to use the Inner Loop, blazed in blue, as it is regularly maintained for public use. Other trails see less frequent monitoring and maintenance. Please report trail issues to Jennifer.

TRAIL CONDITION REPORT: January 2024 - A trail assessment of recent storm damage is pending. Visitors should be prepared for downed trees and other debris. Please use caution on bridges, which may be slippery or unstable following December flooding.

 

Be sure to visit the Trail of Thoughts, an installation of poetry and quotes inspired by the woods.

The Trail of Thoughts was first installed at Yankee Woodlot Demonstration Forest by naturalist Warren Balgooyen of Norridgewock in the late 1980s. Warren modeled it after a similar trail he created while the founding director and naturalist at Teatown Lake Reservation in New York.  Warren’s trail offered 34 quotes from conservationists, philosophers, scientists and writers.  Somerset County SWCD restored the Trail of Thoughts in 2022, retaining many of the original selections while adding a diversity of new voices.