Blue Hill Up and Over

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Features Swimming · Views

This route goes through downtown Blue Hill, behind the Post Office and up a gradual incline for about 1.5 miles before the real climb starts. The view at the top is to the east overlooking Blue Hill Bay and the mountains of Acadia National park. It then goes down the other side on a 4 wheeler access trail, then through a gently sloping blueberry field to a yellow gate at ~3.4 miles. Then back the way you came with a grin.

The Blue Hill COOP at 4 Ellsworth Rd.(really it is still Main St.) in Blue Hill, just up the hill from the PO is a great little local and organic food shop with a yummy cafe for after run treats. Black Dinah Chocolatier has wicked indulgent chocolates at 5 Main S. in Blue Hill just before the Library (which is another big hit with families).

Try to go earlier in the morning as this is a popular trail for families. Do go for a swim at the town park in the salt water of Blue Hill Harbor after the run not only for a refreshing dip, but to help get rid of ticks. Salt dries out the deer ticks especially. Here is a PDF trail map from Blue Hill Heritage Trust.

Park at the town park and head back up Water St. (the way you got to the park) until you hit Main St. Take a Right at that 5 way intersection down main St. until you see the Post Office on your left at ~.3 miles. Go to the back right corner of the PO parking lot to the trailhead (where pedestrian parking is NOT allowed).

These trails were put in place by Blue Hill Heritage Trust and we owe these folks a solid nod for all their work. The trail hops up some big boulders and goes behind the local lumberyard's barn through the woods. Right at the beginning there are a few wooden boardwalks that can be slick when wet. This part of the trail winds through fields and mossy woods along a creek for a bit until you get to Mountain Rd. at about 1.45 miles.

Cross the road directly and then you are on the Osgood Trail, which takes you to the summit. The Osgood Trail climbs quite steeply and is technical with all the usual roots and rocks. It is well maintained and well used, though. Near the top as you come to the first bare rock section you'll see to your left the "Becton Trail" to the Turkey Farm Rd. which is new and not as well traveled....yet. but will extend your run by 4 miles. To stay on this run's trail keep heading up until you get to the summit where there is a bit of a view to the SW at ~2.3 miles.

Follow the blazes on the rock and back into "Wisdom Woods". You'll come to an intersection at ~2.4 miles and stay to the left. The right looks like the trail that takes you to the real view and you would be right, but BHHT discourages this (and me) because it goes right by all the telecommunications buildings and generators with very low hanging High voltage wires and sketchy radiation... so, stay to your left and very soon you'll see another right at ~2.46 miles and go down and out to the real view of town, the bay and harbor at ~2.54 miles. Soak it up!

The mountains of Acadia National Park can be seen to the east and the Gouldsboro Hills are to the NE. On a clear day, you can see Isle Au Haut to the south. And check out all those islands! Get out there and kayak around them after your run. Now to head down the other side. Go back the way you came to the view at that second right I had you turn down. When you get there... take a right down the Radio Tower Service Road. This trail surface can be slippery when wet because of the rock work and is a bit steep for easy cruising.

This goes for a ways until you pop out of the woods at ~3.1 miles onto the Hayes Trail through gently sloping blueberry fields and down the hill to the yellow gate. Across the rd. from the yellow gate is another parking area for pedestrians.

Then, back you go. Once you get back to the town park, head down to the shore to the left of the wooden stage where there is a staircase to the beach and bumpy bedrock island for jumping at high tide only. You'll hurt your legs at other tide levels. But even at low tide you can still swim next to the rock. The salt water will help wash off any ticks as they don't like the salt. (Especially deer ticks.)

In late summer pick the blueberries in the field leading down to the yellow gate for a mid-run snack. Come back with the fam and pick as much as you want (no commercial rakes allowed) and take them home to eat.