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About Deering Pond
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Deering Pond via Sanford Railroad Trail
Destination:
Deering Pond
Trail:
Sanford Railroad Trail
Region:
ME - Southern
Location:
Sanford, ME
Rating:
Easy
Features:
Pond, wetlands, rail trail
Distance:
Approximately 8.0 miles
Elevation Gain:
Minimal
Hiking Time:
Typical:
4:00
Season:
Variable
Last Updated:
11/09/2019
Author:
Phil Blampied
This information has been excerpted (with permission) from
20 Great Easy Woods Walks near Seacoast New Hampshire
, by Phil Blampied, copyright 1999.
Route Summary
The trail is about 4 miles from end to end. Your walk can be lengthened by walking the entire distance back and forth to avoid having to spot a vehicle at one end. Or the walk can be shortened depending on which access point you choose to start at and how much of the trail you wish to explore.
Trail Guide
This is an easy, flat, few hours stroll. The old railbed of the Portland to Worcester freight line has been preserved through a forested area of the Springvale section of Sanford, Maine.
Now maintained by a town committee, the trail runs from the Lebanon town line to Main Street in Sanford, about a four mile distance, through woodlands and wetlands.
The roadbed is flat, great for winter cross-country skiing, and passes a remarkable, undeveloped woodland pond, Deering Pond, midway on the trail.
Heavily used by snowmobiles and ATVs on weekends and holidays, the railroad trail is usually deserted on weekdays and earlier in the day.
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Driving Directions
This trail has several access points in Sanford:
Rt. 109 (Main St.) in Springvale (part of Sanford), across from the Sherwin Williams paint store
Oak Street (Rt. 11A), four blocks up from the Main Street intersection
Hanson Ridge Road, about a half mile north of its intersection with Rt. 11A
Parking areas on Oak Street and Hanson Ridge Road are marked by signs.
About Deering Pond
According to the Sanford Trail Committee Deering Pond is, by legend, a "bottomless" pond, and records show that, over a hundred years ago, a railroad car sank into the waters and was never found. Today, it's a swampy but tranquil body of water, used mainly for fishing from shore in the warm weather and, when the ice forms, for ice fishing and snowmobiling.
Forest Statuses
Please check the links below to get the latest status, closures, and alerts regarding forest roads, trails, and campgrounds.
White Mountain National Forest
WMNF Road Statuses on FB
Green Mountain National Forest
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