Land Trust Spotlight #5: Royal River Conservation Trust
Photo by Jodi Federle
For our fifth installment in the land trust spotlight series, we’re thrilled to showcase Royal River Conservation Trust!
About RRCT
Since its founding in 1988, the Royal River Conservation Trust (RRCT) has become a cornerstone of land preservation and outdoor recreation in southern Maine. Born from the unification of four local trusts—including North Yarmouth, New Gloucester, Yarmouth, and Friends of the Royal River—RRCT is the only land trust dedicated solely to the protection of the Royal River watershed. Over the decades, this community-powered nonprofit has safeguarded more than 6,000 acres of forests, farms, wetlands, and river corridors. That includes 1,120 acres of preserve land owned outright by RRCT, 2,010 acres under permanent conservation easements, and support for an additional 2,890 acres of town, state, and partner-conserved lands.
Spanning across Auburn, Durham, Gray, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Pownal, and Yarmouth, RRCT connects people to nature through an impressive network of 25 miles of public hiking trails, 7 miles of Royal River shoreline, and multiple water access points for paddling and fishing. Whether you’re hiking through the rolling woods of Pisgah Hill, birdwatching at Thayer Brook Preserve, or snowshoeing through the snow-covered trails of Intervale Preserve, RRCT offers something wild and beautiful in every season.
For its first 14 years, RRCT operated entirely through volunteer effort—an ethos of local stewardship that continues to drive its mission today. Headquartered in Yarmouth, the Trust works with municipalities, landowners, and partners to ensure that the ecological, recreational, scenic, and historical value of the Royal River watershed is protected forever. With each trail blazed, each acre preserved, and each connection forged between people and place, RRCT is writing the next chapter of conservation in Maine—one rooted in community, resilience, and an enduring love of the land.
While there are 5 signature properties mentioned below, there are dozens more, which you can find with detailed maps here. Keep on scrolling for a fun summary of the uniqueness of each preserve from Stewardship Director, Hanae Garrison. All photos are courtesy of RRCT volunteers and staff, unless otherwise specified!
1. Thayer Brook Preserve
This 147-acre gem in Gray contains sections of Thayer Brook and is dominated by a sprawling 60-acre beaver marsh formed by more than six beaver dams. The robust 3.4-mile trail system circumnavigates the beaver marsh and connects to the Libby Hill Forest trail system, providing opportunities for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and excellent birding.
Thayer Brook Preserve is part of a state-designated wildlife sanctuary that prohibits hunting and trapping. As a result, the preserve has exceptionally large populations of white-tailed deer, beavers, birds and other wildlife. Bring your binoculars and be on the lookout for migrating birds, turtles, deer, and maybe even a bobcat!
Photos by Steve McPike
🥾 AllTrails Route 🥾
2. Littlejohn Island Preserve
Nestled on the shores of Casco Bay in Yarmouth, Littlejohn Island Preserve is one of RRCT’s most beloved preserves, cherished for its breathtaking ocean-front scenery along an approximately 1-mile lollipop loop trail. The quiet 23-acre coastal property provides crucial habitat for both year-round and migratory wildlife, including common eiders, black guillemots, ospreys, and bald eagles.
Enjoy a stroll through the shaded oak-pine forest and stay for the scenic viewpoints, tide pools, and secluded rocky beaches. RRCT’s 4-car parking lot is at capacity most days due to strong demand, so consider accessing the preserve by bicycle or be prepared to wait for a spot.
🥾 AllTrails Route 🥾
3. Pisgah Hill Preserve
Visit the 200-acre Pisgah Hill Preserve for a quiet backcountry escape on the Pownal-New Gloucester town line. There are two separate trailheads, one at 74 Dougherty Road (“South”), and the other at 159 North Pownal Road (“North”), both in New Gloucester. Here you’ll find old quarries, distinct and varied rock ledges, mixed forests, and beautiful ground cover of lichen and mosses. The ridgeline offers winter-time views, including beautiful sunsets and moon-rises.
From the South Trailhead, a primitive 1.2-mile lollipop loop trail takes you through an old quarry, ledge outcroppings with beautiful groundcovers of lichen and mosses before reaching Pisgah Hill’s 410-ft summit. Each February, RRCT hosts a full moon trek to the summit of Pisgah Hill in the moonlight, with a campfire and s’mores at the top.
The northernmost section of Pisgah Hill Preserve includes a large wetland complex with several beaver ponds, significant vernal pools, and rich habitat. A short 0.6-mile out-and-back access trail at North Trailhead is designed to get off-trail enthusiasts, including hunters and foragers across the powerline and onto the large undeveloped parcel.
Perfect for families, casual hikers, and nature photographers, Pisgah Hill Preserve is a year-round favorite for locals and visitors alike.
4. Elmwood Trails
This 2-mile trail in Pownal meanders through peaceful hemlock woodlands with scenic viewpoints of Chandler Brook. This trail is part of the larger Bradbury-Pineland corridor - a network of trails traversing state-owned land, powerline right-of-way, and other trails that connect Bradbury Mountain State Park and the Pineland Public Land which makes it popular with trail runners. A newly established parking lot on Elmwood Road enhances accessibility for visitors and offers connectivity to the Town of Pownal’s Elmwood Woodlands across the street.
🥾 AllTrails Route 🥾
5. Mèmak Preserve
Mèmak Preserve in North Yarmouth encompasses 46 acres of mature woods, featuring a diverse mix of red oak, “legacy” white pine, hemlock, beech, and maple trees. Few forest stands of this quality exist in Cumberland County. Two parallel trails leave the trailhead parking lot, one designed for snowmobiles. The flat and easy trail network includes a one mile "lollipop" loop with additional spurs connecting to nearby neighborhoods and powerlines. Surrounded by mossy stone walls, the family-friendly trails are suitable for hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing and backcountry skiing. Blueberries, lady slippers, mushrooms, and wildflowers are scattered throughout the forest floor.
🥾 AllTrails Route 🥾
We hope you enjoyed some RRCT-flavored trail inspiration for your next local hiking escape. Stay tuned for the next article, or get it right to your inbox!
About Land Trusts in Maine
Land trusts have worked tirelessly to conserve 12% of Maine’s total land, which is double the size of state parks, national parks, and national forests combined. There are 84 land trusts in Maine. While that number continually evolves, a couple of things stay the same:
Most of the permanent conservation of these lands is made possible by generous private landowners, who selflessly entrust their beloved family land to these trusts for conservation, environmental education, and community benefits.
Members and volunteers are the driving force behind land trusts, from creating and maintaining hiking trails, to environmental research, to nature-based community programs. Their efforts, both physical and monetary, make our favorite trails possible.
Looking for your next hike in Maine?
Check out the rest of the Land Trust Series here!
Dive into our statewide interactive map referencing all of our recommendations!
