Winter hike at LELT’s Mayberry Hill Preserve in Casco

CASCO - If the post-Thanksgiving day snowfall has you itching to buckle on your snowshoes and hit the woods, join Loon Echo Land Trust for a forester-guided winter hike at Mayberry Hill Preserve in Casco on Saturday, December 11, at 8:45 a.m.

Jay Braunscheidel of Integrated Forest Management and Jon Evans, LELT’s Stewardship and Volunteer Coordinator, will lead the 1.2 mile hike over easy terrain. Organizers are hoping for lots of fluffy white ground cover, but the hike will take place with or without snow.

If you’ve never explored this beautiful LELT preserve, this is a great opportunity to get to know a gem in your own backyard. The property’s 160 acres of open fields and forested areas provide habitat and travel corridors for a broad range of animals like deer, moose, bobcat and hare. If there’s snow, you’ll look for animal tracks as well as learn about sustainable forestry practices on this fun and educational hike. Don’t forget to bring your camera!

Hikers should plan for winter weather conditions (trail may be slippery or icy) and meet at the Mayberry Hill trailhead at 8:45 a.m. Wear appropriate layered clothing (no cotton) and boots with good tread and bring water and snacks. And if there’s measurable snow on the ground, bring your snowshoes. Some snowshoes will be available upon request. The hike is appropriate for most children. Plan on spending two-plus hours on the hike.

To get to Mayberry Hill Preserve, take Route 121 into Casco village and turn right onto Mayberry Hill Road. Follow to the top of the hill and turn left. The preserve is a short distance on the right. Park alongside the road.

Loon Echo Land Trust protects land in the northern Sebago Lake region of Maine. Its mission is to conserve the region’s natural resources and character for generations to come. Currently, LELT protects 3,785 acres of land, and Mayberry Hill Preserve is one of six preserves that are open to the public.

All LELT hikes are free and open to the public; however, donations are always welcome and will qualify you for a one-year membership. Find out more about LELT by visiting www.loonecholandtrust.org. For more information about this hike or other LELT events, contact Jon Evans at jon@lelt.org or call 647-4352.